Recently, on national television, John McCain was again asked about the number of houses he owns, referring to his prior inability to actually remember the count. His response was that while in Vietnam he had no house.

McCain served his country honorably during the Vietnam War, and must have suffered greatly as a prisoner of war. We are all indebted to him for that service.

That experience, however, does not allow him to “pass” on tough questions.

Taking a pass on questions related to wealth make sense for someone in favor of continuing the tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans, while the rest of us wonder if everything we’ve worked for our entire lives will be obliterated by a job loss, a catastrophic illness or by unfettered greed on Wall Street.

McCain, and the press, need to stop using his POW experience as a shield and as a distraction. It’s history.

He needs to answer questions asked of him, or people need to wonder why he doesn’t.

Mary Ann Larson, New Gloucester