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Jay McDonough
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McCain doesn't know how many houses he owns
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"I think — I'll have my staff get to you," McCain told Politico in Las Cruces, N.M.
According to Newsweek, the correct answer is seven. (UPDATE: Politico reports McCain owns eight homes)
But here's the deal; common joes (or jills) don't become presidents. The sad truth is it's the wealthy that successfully run and are elected to the presidency of the United States. It's been that way for a very long time and I would bet it will continue that way for a long time. And I reckon most, if not all, voters understand that.
That said, what voters won't abide is a candidate that seems out of touch with everyday American life, the life the candidates may be isolated from as a result of their wealth, but the life voters expect the candidate to, at least, understand. Now, some politicians have successfully obscured their wealth and appear more "everyman" by adopting a homespun style and/or affecting accents. The current president (born in Connecticut, exclusive prep schools and Yale educated) and Senator McCain (son and grandson of Navy admirals, prep school and Naval Academy educated, married into more wealth) are both good examples. The president uses that folksy accent, talks about having to clear brush at the ranch, the Senator peppers his speeches with "my friends" this and that, and they just sound so regular, so common, so common joe. They must be OK, must understand what it's like to live as an average American, right?
Now Barack Obama has been tagged as the elitist, the one out of touch with "everyman". It's the one genius component of the McCain campaign - you have to give them credit. They've successfully painted a mixed race black guy, product of a broken home, community organizer in South Chicago, with a mere fraction of the wealth of John McCain - as the elitist. And that elitist tag is taking its toll. The race is now, for all intents and purposes, tied.
Voters are OK with their presidential candidates being ridiculously wealthy. But elitism won't fly. The McCain's are ripe for the picking here, between fancy shoes, private planes. and so many homes they can't keep count. The Obama campaign will need to shine some light on the real (not the manufactured) John McCain.
Topics: Obama , McCain
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