Washington, Aug 22 : Republican presidential nominee John McCain failed to recall how many homes he and his multimillionaire wife own during an interview, jeopardising his campaign’s carefully constructed strategy to frame Democratic rival Barack Obama as an out-of-touch elitist.

In an interview with Politico. com, the presumptive Republican nominee was asked how many houses he and his wife, Cindy, heir to a beer distributorship owned.

“I think – I’ll have my staff get to you. It’s condominiums where – I’ll have them get to you,” he replied

Obama’s campaign and the Democratic National Committee pounced with remarkable speed. The Obama campaign had produced a television advertisement titled “Seven” and was answering the question McCain could not.

“It’s seven, seven houses, and here’s one house Americans can’t afford John McCain to move into,” the ad concludes over an image of the White House.

If a California beachfront condo that Cindy McCain purchased for their children this year is included, the number of homes owned by the McCains rises to eight, The Washington Post reported.

McCain campaign and Republican National Committee aides responded furiously, who charged hypocrisy and argued that the senator from Illinois had received help purchasing his South Side Chicago mansion from businessman Tony Rezko, a convicted felon. (ANI)