Politico says criticisms of McCain's "how many homes" gaffe is an attack on his age.

[jefferson_dem]

McCain ‘houses’ gaffe changing tenor of race

John McCain’s inability to name how many homes he owns is spurring him to play the POW card and Obama’s camp to go further on raising questions about the Republican’s age, the latest signs of a race being fought on increasingly personal terms.

Asked again about the matter in an interview with CBS’s Katie Couric, McCain noted: “I spent some years without a kitchen table, without a chair, and I know what it's like to be blessed by the opportunities of this great nation.”

And this morning, on Fox News Sunday, top Obama adviser Robert Gibbs made what a fairly obvious dig at McCain’s age, suggesting he was forgetful.

“Well, somebody's got to talk about how many houses John McCain has, because he either forgot how many he has, misplaced the keys to those houses, or he just wasn't being truthful with those reporters,” Gibbs said.

The toothpaste, it seems, is now out of the tube.

http://www.politico.com/blogs/jonathanmartin/0808/McCain_houses_gaffe_changing_tenor_of_race.html

[ErinBerin84]

1. notice how all of the sudden there is a concerted effort by the MSM to push this meme

Johnathan Martin from Politico does the ribs with McCain at his famous BBQs. Seriously.

[City Lights]

2. Proof that McMansions isn't playing with a full deck.

His deck contains two cards: POW and Age.

[ChairmanAgnostic]

3. every time i write a ltte or post

something about McCain I use the term doddering.

[polichick]

4. Chris Matthews said that last night too - a new talking point I guess.

[YDogg]

16. matthews was pushing that crap hard ... he didn't want to let it go.

[polichick]

22. Yeah, the guests weren't biting so he kept saying it over and over. Jeez!

[livetohike]

5. I didn't see McCain's gaffe in any of those ways

I saw it as a deliberate attempt to avoid the question because he knows how damaging the truth is if the majority of Americans knew who the elite candidate in this race is. He wasn't prepared to answer any questions regarding his/her wealth. It's a big coup for the Obama campaign to hit him on this (elitism)after what transpired during Kerry's candidacy.

[lurky]

15. Yeah, they got him in a "damned if you do,

damned if you don't" situation. If he evades it, he's forgetful, but if he says how many homes he has, he looks like a rich old aristocrat.

[livetohike]

23. They'll make his head spin

:-)

[Norrin Radd]

43. I saw it as a combo of your suggestions, and also that he has no opinion of his own

that everything he says is fed to him via his handlers, and, since they hadn't prepped him on that line of questioning, he stalled so he could go obtain a script.

[eShirl]

6. it's a two-fer!

the gaffe that keeps on giving

[NYC_SKP]

7. Thats' fine. Age is a fair issue, too old=unfit.

Just like lack of experience or youth would be fair, so is age and the creeping up of feeblemindedness.

Perfectly scientific, valid, and fair.

As long as it's truthful and applies fairly to the target, it is fair to use.

McCain is too damn old and cranky and forgetful to run the country.

[Cosmocat]

25. GALL DARN RIGHT

we are talking about the PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, the most powerful person on the planet. I find is just astounding that a man whose intellectual functioning is CLEARLY slipping can not be called on it.

[NYC_SKP]

29. Yep, we've got to stop being PC wussies....

"Oh, we can't put down his age, that would be ageist..."

Bullshit, when your kids' and grandkids' future is at stake we need to put the politically correct, Miss Manners attitudes away in the night stand and pull out the revolver.

:patriot:

[qwlauren35]

40. But age is NOT the issue!!!!

There are many people who are 72 who could spin cartwheels around McCain. It's not his age at all. Not all seniors get senile...

Perhaps that's how things need to be approached. Show a huge, varied selection of men and women who are actually hitting their stride at 72... and THEN show McCain. I think that is more to the point.

[NYC_SKP]

41. Agreed

I think his general unfitness is a fair issue, including how aging is affecting him and PTSD.

[jwirr]

8. If it is age that indicates how many homes we have shouldn't I have

at least one? Maybe it is having a second rich wife?

[Mz Pip]

9. Why is McCain's age off limits???

Seriously. Obama seems to be too young for the job in some circles.

McCain is old. He looks old. He acts old and his ideas are old. Why is this off limits?

[Cosmocat]

27. It wouldn't be if he were a D

The media is holding the line on this FIRM.

Just like veteran status - sacred cow for an R, TOTALLY fair game to lies and slander if it a D.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

10. The POW thing is now the answer to any and all criticism.

He has so many houses he can't even keep track of the exact number? Well, he didn't even have a kitchen table and chair when he was a POW, and he "knows what it's like to be blessed by the opportunities of this great nation" -- like the opportunity to dump your disabled first wife and marry a hot young heiress whose rich father buys you a political career? Blessed by that kind of opportunity? Well, isn't that special?

This guy makes me want to :puke:

[blonndee]

11. No, it's a rightful questioning of his intellect and memory, or the lack thereof.

McCan't is an out-of-touch IDIOT and has always been stupid, even if it's now being exacerbated by senility or whatever might be going on with him. Gibbs is right: either he's stupid or he's a liar, and it's hardly the first time this has happened. Therefore, I'm betting on both--McCan't is a liar and a stupid one at that.

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

12. POLITICO is correct. The ad is more about Alzheimer's than money

And I say, that's Fine!

[BlooInBloo]

17. self-delete - wrong branch.

[GreenPartyVoter]

18. It's about both, and it's fine with me too. Considering the RW is all anti-PC they sure are clinging

to it re: age and POW stuff, eh?

[FrenchieCat]

13. FUCK POLITICO!

Why, oh why do you guys keep bringing what "they say" here?

This only helps them help McCain.

I don't even understand how DUers think they are helping Obama,
when they are only helping Polico, and by extension, John McCain!
Y'all are being manipulated, and you appear not to care.


They didn't all of the sudden appear in order to be fair. Thrust me!


Here's the scoop on Politico. http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x6151571

[BlooInBloo]

19. Yah, but DUers just love drudgico... It's funny cuz they bitch about the MSM....

but then they go running to Drudgico.

[blonndee]

20. I actually don't think it helps McCain. Even if criticized, the "too old" and "senile"

idea is out there and being discussed. That is good, I think. People need to be a little more nasty with McCan't, IMO. He's been coming across as aggressive and hasn't really been taken to task for his nonsequitors, red herrings, ad homs, etc. He needs to not only criticized, but also mocked (however subtly) for such ridiculousness.

[moondust]

14. Now run and hide behind the POW shield Johnny.

You'll be safe there.

[Union Thug]

21. Only a pinheaded moron would interpret it that way...

the attack was quite obviously on just how extremely far removed the 'working class hero' McLameBrain is from actual working class people who have to, um, work for a living. He's just another Republican fraud.

[dkf]

24. forgetful = careless

He is careless with his belongings and doesn't even know what he has.

[TwilightGardener]

26. He has no grasp of his own financial situation--either out of lack of

interest (Cindy takes care of it all for him--whatta man!), or because he's too fucking old/forgetful to keep up with the fiscal matters in his household. This is a real concern. It may certainly be an age-related problem.

[dano81818]

28. personally i think it shows how mccain has no understanding of pocketbook issues...

none of the family finances run thru him.. has he ever paid a credit card bill, or a mortgage, or even balanced a checkbook? does he plan to ask her to help balance the federal budget? i don't think it's alzhiemers, and i think it's tasteless to insiunuate it does... i am sure i will disagree on w/ many DU-ers on this last point. mccain is sharp as a tack and the alz smear will ultimately backfire.

[mzmolly]

30. Correction ~ it's an attack on his age and his elitist lifestyle.

;) McCain is a senile elitist.... McCain is an a senile elitist....McCain is a ...

[cyndensco]

31. But I don't get it.

Matthews seemed to be suggesting yesterday to someone(?) that the house question was asked to trip up mccain. Its purpose was to demonstrate how forgetful he is. But, Obama's campaign did not ask the question - Politico did.

Was it the reporter from Politico who was trying to show how out of touch mccain is? Why then is Obama being accused of bringing age in the mix?

It is fair game. GO OBAMA!

[cindyw]

32. The efete rich who think the economy is just peachy keen, realized it was an effective

attack against their "economy is doing great" attitude. So they have to pretend this some class war attack by middle class and not a revealing look into why Repubs think their economic plans are working well.

[Major Hogwash]

33. Because the older one gets, the more houses they own. Right?

Jesus, how old is McCain, Noah's age?

I suppose he was on the first boat, too, huh?

[MasonJar]

34. It is not an actual attack ad when the guy did not remember how many

houses he has. That may or may not be because of HIS age. His mother in her 90s would have remembered. He is losing it for some reason or for a combination of reasons. It is not as if this is the first simple thing he has forgotten during the campaign. They have already isolated him. He is going to end up campaigning from a glass jar.

[GarbagemanLB]

35. And McCain is attacking Obama's patriotism. Fuck McCain. I hope they continue making his age an issu

e

[heaven or hell]

37. too much pressure for a gent his age

emotionally and physically

[ladjf]

36. Judging from McCain's history, it appears that he was "crazy"

long before he was old.

[donco6]

38. I think he IS too old.

Health is never off the table, so why would age be? They're pretty much inseparable.

[blondeatlast]

39. Less credibility than Matt Drudge with even more delusions of relevance Politico? LOL! Fuck 'em. nt

[BreweryYardRat]

42. I don't need to say it, but I want to.

BULLSHIT!

That's not a criticism of his age, it's a criticism of the greedy fat-cat's hypocrisy in trying to downplay the fact that he's a multi-millionare.

[classiclib4life]

44. Whats wrong with Criticizing his age?

How is that any different then him criticizing Obama on experience?

We need to go after the age issue; we need to present that he's over 70, has had cancer four times; and could very likely die in office from that cancer.