Hey, Democratic conventioneers, here's the plan: Jangle your keys for McCranky!

Learning Center's First Keys Teether from its First Years line

by Ken

I'm sure you too have encountered much talk online chattering encouraging Democratic National Committee attendees to come equipped carrying keychains with 10 or 12 or however many nice jangly keys on them, to commemorate the however-many collection of McCranky homesteads. One colleague recommended the plastic clankers pictured above, which she'd bought for her infant daughter. (Note to hygiene-conscious householders: They're dishwasher-safe.)

The million-dollar idea, though, came from the list member who suggested that everybody in the auditorium jangle their keys every time Young Johnny McCranky's name is mentioned.

Zowie! Now SEIU is reportedly bringing truckloads of key rings and keys to distribute to conventioneers. Take it this extra step, and the media would go nuts for this. Young Johnny would go nutsier.

We all know this is the kind of idea the Republicans would jump on in a heartbeat. (They would be providing everyone in the building with the biggest and noisiest sets of keys they could drum up, for maximum audiovisual impact.) However, you may be surprised to learn that I'm actually not attending the DNC. So I can only pass on this inspired suggestion.

Now that would get me to tune in the convention.


AT HOME(S) WITH THE McCRANKYS

Meanwhile at our pal Cliff Schecter's Campaign Silo blog, our pal crack investigative reporter Lindsay Beyerstein has supplemented her previous report on "The Mystery of McAin's McMansions" with the lowdown on the former Casa McCranky, the 14,000-square-foot Phoenix pied-à-terre the family called home for 20 years, until they sold it in 2006:

Behold the grand foyer of John and Cindy McCain's former home. This Phoenix mansion is 14,000 square feet, with 9 bedrooms, and 8 baths. Amenities include 2 guest houses, his and hers dressing cabanas, a spa, 3 ramadas (2 w/full bar set-up), a pavilion, a large lap pool, and a detached 7-car garage. It was a simpler life, unburdened by the real estate confusion that besets the senator today.

The couple lived at Stately McCain Manor for 20 years--starting after John left his first wife who only had one house. In 2006 they sold the mansion, possibly seeking to avoid the razzing that John Edwards endured on the campaign trail over his palatial home. The estate sold for a little over $3 million. The current owner who remodeled and presumably redecorated, now has it on the market for $12 million."