A Sign That Obama Is Fighting Back

It's "crunch time," Barack Obama tells Karen Tumulty.

Indeed. There are signs that Obama has taken his gloves off and locked them in a cabinet somewhere, maybe in Hawaii.

The Obama campaign is officially sanctioning an attack on John McCain's wealth and lifestyle -- the first time they've been willing to go there.

The proximate cause is McCain's fumbling answer to Politico about the number of houses he owns. (". "I think -- I'll have my staff get to you")

First, Bill Burton, Obama's national press secretary, e-mailed the story to a list of reporters this morning.  Burton included this comment:

This story about John McCain losing track of how many houses he owns is a telling moment that helps to explain why he still thinks "the fundamentals of our economy are strong" and why he offers just more of the same economic policies that we've gotten from President Bush for the last eight years.

Then, the Democratic National Committee followed up, pointing to McCain's inability or unwillingness to define "rich" in terms of income.

The Obama campaign wants voters to get this message: "How can a guy who doesn't know how many houses he owns, or what it means to be rich possibly feel your pain?"