Associated Press
Four years ago, John McCain struggled badly when asked how many homes he owns. This year, Mitt Romney has run into a little trouble on the issue himself.
With this in mind, here's a tip for candidates: please try to keep track of your total number of homes in case the question comes up, because it's likely to come up.
For years, then-Gov. Tommy Thompson complained that he wasn't earning big bucks as a government official. Not any more.
Simply ask the U.S. Senate candidate exactly how many residences he owns. Just like U.S. Sen. John McCain, Thompson has a hard time keeping track. "Three," the veteran Republican responded last week at a campaign event.
Thompson has three houses? Isn't there another one? "No," he answered without hesitation.
OK, everybody knows about the farm in his hometown of Elroy and the house in Madison. There's also his family's relatively new 10,889-square-foot home on the outskirts of the Walt Disney World Resort in Kissimmee, Fla. A Thompson family trust bought that edifice -- and its "top of the line everything," an online ad says -- for $675,000 last year after the bank-owned property was marked down from its original $1.4 million asking price.
Later, the Republican's staff clarified that Thompson said he owned three homes, he meant to say four. Thompson apparently forgot about the $1.3 million condo he owns off Lake Wisconsin.
There was another -- a DC-area home Thompson used during his time as a lobbyist -- but the Republican sold it last year.
Matt Canter, a spokesperson for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, said in as statement, "Only an out of touch millionaire influence peddler like Tommy Thompson could forget that he owns a $1.3 million lakefront condominium. Thompson's memory lapse is not surprising. The fact is Tommy Thompson long ago lost touch with Wisconsin when he cashed in on his political connections to become a millionaire in Washington peddling influence on behalf of special interest clients."
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Those who worship Mammon will not be at all disturbed by this. They will just continue to grovel at the feet of the malefactors of great wealth.
When someone "forgets" about a condo its usually where they are keeping their mistress...Not that I am trying to cast aspersions or impugn his character in any way
He seems to do that just fine on his own
Kept mistress?!?! HAHAHA Tommy the drunk is way too cheap to pay to 'keep' a mistress. The worst kept secret in Madison is him sleeping around with younger women while governor (for extra creepy - younger like his daughter's age). The rumors were that he did the deed more than a few times IN THE CAPITAL. All while tsk-tsk-ing over Clinton's issues.
I was just thinking today that if Romney wins, we might have to sell the only house we have to pay our taxes, whereas if Pres. Obama wins, a multimillionaire might have to sell, say, 1 out of 4 or 5 to pay his tax bill.
But dahling any house outside of the Hamptons is not really a home.
Once more we must ponder the real question...Why would anyone who is worth millions want to become a simple civil servant? We know why yet we keep voting for the same type of thieves. Gosh maybe the whole country is into S&M.
Paul...,
Never underestimate the influence of sado-masochism in political aattitudes.
It must be tough being an elected official in Wisconsin, what with having to keep track of all that real estate and money. However do they find time to govern, Lovee?
Some people just require many houses in which to let their ego reside. One is just not enough for that tremendous ego. Just think all that waste left unoccupied most of the time. It could have been put to so much better use, maybe he could have used his resources instead in helping organizations that benefit people in his district. There still is time for him to donate these excessive forms of shelter to a worthy cause. But, then again he cannot risk anymore damage to his ego. They need their stuff.
How could this fella ever vote for Romney, unless all these houses are paid for. Romneys "bucket" surely won't allow for the mortgage tax deductions on multiple homes. Where is the Real Estate lobby? Seriously. Just to threaten the mortgage tax deduction on a completely theoretical bogus campaign promise is a cancer on housing. To even suggest that "loopholes" exist in a comparitive way to his tax cuts still listed today on his website is a dangerous lie.
To be fair, that's not an easy question- like "how many wives do you have?"
(Of course there are some- not casting aspersions, mind you- there are some
cultsreligions that practice Big Love.)Doesn't everyone own 3 or 4 homes? Good grief. If people on SS and veterans would take responsibility for their own lives, they might be able to buy a few homes, even some with car elevators. They could have trusts and Cayman Island bank accounts just like everyone else too.
Way a creep. The next thing you know he will claim he built Wisconsin... Wait.. Hmm..
To be more fair, that's not a 10,889 sqft mansion, It's a 4,500 sqft house on a 10,889 sqft lot. It's not very impressive from the front with two separate one car garage doors. The two story living room is two separate rooms on two levels, separated by the stairwell under the same cathedral roof. More impressive sounding than in person. Echo city. Not a good place to plop down in front of the TV. The house does back onto a golf course, though. However, that probably implies mandatory country club dues. And the four bedrooms each have en suite baths. That's a teenager's dream. Ups and downs.
Here in the Bay Area that $675,000 price would probably only pull 2,300 sqft in a cul-de-sac, 6000 sqft lot, 1/4 mi from the nearest park.
Poor politicians don't make any money, but they own three, four or five homes. The working class are having a hard time with one and a summer home/weekend camp if they are lucky.
As Will Rodgers said.. "Nobody should own two homes till every one owns one"
Anyone from Wisconsin could have given you the other likely reason. He forgot it. Thompson was already growing a little senile during his last year as governor. It's been twelve years and it seems to have gotten worse. This is the partly the reason he was opposed by many republicans, though few wanted to mention it.
He may be getting senile but that doesn't seem to affect his using every trick in the book to win. He was a keynote speaker in Sept.2012 to an audience of skilled nursing home and assisted living professionals. This raises the question of possible voter fraud in some of these facilities. Scott Walker and his government health care team visited this organization prior to his inauguration to thank them for their support.