US presidential hopeful John McCain gave the Obama-loving American media a good laugh this weekend after he failed to recall exactly how many properties he officially owns. In an interview with Politico.com, the Republican candidate, who turns 72 today, said that he would need to check with his staff before revealing the exact number of homes that he and his wife possess. During McCain's Monday-night appearence on The Tonight Show (his thirteenth), the host Jay Leno took up the baton and mockingly asked: “Senator John McCain, for $1 million, exactly how many homes do you have?” During the show, Leno made several references to his guest's numerous properties. McCain, embarrassingly, failed to provide a relevant response, incongruously citing his time as a prisoner of war before admitting: “My record of service to this country has nothing to do with houses.” The multiple homes in question exist thanks to McCain's wealthy wife, Cindy. The Arizona heiress, who closely resembles her namesake, inherited and runs her father's beer distribution company. Wonkette.com, the Washington politics blog, displays a map listing seven properties owned by the McCains, with a total value of $13.8 million; it also lists their $10 million private jet.

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