Now we know how John McCain will answer the tough questions.

Last night on the Jay Leno show, Jay asked McCain again (in a joking way, at that) how many houses he owns.

McCain's response:

You know, could I just mention to you, Jay, and a moment of seriousness. I spent five and a half years in a prison cell, without—I didn’t have a house, I didn’t have a kitchen table, I didn’t have a table, I didn’t have a chair. And I spent those five and a half years, because—not because I wanted to get a house when I got out.

And you thought Rudy was bad with answers that all invoked 9/11.

I guess we can see what McCain will say every time he gets asked a tough question.

Q: Senator McCain, you've taken a hard line stance against the Russians in regard to Georgia, but with our army stuck in Iraq what do you plan to do about it?

A: I was a POW for five and a half years, you know.

Q: Why is it that you never talk about fixing the Social Security system, after favoring privatization for years?

A: I want social security to give me credit for the time I was in a prisoner of war camp.

Q: Senator, you've promised a high level campaign, but you've gotten nasty and negative in your attacks on Barack Obama. Why is that?

A: You should know those prisoner of war camp guards are nasty too.

Q: Do you still stand by the Paris Hilton ad?

A: Now that you bring it up, I spent five and a half years in the Hanoi Hilton.

Q: Mr. McCain, why did you vote against funding research into the development of alternative energy programs for so many years?

A: I was in a prisoner of war camp, and let me tell you I didn't spend those five and a half years just so I could drive a Prius when I got out.

Q: Senator McCain, why does your tax plan give so much money away to the super-wealthy like yourself and give nothing at all to almost half of American taxpayers?

A: When I was in a POW camp for five and a half years, I didn't pay any taxes. And I spent those five and a half years, not because I wanted to pay taxes.

Q: Why did you reverse your stance on giving a path to legalization for undocumented immigrants last year?

A: When I was a P.O.W. for five and a half years, I wanted more than anything to be in America. So now I want to make sure those people have the same opportunity to miss being here that I had.

Q: Senator, you've promised to appoint conservative judges like Alito and Roberts which would give the Supreme Court a solid conservative majority. What do you say to women who are concerned it might overturn Roe vs. Wade?

A: There weren't any women in the prisoner of war camp I was in for five and a half years.

Q: Mr. McCain, why are you promising to veto all pork projects when you yourself sponsored funding for the William H. Rehnquist Center in Phoenix?

A: We didn't get any pork when I was in a prisoner of war camp for five and a half years. In fact, we usually didn't even get enough rice.

Q: Mr. McCain, why are you so critical of the Obama health care plan when your plan can't even guarantee that everyone will be able to buy coverage at any price?

A: We didn't get very good health care when I was in a prisoner of war camp for five and a half years.

Q: Senator, one more question. The Washington Post reported on May 9 that you had pushed through legislation on a Federal land swap deal that benefitted Steven Betts, a longtime campaign contributor. At the time, Betts and his wife were listed on your campaign website as members of the financial arm of your campaign. Have you severed all ties with Betts?

A: I spent five and a half years in a prisoner of war camp.

I don't doubt that McCain suffered terribly during that time, but I want to hear what he would do as President, not have it waved in my face every time he gets asked a question he may not want to answer. Besides, remember what they did to John Kerry? At least John Kerry managed to avoid getting captured by shooting the communist that had the best chance to do it.