why does he need THREE houses in the same city?

and two in another city?

There are houses missing on that chart on McPain's side…dude doesn't even know how much property he owns…How do people not see what a hypocrite douche he has become.

Has anyone ever heard of investment properties? I'm not the biggest fan of McCain but this chart is stupid. McCain is way older than Obama (hence the accumulation of "stuff") and has a rich wife. I won't base my decision on who has the most (or fewest) belongings.

I sort of feel sorry for presidential candidates because they have to have crappy american cars.

im with Buck… on the houses. If i had money it would ALL be invested in property - no matter how low the stock market goes land is still a limited commodity. Now i dont know if he is doing it as investment property… thats a whole different story, im just saying i can buy Buck's argument.

however the cars? WHAT THE FUCK? Im surprised the Obama's only own 1, but im more disgusted the McCains own soooo many. We own 3 cars. 1 is mine a 2008 Honda Fit, 1 is a 1993 Ford F150 my fiancee needs for work and then a 1998 Jeep Cherokee that we couldnt sell (but tried) when we bought the truck (at auction for 500 bucks) so it sits in out driveway waiting for the truck to break down so it can be put back on the road. I just can't excuse the cars. Its disgusting.

Buck, I see what you're saying…

Fair enough…does anyone know if they are, in fact, "investment properties"?

saw what–2 houses in coronado and 1 in la jolla too! They're practically in the same neighborhood!

Not that I am in ANY way a McCain supporter (in fact, I pretty much abhor the man)…but doesn't he have lots of older children? I'm sure some of those cars are theirs.

Sorry guys.. I would rather someone who knew how to manage his own money and make a lot run my country. Owning real estate is wrong now? You have to bee kidding. How many f'ing houses do the jolie-Pitt own? Matt damons? You are nuts if you think that because McCains wife is UBER rich that is bad. I think that Al Gore has just as many. oh right he is not running.. no but everyone in your party talks out their asses!! Do what I say not what I do.

Not defending just trying to learn more. . . the majority of McCain's cars seem to be older models (with the exception of the jeep and hybrid) and are possibly driven by his children. Obama's is obviously a fairly recent purchase (2008 model). What did he own before this hybrid?

Yeah what did he drive? How many houses does he have not in his name. Why is being rich bad now?

Yea, this could potentially be a not fair slam at McCain. It doesn't seem like most of those cars McCain owns are cars he has parked in his show-garage. Maybe he's just a really nice guy and likes to buy things for his friends and family.

He did say they were family homes. You just need to listen to something other than CNN.

no, there's nothing wrong with being rich.

but don't paint your opponent as "elitist" when you own 13 cars and 7 houses.

Well well, looks like McCain's a bit more of a "celebrity" now, since he's being lumped into the "HOW MANY HOUSES TO THE JOLIE-PITTS HAVE? THE DAMONS? THE COREYS?" category. Way to go, Maverick!

Exactly, say what?. I could give a rat's ass about how much McCain has–good for him, and good for marrying into wealth and political connections. More power to him. But calling Obama an "elitist"? Does that only apply to book learnin' or something now?

um, i think the point trying to be made here is that mccain has been calling obama elite. the mccain/palin ticket has been all about how they're in touch with us little people. i don't think that owning investment properties is a bad thing in itself, but i think being in the position that they (the mccain's) are in, and then trying to say that they understand what the average american is going through currently is just a laugh. they have no idea what it's like to have to try and live in this economy, and not know if you're going to have your job in a few weeks, if you can make your one mortgage payment, if you can put food on the one dinner table you own, if you can afford to put gas in your one car.

then again, we're also basing all of this off of a chart that can't even spell "their" correctly.

So I looked it up and before buying the hybrid last year, Obama owned a "Chrysler 300C, a Hemi-powered sedan. Obama ditched the 300C, once 50 Cent's preferred ride, after taking heat for driving a guzzler". - Newsweek

I think the point is that there are some on the right who have tried to portray Obama as a rich elitist. In this instance we can see the in fact it is McCain who has the rich part down. As for the elitist part, I'd like my president to be better than me. If this country would elect someone "just like me" then we'd really have problems.

Maybe an educational/self-made man vs. hand-me-down success chart would be fun to see too.

thankyou mr giveiup!!!thank you!!!thers nothng worng with having as many howses!!!Obammma drive a forrenmade car a hybird!!!john mcain drive a caddilac and a jeep and a deriotmade lexxuss!!!and dontforgt john mcain is a heroe and a pow!!!he dint have a howse in veit man were he suferred in prisin!!!mr giveiup is RITE and you libs are RWONG!!!!1!!!!!!agian!!!!hahahahaha!!!

Doesn't anyone else think that "elitist" tends to refer more to an "I'm better than you" attitude, not to possessions accumulated? My neighbor makes good money being an electrician and has a big house and nice cars, but he's pretty "down home." On the other hand, my husband doesn't make much money, and I stay at home with the kids, but we went to good schools, read a lot, and generally think we're better than everyone else — doesn't that make us elitist? =)

Just trying to get a clarification of terms here.

There you go Reba Rae.. always start shit to get a point across. And your point?

Why does McCain need a pickup truck? He doesn't need half of those vehicles. Have of them are gas suckers. Investment properties aside.

Have=half

I agree with chez. I think "elitist" is more of an attitude.

Em.. yeah he is a bigger celebrity than Obama.

@No.9–Not to disagree that Democrats "talk out of their asses" but the GOP does too. I'm sure you remember what a hard time the GOP gave John Kerry for having a rich wife–Theresa Heinz–and took great relish in painting him as a kept man and out of touch.

Gander, Goose, and so on…

[please, someone have laughed at relish... no? nothing?]

ok. ::clears throat::

ANYWAY,
I think the real trick is how do we as Americans learn to make our asses talk to one another? There's so much collective talking done of out our asses. I think it's time we, as Americans, all bent over and a real ass to ass dialogue. An open ass dialogue, if you will.

So let's all pull down our pants, turn around and really listen to what our asses have to say.

I can see what chezsan is saying, but for me, personally, I think elitism encompasses both money and more 'intellectual' pursuits. I know plenty of dumb rich people, and smart poor people, and in some way both of them can be called 'elitists'. Just IMO.

Uh, you said the word celebrity, Give it up!! (LOVE what you've done with the multiple exclamation points, btw!! Really adds flair to what you're trying to say). You compared McCain to Pitt and Jolie and Damon.

…and really, the money's still not the point. Jeez. Again, good on McCain for finding someone rich enough to marry him after dumping that useless first wife of his. Awesome. He still has no business calling Obama an 'elitist' when he is 'elite' as well.

Geez, she's been here already, too. I would think Reba's oxycontin addiction would cause her to sleep until mid-afternoon.

But hey, it's nice to see that the trolls on the site have a sympathetic ear.

On topic: McCain's tried the elitist thing. It hasn't stuck. Now they're trying the Ayres smear — again. Didn't work the first time. It won't now. Too bad he brought it up, because it's the green light to unleash the attack on McCain using the Keating Five incident.

Enjoy.

SHIT!!!!!!

I outed myself.

Dammit.

Hey, it was fun while it lasted.

Somebody's been watching too many house flipping DIY shows. McCain, if you get your lips plumped, so help me…

HI FIVE TO POO! And to STM and the other ones who called it.

Nice job.

Is "elitist" supposed to be a euphemism for "uppity"? I understand a McCain staffer made the recent gaff of labeling Obama in those terms…I don't think there is anything wrong with being rich,however, but it is hard to believe someone who CHOOSES to consume on the level of McCain (as opposed to someone who has the means but choses not to) could really be "in touch" with the middle class, the working poor, etc.

Intelligence, and education, are not elitist. Every single person on the planet deserves an education and development of intelligent reasoning.

Elitism is believing that, because you belong to a certain class or group, you are superior and deserve special treatment.

Someone with a Harvard education may perceive himself to be superior, but likewise someone with 13 homes may perceive himself as entitled to special treatment.

It's all about your perception of your status.

# 19 - If you don't want someone who's "just like you" then I wouldn't vote for McCain either. His running mate is right there with all the Joe 6-packs of America….

…also, this is to show that Obama is not an elitist. That's the whole point. I'm sure he and Michelle have money, too. Both candidates are a lot more well-off than most Americans. The difference here is the man with more phyiscal possessions is trying to paint the other as being elitist and not able to relate to the American middle class. A little ironic, don't ya think??

POO/RAE 2012

i find it funny that your first exclamation was "SHIT!!" why not the eponymous "POO!!"?

:)

My take is that it's pretty damn hard to claim that you're a regular joe when you own and much property and as many vehicles as McCain does — but pretend they don't exist and change the subject. It's his stuff. He's entitled to what he has. McCain would have done well from the beginning to say "yes, I have these things and I have worked very hard to earn them — but that doesn't mean I can't remember what it's like to struggle in life".

The problem is, McCain never said anything like that. He evaded the issue. If there's nothing wrong with your situation, why not just say so? Why's that so hard to do? He blew his chance at showing empathy to the middle class with his dismissive answers. You can't paint yourself a populist with the "downtrodden" and also smear your candidate with a charge of "elitism" without owning up to your own reality.

And I agree that the "elitist" charge against Obama is not about such material things at all. It's about education, intelligence, and aspiration.

It's about achieving success and having it measured by intangible goods. Success in America without reaping a corresponding amount of material rewards is almost becoming unpatriotic.

As I've said before, there's a distrust of smart people in America right now. A serious distrust that borders on resentment. Where it's coming from, I have no idea. But what I hear in the charge of "elitism" is the implication that high academic achievement is less important than pandering; that appealing to the emotions is more important than appealing to reason. Sarah Palin's an excellent example of the latter.

To devalue excellence in academics — hell, to even dismiss intellectual curiosity — is a very, very dangerous sign of a country facing deep trouble ahead.

I for one am glad that I have seen this chart. I would now like charts with the break down of pairs of shoes owned by each candidate (organized by style, color, and heel height) so that I may make a better informed choice for president.

private plane=true "elitism"

I am definitely an elitist in some regards. I turn my nose up at people that think Charles Shaw is a really good wine. Sorry, it's gross.

have i ever mentioned that obama's shoes are HUGE. yes? well did i also mentioned that he has one pair of shoes in his cloest, one in his wife's closet, 3 in the foyer and 2 by the dining room table?

obviously they aren't going to have comparable charts. mccain is 72 and LOADED. obama is a fuck load younger with young kids. mccain would be a complete moron to not property with his kind of money. its a mute point whether or not theyre "investment" properties (in terms of renting), owning property in general is an investment. why doesnt the person who made this chart do something useful and put together and easy to read chart on where each candidate stands on issues. seriously. that would be a lot more helpful in swaying uninformed voters than a fucking vehicle property ownership chart.

Farah it says the plain is registered to Cindy's business. There are many, MANY corporations that have their own private jets.

I agree with chezan about her take on elitism. I worked for a company who's CEO was very wealthy from his own profitable businesses and from his wife who is an heir to Stryker. He was always very friendly, down-to-Earth and polite. My guess is that they are a part of an Anonymous group of investors that created "The Kalamazoo Promise", a fund that guaranteed scholarships to all students in the Kalamzoo Public School system who are going to attend college scholarships that would take care of all of their tuition. This district is one of the poorer and larger in the area. I wouldn't consider him elitist even though he has an obscene amount of money.

oh, you wanna talk shoes?

I think I posted this before.

McCain's $520 Ferragamo loafers vs…well, take a look.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/.....15692.html

http://www.boreme.com/boreme/f.....oes-p1.php

So, Mccain has some money and spends it, thus creating jobs and therefore putting food on the table of the middle class. A function of our free market economy. Obama, who made over $4 million last year, has one house and one car, thus employing fewer people and creating less jobs. In his last (only) job, Obama, sued banks that did not make risky loans to minorities and people with bad credit. I guess Obama may have created a few jobs or atleast kept a few people working when he wrote his two memoirs, (how old is he?). When picking a president, we should look at the whole picture, including things like who they spend time with past and present, how they spent their time and managed their own affairs and lived their lives. If you do that you see that Mccain is more like most of us, just on a larger scale (financially) and Obama is less like us unless you spend time hanging with known terrorists and heading radical foundations. To put it into perspective, if Mccain were a Black Man he would be Colin Powell, if Obama were a White Man, he would be David Dukes (not someone you would want in the White House).

# 45 - Actually someone did! This may sound extremely lame, but last month's Glamour did an interview with each candidate and put a 2 page spread of 6 "big" issues and how each candidate stood on them. It was pretty broad, but nice that they took the time to do the interviews.

sorry for not reading all of these comments but this is directed towards Buck and those that agree with him:

True, one should not base their decision for president on how much 'stuff' the candidate owns. But let's take a step back here for a moment–when a man with that many houses, cars, and a private jet (whether or not they are "business"functions) claims not only to be in touch with the American people but to claim he is "one of us" is just ludicrous, and quite frankly it is offensive. I'm not tooting Obama's horn for owning a hybrid and just one home, but it does speak to a broader population of "real" people than the imposter John McCain has become.

@#48, "Mark":

I see you read this morning's assigned talking points. Nicely done.

As for your simplistic take on economics, the better people in America are the ones who spend the most?

Great point. I hadn't thought of that. How enlightening!

I could get into the whole deregulation measures that McCain not only supported, but encouraged, or I could bring up his non-involvement in the Wall Street bailout measures… but it's time for lunch and I don't feel like trying to reason with chowder-headed arguments like yours.

But since you brought up the whole "guilt-by-association" thing — and the one McCain unsuccessfully played many months ago to no effect — let me leave you with a name you'll hear a lot about in the coming days:

C H A R L E S K E A T I N G

(And thanks for sharing your inner monologue with us by your unecessarily repeated use of parentheses!)

Mark, are you serious with that Barack Obama/David Dukes comparison? If you would stop watching FOX News, you would realize the facts about Obama's "associations" with some of the people the Republicans are trying to link him with. This silly little diversion from real issues has already been addressed and dismissed earlier this year. Let's try to focus on the real issues, like the economy and the war in Iraq. And BTW, both the Democrats and the Republicans are to blame for the current economic crisis, not Barack Obama or John McCain by themselves.

Guilt by association is bad politics - especially when the people they are trying to link Obama to are not even close associations. I could never run for any office b/c my own relatives are fucknuts.

As I am not as eloquent as the others in response to your "comments" and your asides, I will simply call you a douchebag.
have a good day.

I wonder what joe six pack drives?

I am directing that to Mark.

I'm more offended that they used the wrong photo/caption for the Ford 1/2 ton.

I don't know if this post makes me feel better about myself or worse. We have only one house, which is paid in full, but have 3 trucks and a semi.

And I am starting to think that Reba is Amy Winehouse. Or at least in her circle of friends.

maria, prolly a super duty duly truck with a huge confederate flag/bald eagle in the back window like my neighbors do. God help me.

The real issues… The economy…Mccain tried to get a billed passed that would have prevented the collapse that we are now bailing out, Obama, sued banks for not making the risky loans that caused the problems. Gas prices…well neither have done anything to help, the Iraq war, see an AP article from July 5, 2008, small little article about Uranium arriving in Canada from IRAQ, why would IRAQ need Uranium, to make nuclear weapons or weapons of mass destruction. But whether the war is right or wrong, really should not matter, but how handle it from here on out. Obama says he will draw out the troops in 16 months, will that end the war or leave a weak Iraqi government that would likely just get more corrupt and harm us later. Mccain says he will finish what we started. Obama wants to weaken our military, Mccain wants to strengthen it. Which other issues do you wish to discuss? Foriegn policy? Obama wants to sit down with the leader of IRAN and have a discusion about Isreal. What will they discuss, how to half it up? Mccain thinks talks with IRAN are futile, they have been clear about what they want and the means by which they are willing to go to get it. Who do you agree with. Government spending and waste, OBAMA has spent nearly $1 million in earmarks for everyday he has been a Senator, Mccain has never wasted tax payers money that way. Education, Obama has had a fine one, though Chicago, where he is a community organizer, has one of the worse school systems in the nation, has he done anything to CHANGE that while serving his state as a Senator, NO. Will he lead the nation is overhauling the educational system? Mccain wants parents to be able to take their kids to good schools and the federal dollars that are allocated for them with them to the new schools. What issues do you want to discuss Obama hasn't led a campaign on issues he has led a campaign on change, how will he change things? Why are associations silly? I look to my friends for advice all the time and my relationships with them have formed my identity and how I act or react. I can't help but think he has too many friends that do not have the countries best interst at heart. These associations are important. You should watch more FOX news and less VIEW. Obama has written two books and has yet to pen one single piece of legislation, does that not bother you? He can attach an earmark to a bill but can't at least introduce some legislation.

Sorry, McCain wants more charter schools so that it's less money the governement has to shell out to the public school system. That was a nice try, though!

There should be a word limit for comments. Someone has diarrhea of the mouth.

true dat kitten :)

I could refute your comments one at a time, but I will simply say this, McCain is a shameless politician who lies and distorts every time he opens his mouth. He is not a representative of the average person in any way, nor does he have the best interests of the average person at heart. Country First? Really? If he really felt that way, he would have chosen a qualified person to be his running mate, but look at who he chose. His choice was irresponsible and obvious pandering to get womens' votes. And McCain is wrong on the war. We've trained the Iraqis and their country has a surplus. It's time we let our troops come home. And BTW, five former SECRETARIES OF STATE all agreed the US should engage in some talks with Iran, because ignoring such countries allows them to gain strength and become even more dangerous. Even the Bush administration has changed it's policy on this. Wake up, Mark. Again, I could also attack your other points, like John McCain's voting record on education and his lack of support for funding, but I won't. It's a waste of time. I'm going to get some more of the unregistered voters to register. See you at the polls. I will be the one in the Obama/Biden t-shirt. Oh, I don't watch the View, jackass. I watch reputable news programs that actually report truth, like the ones that dispelled Obama's "terrorist" associations SIX months ago.

i love you malissa…my response would have been to scream "dooooouche" at the top of my lungs…prolly not the best approach…thanks for the eloquence :) This shizz is making me tired.

Back at ya, Farah! You betcha (wink, wink, wink).

I'd like to add that whatever "support" McCain has for the troops is hollow as he consistently votes against more $ for veterans, soldier pay, and leave time.

McCain actually voted against Democratic measures but for alternative measures to boost funding by smaller amounts. - Factcheck.org

Damn those homophones. I wrote plain instead of plane. I do know the difference. Sometimes my fingers just work way faster than my brain.

smaller amounts than the dems proposed, eh?

then I don't want to hear how he "supports the troops" and the dems don't.

and wtr, my response was NOT to imply that you make that claim. sorry if it came off that way.

I didn't post anything about him supporting the troops and the dems not. That must have been someone else. I just remembered recently seeing that on factcheck so I was just trying to keep things honest and truthful.

No problem. We must be typing at the same time!

#59, "Mark": You should really learn to break up independent thoughts into separate paragraphs instead of a dizzying conglomeration of half-assed half-truths, distortions and outright lie-telling.

That way, we wouldn't think that you're just running off on a Limbaugh-esque jag of off-topic freeper talking points that have no credibility. Lumping them all together like a coagulated moose stew makes you only sound like a frustrated conspiracy theorist with "inside information" and innuendo that none of us believe, much less consider any more valid than graffiti scrawled on a Wal-Mart bathroom wall.

I'll give you 4 out of 10 possible troll points. Tell the RNC to sent someone a little more experienced — and entertaining — next time.

poo, will you marry me?

this is a serious offer. i make enough money to support the lifestyle to which you've become accustomed (whatever lifestyle that may be.) if you're into diamonds, i'll see if i can get you a nice conflict-free diamond from canada.

i make a mean mac and cheese.

what else…

i have a convertible!

i used to live around the corner from john lithgow!

um…

well, i guess that's all i can offer.

Hey Mark- is the autographed biography from John McCain that you are going to get once you stock up on those award points, really worth whoring yourself out thusly? I mean really? Don't cut and paste talking points. It's embarrassing.

INDEPENDENT THOUGHT.

give it a whirl.

saywhat @ 47 - you did, i remember because when you posted it last time i made a comment about obamas shoes being huge… it was a dumb joke then and it's dumb now but since when has that stopped me :)

STM, you had me at convertible…

You've made a very generous offer!

I'm very, very flattered!

I've been single soooooooooooooo long — by choice, mind you — so I'll have to think long and hard about this.

I love you too!

Yes, McCain has way too much stuff. He and his wife are rich and prosperous and that just can't be tolerated. All his money and assets should be taken away from him and given to others who have nothing, especially those who do nothing and live off the government tab. Yes that would set things right in the world. A redistribution of wealth is in order and I think the best people to be in charge of this redistribution are politicians because they are so honest and trustworthy.

Hmm, this is beginning to sound vaguely like Obama's strategy for our whole country's future. Can't wait.

Conservatives are so completely ignorant. Everyone who wants a good laugh NEEDS to go to conservapedia–its the non sarcastic republican version of wikipedia.
On the article about evolution, it displays Hitler and Stalin
On the article about Obama it just spits out uncited facts about how Obama is muslim….
It had to be the funnies shit ive seen ever.

btw mark dont you have better things to do? go jack off to forbes magazine

Lol… my name is my number im sitting in Gov class and argueing about this kinda stuff. Poo i love your argument if you have anything that can help argue to support McCain plz txt me. or anyone for that manor im 18 so don't worry about that other shit… Laters

I think it is GREAT to see how hard work and freedom allowed the McCain's to prosper.