McCain's inability to remember how many homes he owns is a HUGE gaffe, mainly for the following reason:

[W]ith one little remark, he has made it impossible for Republicans to run their usual storyline about their candidate as an everyday guy in touch with ordinary people, and the Democratic candidate as a scary elitist who lives on latte and arugula.

This utterance may or may not go away but regardless it's looming effect is to take this go-to GOP tactic off the table for this election year -- a first in a long, long time. You could just hear the hired-on Karl Rove types in the campaign slamming their fists down and snickering profanity when McCain let loose this screw-up. It's as if they're now forced to drive while blindfolded; to think, the actual issues may now come to fore -- heavens!

And we have of all entities the right-wing leaning Politico.com to thank for this gift?! All the more reason it's astonishing.

Also, Jonathan Cohn is correct, this gaffe very likely sunk Romney's chance of being VP. What a shame.