McCain's brother: N. Virginia "communist country"

From The War Room, Salon.com

There's nothing like calling people communists to help your Republican brother win their votes in a key swing state.

Speaking at a campaign event in Loudon County, Va., Joe McCain got a laugh when he said: "I've lived here for at least 10 years and before that about every third duty I was in either Arlington or Alexandria, up in communist country." Immediately after making the joke, McCain apologized for it.

Arlington and Alexandria lean Democratic, although John McCain himself owns a condo in Arlington, according to the Washington Post.

"This was Joe McCain's unsuccessful attempt at humor," a McCain campaign spokeswoman Gail Gitcho told the Associated Press. "John McCain and Sarah Palin are committed to winning the support of voters in Northern Virginia and understand the region's importance to victory statewide."

Virginia, which has 13 electoral votes, is very much in play in this presidential election, according to recent polls, so McCain can hardly afford to write-off whole parts of the state.