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Politics | 08/22/2008 11:05 am

The Obama, McCain Housing Crisis: It's Not the One You Think (Videos)

By The Staff at wowOwow.com

For the past week, a viral battle has been brewing between Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama and his Republican rival John McCain over housing. No, not the housing crisis that you think — not the one we hear about every night, the one that has caused the greatest home price decline since the Great Depression. Not that one that might cause Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to collapse as early as this afternoon, according to CNBC’s Jim Cramer. No, what ignited this back-and-forth campaign has to do with the houses owned by the two candidates, as in how many they have and how they got them. This particularly silly series of video attacks began after John McCain admitted to Politico.com that he has no clue how many homes he owns — and Barack Obama immediately bounced on the blunder as proof that McCain is too out of touch with American voters.

Whether Obama owns one home and McCain owns seven or eight, both of them are worth a hefty fortune, according to CBS News and the New York Post. Watch these two YouTube videos below to witness some of the "housing war" campaign attacks.

 

 

120 Reader Comments (so far…) Sign In or Register to comment

Josie Sullivan
Oh and Dr. Mark- I would add Reagan to that list.
By Josie Sullivan on 08/22/2008 6:00 pm
Dr. Mark Klein
Strongly suspect Reagan was mildly cognitively impaired by the end of his 2nd term. His inherently well balanced personality and dependency on his very sharp wife and key advisors prevented a catastrophe. In contrast an impaired McCain given his angry style under stress in the White House would be a very dangerous situation. The Republican Party should force McCain to withdraw for health reasons before the convention. Replaced by a Romney Huckabee ticket they might have a chance. If McCain stays in his mental health will become a top issue. In a live debate with Obama his deficits would become obvious resulting in a major across the political board for GOP candidates everywhere.
By Dr. Mark Klein on 08/22/2008 7:12 pm
Diana T
Does the cognitive problems complicate the anger management problems? I have watched reams of film with McCain answering questions from the press where he appears to just go blank. I’m sure you have noted it also, and it’s hard for me to articulate it, but Sen. McCain seems to hit dead ends with his processing. And, I wonder what residual impact there would be from all the years as a POW, with mal-nutrition and all the trauma he endured. I guess what I am trying to say very clumsily is that I wonder if there aren’t several issues involved here. A week or so ago—and I don’t know which thread it was— someone took James G. and me to task for discussing McCain’s obvious faltering, and intimated that we were starting rumors. But, frankly, I am very worried about the Oval Office if McCain is elected, and I said to someone yesterday that at the least, we should be privy to his mental health records. And, I hate to be this way, but we are talking about the leader of the free world, and god forbid that he has a meltdown at a critical moment. Don’t you remember way back when, there was a senator—Tom Eagleton, I think his name was— that was discovered to have been treated for depression, and the media made this huge deal about it and the Sen. had to step aside. But, it bothers me that so little attention is being paid to McCain’s potential mental health problems.
By Diana T on 08/22/2008 11:41 pm
Don Larsen
Klein I’m hardly a McCain supporter but you are way out of line with this. First of all, and by your own admission, you’ve been away from active practice approaching four decades now, four decades! And please spare me the Board Certification nonsense. Board Certification involves what these days, showing up twice a year at some flea bag Holiday Inn for six hours CME and sending a check to the State Board? Board Certification means nothing. You Sir (and I use the term loosely) have as much business making a diagnosis on McCain as does a Veternarian.
By Don Larsen on 08/24/2008 2:35 pm
Dr. Mark Klein
Certification by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology is not a certificated CME course. It’s a 2 year process after finishing a psychiatry residency. In the first year candidates a comprehensive written exam in psychiatry and neurology. Those who pass take the orals the following year. That exam consists of examining real psychiatric and neurology patients and then presenting the finding to usually 3 examiners. When I took the boards in the 1976-1977 cycle, for first timers the pass rate was 90% on the written and 50% on the orals. I passed on the first try. FYI I taught psychiatry at Cornell Medical College, the Hebrew University in Jerusalem, and University of California (Davis).
By Dr. Mark Klein on 08/25/2008 12:47 am
Don Larsen
Those that can, do. Those that can’t, teach. I rest my case and stand by my statement.
By Don Larsen on 08/25/2008 1:46 pm
Susan B
I’m waiting for those debates. The American people need to see McCain under pressure.
By Susan B on 08/24/2008 9:37 pm
Patti Ann L
Silly Talk…John Kerry has numerous houses (one he tore down in France and built this nice little mansion), Kennedy’s own numerous abodes, look at celebrities and their various homes. It isn’t uncommon. It is an investment in real estate. Obama has his house w/ ugly dealings w/ Resko who is in jail now. I don’t fault either. Just want the one who can get things done…
By Patti Ann L on 08/26/2008 12:56 pm
Star Lawrence
I guess I could call Sen Obama’s uh-uh-uhs ataxic speech, but I don’t think he suffers from that and of course I am not a physician like you.
By Star Lawrence on 08/25/2008 3:26 pm
Sam Mirando
McCain is so out of touch with reality. I bet he couldn’t even log on to WOWOWOW :)
By Sam Mirando on 08/22/2008 10:44 am
Star Lawrence
I guess if Cindy McCain wants to talk about her investment properties, she can do so. I know plenty of people making under $100K even who have investment property. As for McCain logging onto this site-I wouldn’t advise him to even if he did regularly use the internet (by the way, not using it is not a bad thing—I have relatives who have sworn off now, and though it does make it harder to reach them, it’s a personal decision. Me, I am addicted).
By Star Lawrence on 08/22/2008 11:01 am
Corinne M.
Who. Cares?
By Corinne M. on 08/22/2008 11:23 am
Marjorie C.
About. What.
By Marjorie C. on 08/23/2008 7:19 am
Elizabeth Bennett
I think this may have been a misunderstanding. When McCain was asked the question, the question was how many houses do you own, and he paused and said something about condominiums. Is a condominium a house? Maybe he thought not. Also some of the houses are on single properties—I think one of his property has three houses on it. So it is not that easy to answer. The misunderstanding is being used to illustrate two truths: that McCain is richer than most people and that McCain’s memory lapses are a problem.
By Elizabeth Bennett on 08/22/2008 12:05 pm
DeBúrca obj
In addition to the two truths you gave, I will give you a third truth it is being used to illustrate: that McCain has no business trying to paint Obama as an elitist.
By DeBúrca obj on 08/22/2008 12:17 pm