Being a Minnesota-based blogger has its ups and downs, but one of the negatives is that you’re forever tied with the Powerline guys. The Blogger Formerly Known as Hindrocket, the Blogger Formerly Known as Big Trunk, and the other guy are based out of the Twin Cities, and represent a constant shadow that all other Minnesota bloggers must work to erase.
They’ve written some nutty, nutty things over the years. But of all the Powerline posts, this might be the Powerlineiest:
The latest campaign kerfuffle is Obama’s effort to make hay out of John McCain’s inability to tell a reporter how many houses he owns. McCain mumbled something about condos and said the reporter should talk to his wife. Predictably, Obama is trying to spin this exchange as showing that McCain is “out of touch.”
I can relate, though. For example, if a reporter asked me how many ties I own, there’s no way I could answer. Just like McCain, I’d tell him he has to ask my wife. Likewise if someone wants to know how many Wii games my kids have.
Well spoke, Blogger Formerly Known as Hindrocket. After all, houses, like ties and video games, can be purchased at Target, are no more than a couple of feet long at most, and often end up getting misplaced.
Now, that’s pretty insane, almost as insane as the most insane thing ever written in the English language, but I’m gonna challenge you, BFKAH: can you reach back into that big mellon of yours and come up with an explanation so crazy, so ridiculous, that it makes your “global warming is bullshit” declaration to McCain look like the Algonquin Roundtable?
Touche, I guess. The truth is that McCain isn’t out of touch with “ordinary people” because he’s rich, he’s out of touch with his own domestic arrangements because he cares little about material things, and for many years has devoted his extraordinary energies not to enjoying his wife’s money, but to serving the American people. Given the number of nights he’s spent in hotels or on military bases over the last few years, it’s no wonder he hasn’t seen much of his wife’s condos.
And he’s done it! He’s done it! He’s made the most wingnutty argument ever! I can’t believe what my pupils have just translated to my brain! Do you believe in miracles? Yes!
Yes, John McCain is such an ascetic that he has no interest in worldly possessions. Which is why he can’t be bothered to know how many million-dollar mansions his wife owns. As further proof, McCain regularly blows thousands of dollars on craps, which is just further proof that money has no meaning to the man. Truly, the man is a saint; given that the McCain camp has previously declared sainthood to be disqualifying for president, I expect he’ll be dropping out tomorrow.
(Via Sadly, No!)
I guess Obama hit a raw nerve. The Republican thugs are predictable and have a poker tell a mile wide. They can stand reality. Next we will hear is that McSame is the next reincarnation of Buddha which explains why he has no interest in money and why happiness isn’t material bound. Oh and let’s not forget Mother Theresa’s words of advice to his wife… NONE!
Dave Neiwert hit this today, too:
http://firedoglake.com/2008/08/22/leave-john-mccains-houses-alooooooooone/
Hm. Wait a minute here. Is the question “How many houses do you own?” or “How many investment properties does your wife have?”? Because if we’re talking actual personal residences that he spends some time in then I can see why people would be skeptical and think he was out of touch. But if we are talking about investment properties that his wife owns that he may never have seen or set foot in it seems reasonable to me that he would not know precisely how many there are. It’s my understanding that his wife manages her money independently of Sen. McCain, so his lack of a detailed knowledge of her portfolio is quite reasonable.
Oh, and “regularly blows thousands of dollars on craps”? Define “regularly”. Because clicking through the links you reference gives little indication on how often the man hits the tables. The only temporal reference is that his ex-strategist followed him to “many a casino”, which is of course an entirely subjective comment.
But if we are talking about investment properties that his wife owns that he may never have seen or set foot in it seems reasonable to me that he would not know precisely how many there are.
Well, if McCain had answered, “Yeah, we’ve got four that we live in, but there are some other investment properties — I’ll have to check on those,” well, then I don’t think this would be a big deal. But he didn’t.