A big tip of the hat to aspiring VP (and real estate expert) Mitt Romney for pitching in yesterday to help prolong the national discussion about John McCain's four seven eight ten superabundance of homes. Showing the kind of political acumen that made him stand out on the campaign trail this year, Mittens brought his insight about the houses flap straight to reporters.

Speaking to reporters at a lunch sponsored by the Christian Science Monitor, Romney said that while McCain deserved his houses because of the "hard work" of himself and his family, "Barack Obama got a special deal from a convicted felon."

Nearly all the dozen or so homes were bought by Cindy McCain, who inherited her fortune. Obama by contrast bought his one house from what he earned from the books he wrote; he got a "special deal" on his house from nobody, felon or otherwise.

"I think it was a strange thing for Barack Obama to seize upon," Romney said. "If homes is going to be the topic of discussion that Barack Obama is going to end up on the short end of that one."

It's been working out so poorly for Obama that McCain went on Leno the previous day to explain why he can't remember how many homes he owns (hint: it involves the fact he was once a POW).

"The truth is the first casualty of the new politics practiced by the Obama campaign," Romney added.

No, Mitt, your vice presidential hopes are.