Politicians are supposed to say stupid things. It is almost inevitable when you think about it: we all say the odd stupid thing, but we don’t have reporters following us around to record them. Even so, after nearly a week, I still can’t believe what John McCain said.
We might think that the old Etonian mafia in charge of the Tory party is out of touch with the general public’s experience of life, but I bet that most of them would be able to tell you how many homes they own. In fact, in answering the question “how many houses do you own?” I can’t really think of a worse possible answer than “I’ll have my staff get back to you.”. He could have just said “four” or “five” and then later on debated why the others didn’t count.
Does he really not know or was he just embarrassed by whatever the answer was?
Of course, housing is a sensitive subject in America just as it is here. With large numbers of voters unable to afford a place or unable to get finance for a place, or worried about losing the place they have I doubt that having a prospective leader mentioning his choice of homes endears him to them.
Still, with all those ranches and condos and spread about the place he can really enjoy living the Club 18-30 lifestyle… sleeping in a different bed every night for a fortnight 🙂
Oh let’s be fair here. That’s the sort of question that could catch so many of us out.
Or at least it could if we were all members of the royal fmaily.
But I bet it won’t be McCain who is targeted by the media for being ‘elitist’ during the next few months.
It will make a change from being called Muslim. How about that article in G2 today? Great example of how misinformation lodges in minds more that facts.
And another thing… I reckon that even George Bush would be able to give an answer to that question.