by Evie Stone

The Obama campaign keeps up the pummelling on McCain's real estate gaffe with a press release announcing "Events Throughout the Country on John McCain Losing Track of How Many Homes He Owns."

There are 17 "events" on the list (how much of an "event" can you really make out of this?), mostly in battleground states. Highlights include statewide searches in Florida and Pennsylvania for people who can't remember how many houses they own, and this from Michigan:

MI: Campaign for Change offices across Michigan are launching a "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire: McCain Edition" contest where volunteers will be able to win a free "Exxon-McCain" bumper-sticker if they correctly guess the number of houses John McCain owns. Prizes will be only be awarded after McCain clarifies exactly how many houses he owns. To win, the answer must be specific — "at least four" doesn't count.

As NPR's Ina Jaffe put it, "the Obama campaign is not looking a gift horse in the mouth." Political campaigns are not famous for their subtlety, but is this overkill? How long before that gift horse puts on a leather jacket and waterskis over a shark?