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Please - only the weak-minded will see that as a true detriment to McCain's campaign. A logical person already knows that BOTH candidates are in the wealthiest 1% of our nation's populace, so why does it matter that one has seven houses and the other recently bought a million-dollar plus mansion and vacationed on a private beach in Hawaii?

Yeah, the latter certainly sounds much more like the "everyman's man" to me.

Yes, but that's not quite the point here.

It's McCain having so many homes that he's apparently lost track of them.

It's like the definition of really rich: You aren't there if you actually know how much money you have.

Another funny thing about McCain's gaffes is that by his own definition of "rich" Obama doesn't qualify. I believe he set the mark at $5 million.

And I also think people will also see the difference between a man who was by no means rich until the last couple of years when his book became a best-seller and a man who grew up wealthy and married into a fortune worth tens of millions of dollars.

In fairness, it must be said that McCain, if he grew up wealthy, as a young man did not choose a life of ease. Far from it.

My line would be: "However many there are, I did purchase them without the machinations of a felon."

This is a 4/10 glitch, IMO--hardly a dealbreaker. Although McCain is still an underdog, I think the election will be more or less an up and down vote on Obama.

Your line is better than mine, but I would want to simplify the vocabulary: I didn't have help from a crook.

I never said McCain had an easy life, but then neither did Obama. I just find it amusing that the guy who has so much more wealth than Obama, wealth McCain didn't earn, is somehow not as "elitist." I guess increasing tax cuts for the rich shows how much of a populist you are.

McCain's camp did come out with the Tony Rezco reference earlier today, brian, just as Clinton did in the primary.

Obama went to Ivy League School. Michelle went to Ivy League School. Barack went to Harvard Law School. Someone else paid for their way. Obama lives in a multi-million dollar house. McCain adopted a daughter from a foreign country and assumed responsiblity for her support. Obama has a brother in Narobi that lives on less than $1 per month. Why doesn't Obama send a few dollars to his brother. People don't go for this gotcha ads. Obama is losing his cool. Also, however many homes the McCains had, he and his wife purchased them without the help of a convicted felon.

Check your facts, Joe. I guarantee you no one is living in Nairobi on $1 a month. Even in Africa you can't do that. But yes, due to Obama's wandering father he has about a dozen half siblings spread around the world, some of whom he's barely met, and some he never met. Some of them are better off than others. Obama's undergraduate education mostly at Occidental College in LA, only the last year was at an Ivy League school, Columbia. Also, Obama paid his own way through law school and graduated with a lot of debt which he only recently finished paying off. And yes, Rezco, a guy Obama had some connections to, was involved with his house purchase, but Obama was in no way connected to his corruption. There have been plenty of convicted felons that McCain has been connected to. In fact, with Keating McCain was even involved in his crimes.

And if people don't go for "gotcha" adds, explain to me why they worked so well the last two elections, and why McCain is running ads with Paris Hilton. Obviously she has a lot to do with the issues and everything, but I don't think that's necessarily positive campaining.

Wow, it's cool having Andrew on my side, sort of, in a discussion once in a while.

What felon did McCain have personal transactions with? Obama did not pay the full tariff at Harvard Law School. Obama is a multi-millionair. Is it asking too much that he send enough money to his brother to lift him out of the awful poverty that he is in? He has no heart. He will tell you about being a "community organizer". He was paid 23k a year which was more than a beginning teacher would have been paid in the early eighties. After he finished Harvard Law, he never worked in the community. He worked for a large law firm in Chicago. This man is an empty suit.

Joe, he worked at a law firm that did work in civil rights litigation and neigborhood economic development. He was not paid a large salary like he could have made at a corporate firm.While he was doing that he was teaching at the University of Chicago. You don't know the situation of this brother, or if Obama has offered help. He has in fact given money to some of his family there, but there are a lot of them, and like I said he hasn't even met everyone. McCain was involved with Charles Keating, one of the Keating Five in the Savings and Loan scandal. McCain ended up with a slap on the wrist because of "exercising poor judgement" but there's no doubt he had close connections with the man.

Seriously, how can you look at the man's past work, what he's written, and the detail of his positions and call him an empty suit? You may disagree with his politics, but he sure shows a firmer grasp of issues than McCain does. Oh, and he actually wrote his books. McCain used ghost writers.

Ok, just looked up this brother who is supposed to be living in a shack in Nairobi. The Italian edition of Vanity Fair did say the $1 a month thing, which having lived in East Africa I can say is absurd. Even there you can't get by on $1 a month. In fact in Nairobi abject poverty would be $1 a day. The rub is, no one knows for sure if he's Barack Obama's brother, and there's no evidence he is. Either way, Obama never met him and he never made the claim until Obama became famous. Of course, like I said, Obama Sr. got around, so who knows.

I apologize, got bad information, he apparently is definitely his brother, and Obama met him as a child. Still, the guy made some pretty dubious claims about his though granted it's not easy and is no doubt abject poverty.

You can call him an empty suit because his platform is change and nothing else.

Ok, what kind of change Barack? I'm going to put the economy back together with jobs for new forms of energy. Isn't that up to the companies that are going to invest in new forms of energy or am I going to pay for it with taxes?

Ok Barack, what are you going to do about National Security? I am going to bring our troops home. Ok, that should help.

The guy doesn't give any real answers and has no past successes to ride on. He is all hype and I only hope that people are not dumb enough to believe it.

axhandle, he has extremely detailed position papers on these issues. It doesn't make good news, so the TV guys don't talk about them, but they're there. He also did explain that yes, there will be subsidies for investment in renewable energy, while McCain has proposed subsidies for nuclear power. And trying to say his national security policy is less thought out than McCain's is just purely indefensible. McCain only sees military solutions. Every problem: attack!That's brilliant. Maybe you agree with that, but it sure isn't evidence of complex thought. Seriously, if you want a detailed platform from Obama, it's all there. I'm sorry he hasn't been able to fit his position papers in his 30 second ads.

Obama met his brother twice. The last ime was in 2004. Why won't Obama help him? Is it his fault? A few dollars from someone will millions would be good for Obama as well as for his brother.

Strange McCain kicked Obama butt big time in the QA. Not one word in the press*. McCain misspoke, and the flaming liberals go wild. Clark's please note, Obama father trained to be a Muslim terrorist. I would never hold his against him. So who gives adamn how many houses one owns.
* I brought 6 papers the day after, it was not a word in any of them, unless I missed it. Mr. Clark, the way you have worked for the liberals, if you do not have 50 vacation houses, they have screwed you. Of course, I will work for anyone, that I think, has the city, county, state, are country at heart. Needless to say, I avoid liberals. Saying that I have set of golf clubs,I wished a person, I worked for had back, and his opponent had won the election! Even someone who cares can screw up.

Doug J, I just offered to work for McCain. I'm waiting to hear from him.

Joe, why should Obama support half-siblings all over the place?

His half-brother in Nairobi might do OK, anyway, if Obama is elected. Maybe the Kenyan government would appoint him its ambassador to the U.S.

Look, Joe, you don't know the situation. There's a lot of family he's got over there, a lot of brothers and sisters with several different mothers making a complex situation. When interviewed by Vanity Fair (I have read the whole article now) George (the brother) said he's not in contact with his mother or any other family either. It sounds like it's his choice to have nothing to do with his family. He didn't ask for any money, and believe me, in that culture, if you want money from someone you ask.

When you are blessed with great wealth, most people see to it that their own flesh and blood does not go hungary. This is a concept that makes the giver and the receiver feel better. Obama is not required to do anything. He is the most elite candidate we have every had in the history of this nation. Turning is back on his own brother does not bother him but it sure bothers me.

The half-brother might be poor but he lucked up with his name: George.

Now, that sounds presidential.

By the way, now that the subject of this string has turn to George Obama, I'm a little worried about him. With him in the news, he could become a target for kidnappers. So could Barack Obama's other Kenya kinfolk, for that matter.

What would we do, after he's sworn in as president, if al-Qaida operates -- and there's got to be some of them still running around East Africa -- grabbed an Obama relative? Imagine the scene of terrorists theatening to murder relatives of the president of the United States unless some sort of ridiculous conditions were met?

Should we provide Secret Service protection for these people over in Africa or wherever?

"John McCain: Because Obama's relatives might get kidnapped."

Because it's going to cost McCain more than that for enough positive TV ads to undo the damage he's done himself by losing count of the houses he owns.* Doug

Don't worry! Help is on the way for McCain! John Edwards has just merge his property assets with McCain and a big fire sale will be held on November 5.

Obama said his property will be put into a private trust after he is elected President and his former investment land partner who is about to serve time will hold a fire sale from a federal dentention center on Jan 22,2009

Frankly! Who cares about how many homes anybody owns when their home about to be forclose?

Doug, maybe you should hire me to be your agent. I know you have heard this, a conservative professor, asked a liberal professor if she go to bed with him for a million dollars. She replied of course I would. He told her he give her 10 dollars, she replied, do you think I a hooker. He told her we have already proved that, we are now to negotiate price. could it be you need someone to negotiate price.? If so I know most of the pimps in Raleigh. Brown envelopes with pictures of presidents are not hard to come by in election years. Heck I hear one of my buddies got a brown bag today. Check that out tomorrow. Be a great American Doug, get your fair share, you deserve it. If the liberals want take care of you, switch to democrats, are republicans.

Obama met his brother twice. The last ime was in 2004. Why won't Obama help him? Is it his fault? A few dollars from someone will millions would be good for Obama as well as for his brother* Obama brother researcher

Which brother? Obama other brother in China is a business consultant and very, very rich. He been there for 12 years and loves to party with the Communist business elite. In fact, he claims he will be voting for a free market candiate at the Communist party annual convention. He said he will wire a money order to the other brother in Nairobi and get him out of the slammer. This stupid Obama brother business is like McCain having more senior moments than Obama has brothers.

By the way Doug! When you get to be 72, I bet you won't even remember why your wife transfer all of your personal property and running shorts in her name.

Joe, Obama wasn't "blessed" with wealth, he worked hard and earned by writing a best selling book. Himself. John McCain married into money, he did nothing to earn it.

Obama put himself through law school and came out with a mountain of debt which he only recently paid off. And you call him the "most elite" candidate we've ever had?

What's in your water man, cause I want some of it.

Here's your choice, McCain campaign.

Is your candidate too rich to remember his houses or too "confused"?

Either way, this don't look good.

Doug:

Let me start by saying that I am not a McCain supporter. He has done everything he can every chance he got to stick a thumb in the eye of conservatives in order to be a darling of the New York Times and to enhance his status as a so-called "maverick". I once vowed that I would stay home rather than vote for McCain. I have now decided that Obama is an empty suit and easily the scariest politician alive and have decided that I will not vote for McCain, rather, I will vote against Obama.

Now, as to this supposed gaffe: I think that the media latching on to McCain's statement that he doesn't know how many homes he owns, when it has demonstrated time and time again that it has no interest in Obama's past, i.e., his relationship with a former weatherman, Rezco, opposition to born alive infant legislation, his reference to America's "57" states (Dan Quayle's inability to spell "potato" has branded him forever an idiot in the mind of the chattering classes), the fact that his speech in Berlin was preceeded by a free concert, bratwurst and beer (and is probably an important reason that folks showed up) is unfair and patently dishonest. I think many American's, however, have come to understand and expect that the media will be in the tank for whomever the Democrats nominate. (Doug, I have a great deal of respect for you, and consider you to be fair and even handed, but in this case I think that you have gotten sucked in to the Dem's talking points).

We say we want honest politicians, but when one says he doesn't know something, i.e., how many houses he has, we heap scorn on him. He is married to a wealthy woman and reportedly has a prenuptual agreement. Being unable to tell someone how many houses he "owns" probably is not something that he can do without the help of his attorney. Let me give you my own meager example: My wife and I, along with her brother and his wife have a place at the beach. Each of us own a 1/4 interest in the home as tenants in common, but because each of the four are married, each of us legally owns by the entireties 1/2 of the house. Now tell me, how many houses do I own? Hopefully you catch my drift.

I have given you some great story/editorial ideas above with regard to Obama, that is if the N&R is interested in exploring them.

Very truly yours,

Paul Daniels

Thanks, Paul. I appreciate your comments.

Although I have quite a few doubts about McCain, I think he's much more qualified than Obama to be president and especially commander-in-chief.

(That's my personal opinion; the N&R is ducking an endorsement in this year's presidential election.)

In this case, I was just calling it as I saw it. Determining how many homes McCain owns might be complicated, but he could have taken a better stab at it or, better, deflected it by saying something like, "More than I need."

I zapped John Edwards plenty for his huge estate, and McCain deserved no less derision for his flub.

Should I overlook Obama's drug use in his teens. Is it ok to do illegal acts and then present it as youthful follies. This job is President of the United States. Is Obama the best we can do? Obama has been given a pass which is an insult to the people that have a record of helping all of the citizens meet their challenges.

McCain doesn't own any houses; his wife and her dependent children own properties managed by a trust and property management company. It was a trick question, sort of like asking the president of General Motors how many lug nuts are in the parts bin down at the factory.
Andrew, when McCain made the joke about a rich income being $5 million, he told the audience he wasn't serious and immediately said that his answer would be distorted. You and Barack have proved him wrong by intentionally distorting it just like he predicted in an attempt to harm him. Shame on you both.

Allow me a correction. My above comment should have read:
"You and Barack have proved him RIGHT by intentionally distorting it just like he predicted in an attempt to harm him."

Jaycee took the words right out of my mouth for my follow-up comment. Glad I actually read through the comments before posting the same thing (for once).

I'm sure once Obama is as old as McCain, he'll have amassed a much larger fortune and own twice as many homes throughout the US, Europe and the Middle East.

Hell, maybe he'll even buy a place for his downtrodden brother in Africa. I hear land is still quite reasonable down there.

Hey people,

I think McCain should know at least many houses he and Cindy owned together. Maybe it is just one. But when we want to talk about crooks involved with real estate deals. Let us talk about how Cindy had some real estate dealing with Keating. Who is responsible for the saving and loans scandal. How could John and Cindy not know that he was being dishonest they spent family vacations together. We all think that we know our family and friends, but sometimes they have a secret life. Just look at all the senators on both sides and what they where doing behind close doors. I think Obama will the best choice for president. I'm afraid that McCain will get us in another war. Which we do not have the man power, or money. We should have never attack Iraq but since we did we now have a big mess that will never be cleaned up. Just keeps on costing lives and money. Let us talk about raising or cutting taxes. McCain said he will cut your taxes but says Obama will raise your taxes. First of all Obama wants to raise taxes on people who make 250,000 and more. I would like for McCain tell us were is the money coming from that is paying for the war in Iraq. Are we borrowing it from China with interest? When are we going to bring jobs back to America. I don't know about you but everything I buy says made in China mostly. Stop giving all these oil companies millions in tax breaks. They have been getting them for years and I don't see that gas has been getting cheaper. Just their profits keep getting higher. I know some business who could use some big tax breaks so they could have bigger profits, but they don't make millions of dollars a year. I could keep going on but I will stop. I just would like everybody start doing what good for our country and not what is good for their political party.

McCain banked lots of $$$$ ( with no expenses )while confined in a cell in N. Vietnam as a POW for 5 years. He remarried a woman with considerable wealth. So what ? This discussion don't mean s--t to a train. Spot on Jaycee ! A local liberal blogger has called McCain a " kept man ". He has obviously conveniently forgotten about John Heinz-Kerry.