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.

Read more about: Barack Obama, Election, Housing, John McCain, News, Politics, president, Video

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

When exactly did Hils and Obama play footsies? As for mud slinging look to the McSame campaign for that—they’ve already exhibited a ton of slime already. with o ton of cow flopp on the way.

By Frank Peterson on 08/24/2008 1:38 pm

McSame? If anyone is serving up Happy Meals to the followers it’s the Obama camp. ‘I oppose offshore drilling’ says Obama while running in the primaries. Now - after becoming the presumptive nominee - ‘I support offshore drilling’ says Obama. Another major Obama McOpposition McTalking McPoint was the fact that Hillary had voted for the war. Now - after becoming the presumptive nominee - he picks McBiden as his running candidate - Biden -> who voted for the war. Why not pick a Nay voter? I stand for Change, says Obama, while running. He picks an old school, old time politician as his running mate. His whole candidacy is as McSame as it comes. It’s all about seizing power. Not change.

By Buh- Bye on 08/24/2008 2:28 pm

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Off-shore drilling will do nothing to ease gas prices —it didn’t in Bush I’s and Clinton’s presidencies and won’t now. Biden voted for the war reluctantly and then recanted when he found out that the Bushies were lying thru their teeth and became a very vocal opponent of the was. Hils did nothing but vote for it and not recant until so much later the effect was lost. I still do not understand her decision on that. Obama picked a man that has experience in Foreign policy and in the Judicial area—a lot of experience and that was a smart move—I seriously doubt the Hils would play 2nd fiddle very well at all—she too powerful and her talents would be wasted there. Any other points you care to make :-)

By Frank Peterson on 08/24/2008 2:38 pm

Untrue, Hillary was very vocal when Bush went to war. Her assumption was that the resolution would be useful as a tool to force Sadam’s hand, (as such resolutions have been used historically in the past without war being declared). But she was immediately outspoken about it when he declared war with his cowboy hat and boots on. Obviously offshore drilling will no nothing to ease gas prices. So why is Obama flip flopping and supporting it now? My prediction. Obama will lose. And Howard Dean, the great divider, will resign. I don’t think a viral campaign will do it in the general election.

By Buh- Bye on 08/24/2008 4:20 pm

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I think your tea leaves are malfunctioning re Obama, Alias, but I think you are totally correct about the failure of McSame’s viral campaign.

By ~ countrywoman ~ on 08/25/2008 6:17 am

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With the help of the Rove team, Rush, Hannity, et al. And, you know what the sad part of this is? It gets everybody off the subject at hand. What has occurred in the past 8 years? We had a surplus 8 years ago. We had peace, and yes, we needed to do some informed and necessary diplomatic work, but we didn’t need a “pre-emptive” war. We had low un-employment rates and I don’t know what you were paying for gas and food, but I’m sure it was a helluva lot less that it is now. We had respect in the whole world, and were on the technological cutting edge of many industries. And, by his own admission, his own words, McCain intends to follow the core practices of this Bush administration. It makes me think of Regan’s famous campaign line: Are you better off than you were 8 years ago? Maybe you all are. As for me, my family and most of my friends, we’re hurting, we’re hurting a whole lot. So instead of getting in a spitting contest over whose the meanest “petty” campaigners, I think that facts only are in order. As I said earlier today, al of us love our children and families and friends, we all want to have success in our jobs and in our schools. So, we’d better get our house in order, and quit the squabbling, and try to see each other’s side, Based On The Facts, and think for the greater good of our nation and our beloved Constitution… ‘nuf said. I’m worn out…

By Diana T on 08/24/2008 7:07 pm

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Well said Diana, well said.

By Frank Peterson on 08/24/2008 7:10 pm

Beg pardon Hils voted for the war and stuck with her vote long long after she should have recanted and she vacillated on it. I only wish to the gods she had took a stand and recanted. Still a mystery why she held out so long. As for Obama and offshore drilling: minor and he;s hasn’t been flip-flopping—exploring the issue—he still supports alternate fuel sources as nis major thrust and he is right to. Look at T, Boone Pickens and wind power—even oilmen realize that it’s going to enc soon. and isn’t bought by Big Oil like McSame. . Your prediction is as good or bad as anyone else’s and Howard Dean is so far out of the picture that he became irrelevant years ago.

By Frank Peterson on 08/24/2008 4:35 pm

offshore drilling, MINOR? maybe to those who don’t live on the coast. or is it that just a, ‘it doesn’t matter if it’s not in my backyard’ kind of thing the problem with the obama camp is this - there’s a constant justification for breaking campaign promises, and he isn’t even elected yet 1. Obama was a serious spokesman for campaign finance reform and a “robust system of public financing of elections” due to the influence of special interest money, yet he breaks a campaign promise and immediately opts out of the public campaign finance system, the first one to do it since it was created after the Watergate scandal. (justification, the Republicans have more money, we have to) 2. Obama says he’s against the war but picks a VP who voted for it (justification, oh Biden felt bad about his vote) guess what, so did Hillary 3. Obama opposes the expansion of offshore drilling but suddenly reverses himself (justification, to work with Republicans and prevent gridlock over energy) 4. Obama wants “change” from old Washington politics but picks one of the most senior McSame politicians going. A guy who’s been in it since he was 29. (justification, oh he needed foreign experience on the ticket) uh huh, McSame, McSame, McSame

By Buh- Bye on 08/24/2008 5:06 pm

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1. Minor point as far as drilling and its impact—we’re not talking environmental here.If we were then it would be wrong—still is for that matter in my opinion. 2. He didn’t need the money—why take it if you don’t need it? 3. In any campaign including one for dogcatcher there is going to be a certain amount of flip-flopping—look at McSame though—he’s 100 times worse and so’s his record. 4. we’ve already gone over that—can you think of a better justification? It’ a smart move. 5. The only McSame out there is Flyboy Johnny and his antiquated, outmoded ideas on just about everything. esp women’s rights—he’s Neaderthal on that one for sure. And????

By Frank Peterson on 08/24/2008 5:17 pm

1. I don’t get your point on offshore drilling. The whole issue is the environmental impact. 2. What? Opposite situation. He was trying to open the door for $$. 3. There is no moral high ground in flip flopping immediately after a primary, when you used that issue as a campaign promise. Most flip flops that are highlighted by the press are ones that show how a candidate voted prior to an election cycle, then they shine a light on their campaign platform - not the reverse 4. Picking Hillary was the smart move. A sure win. Picking Biden, definitely a risky move and an arrogant one. 5. Wow, I can’t believe you are belittling a war hero by calling him Flyboy Johhny. This man sacrificed a lot for this country and his compatriots. Sounds like a Swiftboat tactic. I don’t agree with McCain’s position on abortion rights, but I know where he stands. Don’t know where Obama stands. The sands shift beneath his feet so quickly. To me, it looks like he stands for whatever it takes to become leader of the land. With the one exception of making a competent woman 2nd in command. Really, really doubt he’ll will.

By Buh- Bye on 08/24/2008 5:38 pm

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My Alias: “Obama wants “change” from old Washington politics but picks one of the most senior McSame politicians going. A guy who’s been in it since he was 29.” Yeah, I thought Washington was all broken and needed to be retooled from the the inside out. Just words, I guess.

By Marjorie C. on 08/25/2008 11:22 am

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Hillary Clinton, bless her heart, hates to admit that she made a mistake. I feel for all of the senators that voted like her and realized what they did when they gave the green light. They just did not realize the extent of the deliberate misleading that this adminstration did. I feel for them because they are the ones that have to sleep at night knowing now what was going on, and seeing the debacle of it all.

By Diana T on 08/24/2008 7:20 pm

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Belittling Johnny—he does that enough himself—belittling? hero? there were a lot more men in the HH than Johnny, a lot more and he plays to hero card too much for my taste—there are other reasons which I don’t care to go into here why I dislike Navy flyboys and those reasons go back 40 years and unless you were in the Nam you wouldn’t understand . He hasn’t a clue what a leader stands for—he has no idea why the economy is the way it is and his statements prove that , he has a voting record in the congress that is utterly abysmal—look it up; he has no idea what’s going on in Iraq and he’s proved that by his statements on the Sunni Awakening. He doesn’t even frankly know where Iran is. He’s not the brightest bulb on the tree.Need i go on? Picking Hils—I really am a bit undecided on that one in some minor ways: mainly because I don’t think she would have taken it in the first place, she’s too smart to play 2nd fiddle. She destined for much bigger things.

By Frank Peterson on 08/24/2008 5:51 pm

trashing any soldier and belittling their service to this nation does not sit well with me. nothing more to debate here, thanks

By Buh- Bye on 08/24/2008 7:37 pm