Housing crisis: how many houses do I own again?

[Mr. Peabody]

but you forgot something..................who's been throwing around the "elitist" label?

Yeah and like I said, I do think it helps illustrate to the average voter how wealthy McCain is and the perspective that he operates from. Again, we'll see how effective this line of attack will be.

[clambake]

i know how many socks i have, and how many dictionaries i have, and how many houses i have.

am i an elitist?

[Mr. Peabody]

I started to saying pairs of sox, but that would be a poor comparison. I do own several dictionaries. Among them is a 1906, 1936, 1948, 1970, 1986, and 1996. I have more, but I don't recall the dates or how many more. I rely mostly on the 1936 and 1996.

Nice. I am a bit of a bibliophile myself. I've had to tone it down recently because I am running out of space to store my books and my wife keeps complaining about them.

[Mr. Peabody]

i know how many socks i have, and how many dictionaries i have, and how many houses i have.

am i an elitist?

No, but if you know how many socks you have, you need to buy more socks....

Wait a minute. Does that make me elitist?

[clambake]

another thing.....he doesn't even know how many houses he has, but he knows the pain of all the people losing their houses?

[ChumpDumper]

But it doesn't make him look stupid. That would be like asking me how many dictionarys I have. I would have to count them. Why do stupid people think it does? I need your viewpoint to try to understand this please.

You don't have enough dictionaries.

[Wild Cobra]

You don't have enough dictionaries.

You're right. I don't. I need one much older than the 1906, and I haven't bought a new one either. I need at least two more.

[Holt's Cat]

If you've lost your house this year, John McCain, feels your pain.

He seems to have lost several of his houses, and needs his aides to help him find them.



Tell me again how Obama's the "elitist"?

I try to generally avoid being too wickedly partisan, but this was just too funny to pass up.

Even funnier considering it brings Obama's own housing situation to the fore. Brilliant.

[xrayzebra]

I don't like the dictionary analogy, but I do understand your argument. I think I read that Cindy's personal wealth is estimated at $100 million and her company's assets are worth $1 billion. McCain's been running his campaign for almost 2 years now. Who knows how many properties have been bought or sold during that time. Also, I have no doubt that Cindy and likely even a third party manage the money and property. Really, given what he's is in the middle of right now, who would expect that McCain would know all of the details of the management of the fortune he and his wife possess? That is a lot to keep up with and I don't mean that in a sarcastic manner.

It's just a fun talking point. Particularly after a week of dropping poll numbers and a poor reviews from the Saddleback forum.

Two things. First I think McCain and Cindy keep their money separate.
He has his and she has hers. I think it was brought up at the beginning of the campaign something about disclosure on both of them and Cindy more or less told everyone to stick it. She didn't have to disclose and she wasn't going to. McCain by law must submit disclosure on his income. Also I have heard, maybe read on here, that they sign a nuptial agreement when they got married. She inherited her money from her Father. Beer distributorship if I am not mistaken.

Second, I would bet money that neither of them get involved in day to day dealings with their money. John may, but Cindy more than likely doesn't. She is informed of some transaction and either approves it or not. Anyhow, I am wondering if John is elected to President does Cindy have to put her holdings into a blind trust. Anyone know?

[clambake]

that wouldn't be exactly blind, now would it, ray?

[Mr. Peabody]

Anyhow, I am wondering if John is elected to President does Cindy have to put her holdings into a blind trust. Anyone know?

It looks like it.

Hensley, founded by Cindy McCain's late father, holds federal and state licenses to distribute beer and lobbies regulatory agencies on alcohol issues that involve health and safety.

It has opposed groups such as Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) in fighting proposed federal rules that would require alcohol-content information on every package of beer, wine and liquor.

Its executives, including McCain's son Andrew, have written at least 10 letters to the U.S. Treasury Department, contributed tens of thousands of dollars to a beer-industry political-action panel and hold a seat on the board of the powerful National Beer Wholesalers Association.

The company also has run afoul of health-advocacy groups that have tried to rein in appeals to young drinkers. Hensley, for example, distributes caffeinated alcohol drinks that public-health groups say put young and underage consumers at risk by disguising the effects of intoxication.

The involvement of his wife and children in federal regulatory issues could create a conflict of interest for a future McCain administration, according to advocacy groups and political analysts.
. . . .
Hensley executives also have contributed heavily to the National Beer Wholesalers Association, which operates the nation's seventh-largest political-action committee and has opposed the label.

McCain has avoided problems in the Senate by recusing himself on alcohol issues, the Distilled Spirits Council said.

"Senator McCain has been very, very fair to this industry," said Frank Coleman, senior vice president for the council. "He stays an arm's length away from issues that benefit the family business."

But a president cannot recuse himself or his administration from public-policy issues as broad as alcohol, which is regulated by such departments and agencies as Treasury, the Federal Trade Commission, Health and Human Services and Transportation, among others.

"It is going to be a very difficult high-wire act for the McCain family," said Bruce Lee Livingston, executive director of the Marin Ins ute, a nonprofit watchdog group in San Rafael, Calif.

Aside from the labeling issue, Hensley has begun distributing products known as flavored malt beverages, which critics call "alcopops" that mask the taste of alcohol.

What exactly Cindy McCain can do is not clear, but public-interest groups say she should separate herself and her husband from Hensley.

"I believe she would have to put that stuff in a blind trust of some kind," said Charles Hurley, the CEO of MADD, "where she would not be involved."

Other experts question whether a blind trust would go far enough.

[possessed]

Right because the fact that he worked as a community organizer after graduating from an Ivy League university or the fact that he became a civil rights lawyer after graduating magna laude from Harvard Law doesn't mean a thing.

Giving money, now that's the key. That shows you care about the country.

"Community Organizer" is the hip new PC term for slum lord. That's great!

[Mr. Peabody]

"Community Organizer" is the hip new PC term for slum lord. That's great!

Yeah.....because Barack was a.......slum lord?

That makes absolutely no sense.

[possessed]

Yeah.....because Barack was a.......slum lord?

That makes absolutely no sense.

His campaigns have been bankrolled by them. The company a guy keeps says alot about a man.

[ChumpDumper]

His campaigns have been bankrolled by them. The company a guy keeps says alot about a man.

Like Charles Keating.

[Mr. Peabody]

His campaigns have been bankrolled by them. The company a guy keeps says alot about a man.

By "them," you mean "one." I know, language can be so confusing. And we both know (as ChumpDumper pointed out), McCain has had his share of associations with people he probably now regrets.

Oh yeah, and Mr. Keating cost taxpayers $160 billion. Which association is worse?

[MannyIsGod]

Why does it matter how many houses he owns?

I just want to know...

did you really type this with a straight face?

[Nbadan]

Some people are having trouble seeing the positive in McCain's 8 homes...

An interesting tidbit from the end of a piece in the Politico on McCain's 8 homes. (They've decided it's eight.) From 2006 to 2007, the McCain's budget for household staff went up roughly 50% from $184,000 to $273,000 ...

The McCains increased their budget for household employees from $184,000 in 2006 to $273,000 in 2007, according to John McCain's tax returns. The additional cash supports an "increase in the number of employees," the McCain aide told Politico. The aide did not answer a question about whether the growing staff stemmed from addition of new properties to the family's real estate portfolio.

TalkingPointMemo

John McCain is doing his part to turn around the economy!!

[MannyIsGod]

Did I really read that a dictionary was compared to a house? I mean really?

[MannyIsGod]

I think the ad is dumb. I don't know how much its going to work, but whatever. I think Obama needs to start doing what McCain is doing because otherwise he's going to blow this election so I guess this was an attempt to go in that direction.

That being said, I can't believe what I've read in here. Comparing houses to dictionaries is rather laughable.

[nomanches]

Kind of a catch 22 situation. If McCain truthfully answers with, "I have 7 houses" he'd still be scrutinized in the news for that answer. Maybe he answered the way he did to avoid sounding pompous. Although he really should have tried to dodge that question more gracefully.

[Nbadan]

Here's Obama's 7 houses ad

[PixelPusher]

So after reading all the posts in this thread so far, I'm still curious...

...how do you not know how many ing houses you own?

[MannyIsGod]

So after reading all the posts in this thread so far, I'm still curious...

...how do you not know how many ing houses you own?

Wait, before I answer this, I must know. Do you know how many dictionaries you own??!?!?!??!?!

[Mr. Peabody]

Did I really read that a dictionary was compared to a house? I mean really?

The dictionary was after consideration. It was initially going to be socks.