Turning A Gaffe Into A Narrative

by: Chris Bowers

Thu Aug 21, 2008 at 13:21


So, McCain has made a big gaffe about not knowing how many homes he owns. The story is getting decent play in the media, with 17 Google News hits on the subject in just the last four hours alone. This has been aided by a barrage of press releases on the subject from the DNC and the Obama campaign, which also has a new ad up attacking McCain for the gaffe. This is a decent start, but the goal now is to turn this gaffe into something that sticks with McCain from now through the election. How do we make the image of McCain as a super wealthy elitist stick?

Here are some thoughts:

  1. First, progressive media outlets need to keep pressing the McCain campaign, and the traditional media, for an answer on the homes question. Until John McCain says in public how many homes he owns, keep pressing.

  2. Second, the Obama campaign and the DNC need to keep releasing new ads that keep the story alive by employing variations on the them. Obvious variations include:
    • John McCain doesn't know how many homes he owns, and doesn't think $5 million a year is rich
    • John McCain doesn't know how many homes he owns, and his chief economic advisor once said Americans are whining about the economy.
    • John McCain doesn't know how many homes he owns, and wears $520 shoes.
    • John McCain doesn't know how many homes he owns, and he is in the pocket of large corporations.

    Etc. Keep attacking McCain on his gaffe, but always add another wrinkle. This keeps the story alive, and also helps expand on the central theme.

  3. Obama needs to mention it at pretty much every single campaign stop, and Democratic surrogates need to bring this up pretty much every single time they appear on television. The story might push itself, but it is always best to make sure it has a lot of people shoving in the right direction.

Like Greg Sargent, I am dubious that this will actually turn into a narrative. The Republican Noise Machine is still very strong, and more often than not Democrats don't seem willing to keep pressing attacks like these. Still, the door is open, and this is the best chance we have had to nail McCain with a negative narrative. Pushing this attack will play a big role in determining whether or not we win this election.  

Chris Bowers :: Turning A Gaffe Into A Narrative

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Turning A Gaffe Into A Narrative | 89 comments
Obama himself is doing his part (4.00 / 6)
I can attest to personally that in Raleigh he brought up both the $5 million comment and the Phil Gramm whiners comment.

And I believe he also brought it up yesterday in VA but I'm not sure about that. And now you see he's woven them all together with the new house comment today in Richmond. So I think you will hear this as part of Obama's standard stump speech now.

So the key is as you say to release more ads about it and make it a huge story and get the media to figure out how many houses he actually has. And ask McCain why he doesn't know how many houses he has.

This is great. I feel like when I heard that clip of Obama this morning he sounded like he was ready to go negative hard on McCain. Nice to see.

Video (4.00 / 1)

Obama ties most of the pieces together in this four minute speech.  I think all of the points could be reduced to a 30 second commercial.

[ Parent ]
The McCain people (4.00 / 2)
are squealing. It's working.
[ Parent ]
Why it really hurts him (4.00 / 3)
These are Cindy's houses.  The four "residences"  (Phoenix $4.7 million double-wide condo, two parcels of the Sedona ranch and the Arlington, VA condo) are owned by the Cindy Hensley McCain Family Trust. Another of her trusts (Hensley Survivors Trust) owns the La Jolla property.  There are 2 LLPs and one LLC that own the third Sedona parcel, the Phoenix condo they gave their daughter Meagan and a Phoenix rental loft.  "Dream Catcher Family" owns the two Coronado beach condos that the family including adult children use.

She kept her separate property per their pre-nuptial agreement. The marriage apparently created no community property, so his Senate disclosures could be minimalist.   She has all the money.  She is a businesswoman.  She bought the houses and the investment properties.  John is a POW and a manly kept man.

For a man of his age and background (remember the Navy was always the most racist and sexist service) this is not an excuse, but a sign of unmanliness.

John McCain--He's not who you think he is.

[ Parent ]
Why it may not hurt him (0.00 / 0)
These are Cindy's houses. Nobody expects a rich heiress not to have several homes. And that McCain doesn't know how many houses "he" owns is a sign that he doesn't care much about this luxury, right? Besides, attacking him for this will certainly be countered with the"envy" argument.

Really, I don't want to be a spoilsport, but there we have ole "Maverick" McCain, and the best attack so far against him is that he doesn't know or won't talk about the number of his houses? What about his warmongering foreign policy, his ignorance about econonmy, the countless gaffes, all the flipflops, his vanity and hot temper???

[ Parent ]
Let me point out a simple fact: (4.00 / 4)
if they freak out, then it is hurting them.  The degree of freaking out is directly proportional to their squealing.  McCain's not going to fall back and say that all of his houses were purchased for him by his rich wife because it would emasculate him to his conservative sycophants.
[ Parent ]
Hmm, ok... (0.00 / 0)
that's a point. But I'm still a bit sceptical. The Obama campaign should better let advertising pundits check how those ads would be received by the public.
[ Parent ]
Obama has still to look righteous when attacking (0.00 / 0)
not envious and mean. And people will ask, what have McCain's house to do with his qualification for the presidency?

Sry, but the "memory" line of attack is much better. Bolster it with more examples, and expose McCain as the sad example of decreasing mental abilities that he really is.

[ Parent ]
well I think you're totally wrong (4.00 / 4)
And I think the google hits on this and the absolutely hissy fit the mccain folks are throwing shows that as well. They know this hurts and hurts bad.

They can see it turning into George H.W. Bush in 1992 all over again, looking at his watch during a debate, marveling at the "new" technology of a grocery store checkout counter. One of the most feared smears against a politician is that he's "out-of-touch" with ordinary people. Why do you think Republicans have tried to label our last two nominees exactly in such a way (and the current one as well)? Because they know it works and they're afraid of being tarred that way (since, ya know, they are) so they do the old jujitsu move and try to label Democrats that way before they can be labeled that way themselves.

This works. And it's devastating. They need to keep it up.  

[ Parent ]
"out of touch" resonates (4.00 / 1)
Yup, ok, that's a strong argument. Thx for pointing this out!
[ Parent ]
There's one more punchline (4.00 / 10)
John McCain doesn't know how many houses he owns.  It's seven.

After 4 more years of a Republican economy, will you still own yours?

Or, McCain wants an eighth house at the taxpayer's expense (4.00 / 6)
a variation on the line from the ad.

John McCain.  Wrong for America.
[ Parent ]
Homeless Iraqi Vets (4.00 / 8)
Another narrative:

John McCain doesn't know how many homes he owns, but 400 Iraqi war veterans don't know where they're going to sleep tonight.  Hat tip to WiddieDawg.

More economic misunderstanding... (0.00 / 0)
In the post just below this one.  John McCain doesn't know how many houses he has, but that doesn't matter because the richest county in the US is doing just fine.
For an laugh Obama could ask: 'Shall we really put John McCain's staff to work and ask (4.00 / 2)
how many garages and vehicles( don't forget to count the jet and aircraft hangar!) does John and Cindy McCain own? Maybe searching for answer will take a week or two and it might prove the hardest work the McCains have done this year as they search for the tiltes to verify the answer is correct......just like your family and mine( laugh,... , just like your family and mine"
i think we could also point out that the McCain's (4.00 / 6)
would make more than a Presidential salary from his proposed tax cut.

John McCain.  Wrong for America.
good point (4.00 / 5)
McCain's tax plan should be described as "the tax cut he would give himself." (E.g., "McCain wants to give himself an $X million tax cut, while Obama wants to give you a tax cut." Mimikatz suggested something like this in a comment yesterday.)
[ Parent ]
Much better idea than the house attack! (0.00 / 0)
Yes, definetely it should be pointed out that McCain his wife, anmd all their rich buddies would benefit greatly from his tax plans! This will resonate much more with the voters, and will traise serious doubt about McCain really having the best interests of ALL citizen in mind.  
[ Parent ]
i really don't understand why this is so hard for you to get (4.00 / 1)
The man does not know how many houses he owns! Nothing says "he's not one of us" better than I own so many houses that I've lost track just how many there are. Especially with the housing crisis the way it is (and with McCain bereating people for wanting government help with their mortgages).

You combine it with the $5 million remark and the Phil Gramm remark and McCain's upbeat assessments of the economy and there's your narrative for the rest of the campaign.  

[ Parent ]
Come on.. (4.00 / 1)
..give me some time to read your comments before criticizing me for not getting them, ok?
[ Parent ]
Sorry! (4.00 / 1)
I double-replied to two of your comments. I retract this comment then.
[ Parent ]
Thought #2 is absolutely right... (4.00 / 1)
That's the key. Don't just release one ad.

Release five ads with new aspects in each one. I'm already annoyed they don't have the "five million a year" ad out there.  

The stars align... (4.00 / 5)
I wrote a comment yesterday in the "advice to Obama" thread that Obama needed ads showing off McCain's houses.  And McCain makes his gaffe, and the narrative takes off!

Jesus loves me, yes he does.

For a quicktime of Russ Feingold's marvelous house ad on his rivals in 1972, see http://www.russfeingold.org/pl...


War is Peace; Freedom is Slavery; Ignorance is Strength; McCain/Palin 2008

oops, that would be 1992, not 1972 for the Feingold ad n/t (4.00 / 1)


War is Peace; Freedom is Slavery; Ignorance is Strength; McCain/Palin 2008
[ Parent ]
Chris (4.00 / 4)
Great post.

I like Tim Kaine's riff on it:  "He can't count that high."

Oh, Gramps McCain!

not a surprise (4.00 / 2)
[ Parent ]
I think one way to make it stick (4.00 / 2)
or even better, to reinforce it--to make people sit back and say, man, this really does fit with his actions--is to constantly twin it with McCain's record of always looking out for the rich guy, always making sure that corporate interests are protected.
Another angle would be (4.00 / 2)
John McCain, liar or idiot?

If our side did mass emails that would make a good subject line.

Montani semper liberi

[ Parent ]
If Only the DNC would harp on this at the convention (4.00 / 1)
Remember the Purple Band-Aids....Man, that stuck.  Hard.
Green Monopoly houses (4.00 / 7)

[ Parent ]
New upscale version just released (0.00 / 0)
Haven't see the story in print yet, but the properties are reported to be ultra-magnificent, just the foil for McCain.
[ Parent ]
May I suggest (4.00 / 2)
McCain can't remember how many houses he owns--he's having some trouble with his memory.
Let that be subtext (4.00 / 1)
if the line gets repeated, peole will remember that he has a memory problem.  We just need to add the bit about him wearing a monocle and top hat.
[ Parent ]
How about "What else can't John McCain remember?" (4.00 / 8)

"He can't remember the 42 million Americans without health insurance."

"He can't remember that the American people want to end the war."

"But he didn't forget to celebrate his birthday while New Orleans was drowning."

[ Parent ]
The memory attack is much better than the house issue (0.00 / 0)
Hell, the house attack smells like envy, and I suspect this won't be received well by the viewers. The memory attack raises doubts about McCain's fitness for the presidency, that's a main issue really worrying the voters, and thus is the stronger line of attack.
[ Parent ]
I'm saying we can have both (0.00 / 0)

[ Parent ]
"out of touch" and "can't memorize"? (0.00 / 0)
Adamterando convinced me that focussing on the rift on McCain's luxurious life, and that of the average Joes and Janes is the right way to play the "house" card.  
[ Parent ]
"Pushing this attack will play a big role in determining whether or not we win this election. " (0.00 / 0)
Doubtful it will be determinitive but every little helps.
Attack John McCain and his MSM enablers (0.00 / 0)
If the Traditional Media didn't bend over backwards to prop up McCain's Straight Talking Maverick image, he would fold like a house of cards.

Obama and Democratic Surrogates need to hammer McCain and the Media Enablers who cover up his flip flops, his phoniness, his cluelessness, and his nasty personality.

More ideas --

* John McCain doesn't know how many homes he owns, and he is in the pocket of corporate lobbyists (instead of large corporations).

* John McCain doesn't know how many homes his wife owns, and he wears $520 shoes paid for by his wife's fortune.

* John McCain doesn't know how many homes his wife owns, and he doesn't care if his wife runs her beer distribution business out of the White House.

Bringing up the Beer Bid'ness is important -- Ken Salazar thumped Pete Coors, and part of the reason was the hypocrisy of Coors running as a family values conservative, while he makes his fortune with alcohol fueled Coors Lite debauchery.

Fundies don't like sex, they don't like alcohol, and they especially don't like hypocrites.

Bright Idea -- the DNC should run the hardest hitting ads, approved by Howard Dean. That gives Obama some breathing space for his high road campaign.

Final point -- Obama needs to run against Bush McCain, not John McCain. Tying Bob Dole to Newt Gingrich won the 1996 election, and tying Bush to McCain will win this one.

 

Man, that;s so true about the media... (0.00 / 0)
especially David Gregory and Mike Barnicle.  'Hardball' was a daily McCain love-fest when he was hosting.

John McCain.  Wrong for America.
[ Parent ]
Water (0.00 / 0)
Salazar's hit on the beer fortune ties in with McCain's proposal to renegotiate western states water agreement, much to the benefit of his wife's brewing interests.  

Salazar gives us a good example here of how to define your opponent with a sensitive issue.  

[ Parent ]
They also have the sleaziest ads (0.00 / 0)
Those Coors twins.  That's part of what the fundies hated.

But the idea is good.  Especially the part about how her company has lobbied against some anti-drinking things and she and her son plan to continue to run the business when she is in the WH.  There was a good article on this.

John McCain--He's not who you think he is.

[ Parent ]
Mama's Boy (4.00 / 2)
The beer fortune thing is a way 527s (this has to be kept as far from the Obama campaign as possible) can paint McCain as a pampered mama's boy:  a "kept man" deep in the pocket of his financially inscrutable trophy wife.  

The ad could flash to his various estates, cars, jewely and other accessories.  If possible, show a dandified McCain getting his face powdered before a tv appearance.  While this montage of sickening excess presents itself to the viewer, a voice could keep a tally of the dollar value, lacing in contributions from big oil, banking, etc.  

For the finale, a picture of the White House, glistening with white diamonds like a Judith Leiber purse appears with a massive pricetag.   The punchline, "can Americans afford to let McCain buy the White House too?"  

[ Parent ]
Good approach but I would suggest one refinement -- (4.00 / 8)
since McCain is a kept man, it isn't really he who would be buying that house now, would it?

Better to say "Cindy McCain has already bought him seven houses. She can't buy him this one."

Montani semper liberi

[ Parent ]
Love It! (4.00 / 2)
If someone on Obama's team isn't thinking in this direction, they should be.
[ Parent ]
Considering how the right loves to emasculate... (4.00 / 1)
...our candidates, it's time to turn the tables!

REID: Voting against us was never part of our arrangement!
SPECTER: I am altering the deal! Pray I don't alter it any further!
REID: This deal keeps getting worse all the time!
[ Parent ]
So, John McCain forgot how many houses he owns? (0.00 / 0)
Just Call Joe! (Lieberman, that is).


"It sounds wrong...
     ...but its right."
You could make... (4.00 / 1)
A great satire of the old Mastercard ads.  Maybe end it with "there's some things money can't buy - like a ticket to the white house"  
Yeah, you could really go to town with that. (4.00 / 7)
If it were me, I'd put it something like this:

Divorce from your disabled first wife so you can marry your rich beauty-queen mistress: $15,000 (or however much)

The cost of 2 house campaigns, 4 Senate campaigns, and 2 Presidential campains: $250 million (or however much)

7 homes to support your life of luxury: $13 Million dollars.

Understanding the problems of the American people:  Well, there are some things money just can't buy.

Of course the first is obviously a low-blow and couldn't really be used, but the rest is fair game.



John McCain.  Wrong for America.

[ Parent ]
Low-blow (4.00 / 3)
Divorce from your disabled first wife so you can marry your rich beauty-queen mistress: $15,000 (or however much)
...
Of course the first is obviously a low-blow and couldn't really be used

Well, Obama can't go there, but that shouldn't stop the rest of us.

527s, man.  527s.

Great script for an ad, btw.  Don't forget the $600 shoes!

[ Parent ]
Comedy Central (4.00 / 1)
I can't wait to see what Stewart and Colbert come up with.

The truth about Saxby Chambliss
$500,000 per month on Credit Card (4.00 / 7)
Boy, don't forget the $500,000 per month put on a credit card. It's so outside the norm of real people's lives that it is devastating.

...Adding, owning a plane because "it's the only way to get around" is also worth including too.

Comrades! All Hail Pelosi and Obama!
Onward to a greater socialist utopia!

over 75,000 views in less than 3 hours (4.00 / 1)
The Seven ad is popular.



New Jersey politics at Blue Jersey.

There's going to be resistance to this... (4.00 / 1)
...but if this election season becomes a discourse on just how a lot of "elite" folk got rich (and stay rich) in these tough economic times, John McCain is sunk. Even he knows that. Lots of not terribly wealthy people like arugula; show me the middle-class folk who have several houses.  

"This ain't for the underground. This here is for the sun." -Saul Williams
How about (4.00 / 3)
"John McCain made his money the old fashioned way -- he married it."

Montani semper liberi
[ Parent ]
So what? (0.00 / 0)
Sorry, Sadie, but imho this time you're wrong. He married a rich heiress, right. And? you're against marrying rich heiresses? People will think McCain was simply lucky. Attacking his luck will look mean and pathetic.
Not a good idea at all, imho.
[ Parent ]
The joke is (4.00 / 1)
"the old fashioned way."

To regular people, they expect to hear the cliche "he made his money the old fashioned way, he earned it." The old Horatio Alger myth, etc.

But that's not McCain's story. The truth is he slept is way into money (the way we women have been doing for a long time). The joke is that you're calling him a prostitute.

Montani semper liberi

[ Parent ]
someone could ask McCain (4.00 / 1)
how many cars he owns.  He may not know the answer to that either.

New Jersey politics at Blue Jersey.
Ideas for a prop (4.00 / 1)
By now we all know how much the media loves stupid props conveying a candidate's message - be they purple hearts, tire gauges, or lapel pins.  Well, McCain thinks that economic problems are all in people's heads - so why not produce one of those Head On sticks with "McCain's Economic Plan" emblazoned along the side?  Just apply directly to your face...
Just have delegates wear buttons at the convention (4.00 / 1)
"Owns one house" (referring to themselves)

War is Peace; Freedom is Slavery; Ignorance is Strength; McCain/Palin 2008
[ Parent ]
or (0.00 / 0)
"Lost your job?  McCain says, stop whining!"

War is Peace; Freedom is Slavery; Ignorance is Strength; McCain/Palin 2008
[ Parent ]
Self-Made Man (4.00 / 5)
From Benjamin Franklin to Frederick Douglass, Horatio Alger, and now Barack Obama, the theme of the "self-made man" is one of the most popular and profoundly resonant in American folklore.  Obama needs to cast his story within the narrative of the self-made man, using it to contrast John McCain's story of privilege and spoon-fed mediocrity.

The "how many houses do I own" gaffe, taken with the "economic problems are psychological" explanation and Gramm's "nation of whiners" complaint offer Obama the perfect opportunity to change the direction of the campaign.  

Obama needs to hone his message.  Even when attacking McCain today he was too discursive and desultory.  Obama needs to hit key points like the gaffes above quickly, using them as a pivot to speak of his intimate understanding of how people suffer in this economy.  The effect is to paint McCain as out of touch, while Obama is an "ordinary guy" who gets the problems of everyday people.  

If Obama can use this to portray himself as an "ordinary guy" whose success is "self-made," he instantly identifies himself with both a background and aspirations that are classically American.  No amount of celebrity rubbish laden with sexy white women can counteract the Horatio Alger narrative if properly used.

So well said. (0.00 / 0)
What a lucky break that this happened, as Obama does tend to meander in his logical thinking, working his points into the story he wants to tell.  
[ Parent ]
You're missing the correct stress on the shoes (4.00 / 7)
It's not that he wears$520 shoes, it is that he wears $520 Italian shoes.  Why does John McCain hate America and its shoes?

Things You Don't Talk About in Polite Company: Religion, Politics, the Occasional Intersection of Both
You're missing the correct stress on the shoes (0.00 / 0)
It's not that he wears$520 shoes, it is that he wears $520 Italian shoes.  Why does John McCain hate America and its shoes?

Things You Don't Talk About in Polite Company: Religion, Politics, the Occasional Intersection of Both
Could this affect the timing of the VP announcement? (4.00 / 1)
It just occurred to me that this entire, developing narrative could be totally ignored/forgotten if the VP announcement was made today, or even tomorrow?

Is it possible that Obama would - or should - delay his announcement until Monday, assuming he was planning to make it sometime sooner?

Yes... (0.00 / 0)
...this is my thought as well...

but, if you are going to delay it until monday, might as well wait until the Bill Clinton actually announces...

I've always stated that if the VP were not announced before the convention, it would definitely be hillary, now this thing throws things off completely!

REID: Voting against us was never part of our arrangement!
SPECTER: I am altering the deal! Pray I don't alter it any further!
REID: This deal keeps getting worse all the time!

[ Parent ]
Can I also suggest (4.00 / 3)
That we jointly redirect the Googlebomb to the highest-ranking story on this quote?
Pretty Damn Good Start (0.00 / 0)
At building the narrative.  See how they are spinning the concept off in novel ways to extend interest:

http://blogs.tnr.com/tnr/blogs...

It has the added virtue (4.00 / 5)
Of actually being true.  McCain is a privileged out of touch rich aristocrat.  

This may be the best opening we've had on him.  That he's resorting to "but I'm a POW!" as a defence shows he's got nothing.  It undercuts his everyman schtick, and is a subtle reminder his mind may not be all there.

Son of an Admiral, grandson of an Admiral (0.00 / 0)
Among the last in class, several disciplinary problems, more interested in parties than doing his job,and still the navy didn't get rid of him.
Definitely privileged, no doubt!
[ Parent ]
The soft bigotry of low expectations. (0.00 / 0)
He coasted on his family name and people's lives were endangered for it. We can't let that happen again.

Montani semper liberi
[ Parent ]
Now You're Thinking Like A Republican! (4.00 / 1)
Thanks, Chris...
Makes Biden More Attractive (0.00 / 0)
Biden is one of the poorest members of the US Senate.  It would make a quite a contrast between him and John McCain to continue this theme.

"Keep the Faith"
well (0.00 / 0)
He's also the "Senator from MBNA" which would take some zing out of the half-mil credit card balance attack...

Me | My Work | Future Majority
[ Parent ]
Yeah but (0.00 / 0)
How many people outside of the liberal blogsphere call him that?  I just dont think its so well known that it would hurt him.  And besides, with McCain's voting record and his ties to industry lobbyists, its gonna be impossible for the right to attack Biden on that issue.

"Keep the Faith"
[ Parent ]
Here's an ad idea: (4.00 / 1)
"Celebrities own 7 houses" and just go with it......

John Mcsame has a lot in common with Paris and Britney:their property and investment portfolios are in a whole other realm than the rest of us.

John Mcsame: making decisions and advocating poilicies that benefit celebrities.

Just like him

McCain Celebrity Houses of the Rich and Famous Tour Guide (0.00 / 0)
A Beverly Hills-style celebrity tour map of the sundry McCain family estates - bought and paid for by his sugarmomma Cindy- would be a nice, pulpy hit on the grouchy old playboy.    
[ Parent ]
Touring the houses (4.00 / 1)
I'm looking forward to touring all of McCain's houses since several are down the road, one's in my childhood home and the rest are all part of the same day trip to Phoenix.

John McCain opposes the GI Bill.
The key is that Obama can now play offense rather than (4.00 / 3)
defense from several related but separate angles, all of which up until now he has been taking something of a beating on.

Elitism, taxes, experience, readiness, Us v. Them, and character (from a relative perspective.) And it is Rovian in the sense that it goes after McCain's strength (character and experience).

Perhaps it won't last as a narritive (4.00 / 2)
But I'd settle for a bigger convention bounce. It's a relatively easy theme for speakers to use, and a couple of Ann Richards "silver foot in mouth" quality lines would likely ignite the Obama general election campaign.
But John Edwards got that $500 haircut. (4.00 / 1)
And Obama ordered green tea once.
Arugala! (4.00 / 1)
I heard Obama eats something other than hamburgers at every meal.  He must be from Europe.

"Keep the Faith"
[ Parent ]
Well, we are going to have to push it... (4.00 / 1)
....'cos it's off the front page already at all the major news sites... they just can't stand anyone criticizing their saint, John McCain...

REID: Voting against us was never part of our arrangement!
SPECTER: I am altering the deal! Pray I don't alter it any further!
REID: This deal keeps getting worse all the time!
Want to see an ad with kids counting play houses (4.00 / 2)
Maybe playing dress-up, maybe not.  Maybe playing monopoly and trying to remember how many houses are theirs.  

I'd go for 4-year olds.  Can count but not too well.

I want to see a "man on the street" ad (0.00 / 0)
"How many houses do you own?"

"None, I rent."

"How many houses do you think Obama owns?"

"I don't know, one, I guess?

"That's right. Now how about John McCain, how many houses does he own?"

"One?"

"No, John McCain owns seven houses."

"Whaa?"

Montani semper liberi

[ Parent ]
SUM IT UP (4.00 / 1)
 Look, it doesn't matter who wears the pants in the McCain homes, the point is that a man who spends $270,000 a year for butlers and maids is out of touch with real life in America.

The $17,000 a year he spends in alimony to the first wife he cheated on is
more than what 37 million American families earn in an entire year.

These aren't character attacks, this is financial data and economic reality.

John McCain is dishonest

Genuinely effective jab... (0.00 / 0)
...because McCain also forgot that back in 2000 (think it was the primary season) he said he wouldn't touch Roe v. Wade if elected. We know where the Supreme Court's headed if he's in the White House. Geez, at this rate every politically expedient remark he's made during the election cycle would be fodder for a series of spots.  

"This ain't for the underground. This here is for the sun." -Saul Williams
Whoops! Above... (0.00 / 0)
...I was refering to the "What else can't McCain remember?" line. Great one.

"This ain't for the underground. This here is for the sun." -Saul Williams
Turning A Gaffe Into A Narrative | 89 comments





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