An Internet hub for moderates, centrists, and independents, with domestic and international news, analysis, original reporting, and popular features from the left, center, and right

« Obama and McCain at the Alfred E. Smith dinner

Horns and Tails, Plumbers and Kids »

Is America A Great Country Or What? (Samuel J. Wurzelbacher / Worzelbacher Edition)

Posted by SHAUN MULLEN, TMV Columnist in Economy.
Oct 17th, 2008 | Comments

It took less than 24 hours for Joe the Plumber to go from John McCain hero to much scrutinized celebrity laughing stock.

Didja hear the one about Joe signing a lucrative contract to work on all seven or eight or how many houses that John and Cindy McCain have? Thought so.

Poor Joe. One minute he’s shooting his mouth off about having problems with Barack Obama’s plan to tax the wealthy, never mind he happens to be out of work at the moment, and the next he’s being outted for not having a plumbing license and being, should we say, casual about paying taxes.

Oh, and he isn’t even called Joe.

Un-Joe’s 15 minutes of fame began when he stopped Obama on a street in Toledo last weekend and complained about his tax plan.

“I’m getting ready to buy a company that makes $250,000 to $280,000 a year,” the guy whose real name is the less than snappy Samuel J. Wurzelbacher told Obama. “Your new tax plan is going to tax me more, isn’t it?”

Footage of the encounter landed on YouTube, and conservative bloggers quickly Hail Maryed it to McCain, who mentioned “Joe the Plumber” some 20 times during the final presidential debate on Wednesday night without bothering to do even the most cursory vetting. (Sounds familiar, eh?)

Turns out that even if Wurzelbacher was in a position to buy the plumbing business, it’s unlikely that his personal income would ever climb over $250,000, which means that under Obama’s plan he not only would not pay more taxes but might end up with a sizable tax cut.

As if all of that doesn’t have McCain’s handlers reaching for the Zantac, it turns out that Wurzelbacher is a poster boy for voters being “disenfranchised by typo.”

His name is spelled Worzelbacher, not Wurzelbacher, on Ohio voter registration rolls, a simple data-entry error that would disqualify from voting in his home state, as well as Florida and Wisconsin.

The balding Wurzelbacher’s smiles have now turned to frowns.

“I don’t have a lot of pull. It’s not like I’m Matt Damon,” he complained.

Oh, and he has yet to talk to McCain.

More here, here and here.

Oh, and isn’t Michelle Malkin an extraordinary hypocrite? Read this and then this.

DLS

My name is Joe (or Jane) Six-Pack. What bad economy? I'm a plumber and want to buy a plumbing business. All those foreclosed homes that need renovation are a market in the making...

Marlowecan

Yes, is America a great country or what?

When the New York Times - supposedly the American paper of record - assigns more reporters to investigating "Joe the Plumber" than looking into the Annenberg Challenge files to determine what, if any, working relationship there was between a candidate for president and a domestic terrorist . . . you know America is great!

So me, you, Shaun and the entire world now know Joe's gross income. Unnamed officials (presumably Democrat) in the Ohio Elections office contacted Politico to inform them that Joe was not even registered to vote (since turned out to be mistaken). That is probably a violation of their oaths as officials at Ohio Elections.

Is America a Great Country or What?

Liens against him have been revealed. Over at DailyKOS they were not content with revealing Joe's home address . . . they also revealed the home address of his ex-wife . . . and even speculated (based upon a wonky reading of court documents) about Joe being a wife-beater.

Is America a Great Country or What?

You ask a question that is remotely critical of Barack Obama on a public street . . . and you have better make damn sure your taxes are up to date . . . you have 2.5 kids . . . you have no outstanding parking fines . . . you have never, ever inhaled . . . and you an excellent home alarm system.

Is America a Great Country or What?

Joe may be a numbnut. Joe might be his middle name (he actually goes by his middle name! The horror . . . the horror . . . . ). But he is entitled to ask a question of a candidate for president.

But if that candidate is Barack Obama . . . and you ask a critical question . . . you will be f**ked!

Is America a Great Country or What?

RevDave

"Joe" was less than truthful, "Joe" was looking for some attention, "Joe" got more attention than he hoped for, "Joe" was exposed as a fraud - America *IS* a great country!

PWT

Turns out that even if Wurzelbacher was in a position to buy the plumbing business, it’s unlikely that his personal income would ever climb over $250,000,

Shaun, when did your american dream die?

Polimom

Marlowecan -- Unless I've missed it (and it's certainly possible), do we know the names and personal details of every person who's asked a question of a candidate?

imho, the problem isn't that he asked a question. It's that John McCain decided to make him the central point of his debate Wednesday night.

Marlowecan

RevDave . . . can you survive that level of scrutiny?

Can Shaun? He has, by his own account, known some dubious characters in his very colorful life.

I have known some who are possibly even more dubious.

And what did Joe do to deserve this? Obama was on his street. He asked Obama a sort-of critical question.

And you say he got what he deserved. And for what . . . for having a messy life . . . or for daring to question Barack Obama.

This Joe the plumber is a little man . . . a messy, little man . . . whose life has been f**ked for daring to ask a question.

Obama will still win the election . . . is it necessary to go DefCon3 on this little man.

Shakespeare was a wiser, and more humane, person:

Polonius: My lord, I will treat them as they deserve.

Hamlet: By God, man, much better. If you treat every man as he deserves, who shall escape a whipping!

AustinRoth

Marlow - Joe committed the cardinal sin in today's environment. He said something that might have potentially made Obama look bad. Of course the MSM had to crucify him. What choice did they have?

Marlowecan

Polimom . . .

Yes, McCain used him.
Politicians use whatever weapon comes to hand. I recall Walter Mondale and "Where's the Beef" commerical.

And yes . . . like half of the population in the Survivor/Realityshow crazed United States . . . Joe thought his accidental wandering into the spotlight was great.

But . . . as you say . . . when ever have we known the name and personal details over every person who has asked a question of a candidate?

I know of no precedent for this level of raking over a private individual in the MSM. He was not a GOP plant, it seems. He lived on the street Obama was campaigning on. He asked Obama a question about taxes.

I saw Patterico commenting on the LA Times breathless investigation uncovering this guy's liens.

This, from an MSM that utterly refused to assign any reporters to the Annenberg Challenge files.

Unbelievable.

Polimom

Marlowecan, prior to Wednesday night, all this guy was was a face on a YouTube video. The minute McCain hung him up as his personal poster boy -- as an example of the problem with Obama's tax plan, btw -- then it was open season from all sides.

I feel sorry for the guy. I felt the same way about Graeme Frost and his family last year.

But I really don't see how you can blame this on his having asked a question of Obama. He was one face amongst the multitudes, but it was McCain he put him up for slaughter.

Marlowecan

AustinRoth said: "He said something that might have potentially made Obama look bad."

This is one of the things that I don't get, AR. The first time I saw this, I just shrugged. Obama wants to "spread the wealth around". Shocka. So what?

That was enough to have people go medieval on his ass!

This guy is small beer. He is nothing. Just a guy with a messy life, who has never made much money, who happened to ask Barack Obama a "potentially" damaging question.

And so the Obama Machine . . . the Obama campaign + friendly media (New York Times, LA Times, Politico etc) + the Left Blogosphere . . . has crushed him.

Marlowecan

Yes, PoliMom . . .

McCain put him up . . . but McCain did not rip his pathetic little life apart.

My problem with this story is threefold:

(1) It was unnecessary. This guy is insignificant. You, I, and everyone here believe Obama will win.
Even his ex-wife's address is displayed thanks to DailyKOS.

Did she invite it? She divorced the guy, for god's sake. But it seems the methodology of the Kossacks is to burn everyone remotely associated with anyone who remotely criticizes Barack Obama.

(2) There is a lack of human sympathy in the attacks on this man. Yah, his life is a mess. Yah, he seems like a loser.
Again, as Shakespeare said in my comment above, you have to treat people better than they deserve.

We all lead messy little lives, when it comes down to it.
How many lives end well . . . even among the great and the good? Damn few.

(3) Disproportionality. This sad loser was subject to more investigative reporting than was the Annenberg Challenge Files. That is a fact. Unbelieveable, but true.

This is a sad, pathetic . . . and even appalling . . . story.

Rambie

Correct Polimom, thanks for keeping the record straight on this issue.

Marlowe, it wasn't because he asked Obama a tough question, if that was the case he'd have been as you said, "whipped" before the Wed debate even started.

Who pointed "Joe the plumber" out to McCain to use as a prop in the last debate? I'm 99.99% sure it wasn't democrats or the MSM. Most likely it was McCain's campaign staff who I'd assume are mostly Republicans or perhaps someone in the right-wing of the MSM.

Who talked about "Joe the plumber" and made him a minor YouTube star before McCain brought it up Wednesday? So, I'll ask again, who shined the spot-light on "Joe the plumber"?

Like Polimom, I too feel sorry he's been subjected to this level of scrutiny and I too would hate it if it was done to me.

Rudi

Here a task for all the Righties out there, where is a similar exchange between McCain and a Democrat at one of his appearances?

jchem

So let me get this straight. The Dems brought out Frost who the Repubs subsequently raked against the coals. The Dems were outraged that the Repubs would have such indecency to go there. Now we have Joe brought out and the Dems rake him against the coals. The Repubs are now outraged that the Dems would have such indecency to be going there.

I guess it depends on what side of the aisle you're on to say who's being hypocritical here. But this whole thing just seems like an old rerun. I must have missed something, or maybe I'm just not getting it.

AsherJ

Rudi, what would you like to ask McCain?

daveinboca

It seems Obama isn't happy about Joe or whatever his name The Plumber, because Joe outed the slippery Barry the artful unvetted dodger when BHusseinO said "we have to spread the wealth."

Yes, the Robin Hood leftie who wants to make the USA a hyper-nanny state and turn us into a workers' paradise. Never worked and it never will work. It's called socialism by people who notice that the Emperor-wannabe let down his guard and admitted he's naked.

Rambie

"...and the Dems rake him against the coals." Hold on there jchem, where's your proof that it was "the Dems"? I know most of you like to pretend the MSM is all-liberal-all-the-time but that's a falacy you continue to believe in. There is a right-wing arm of the MSM just as there is a left-wing arm, how do we know the party affiliation of the reporters?

jchem

Rambie, maybe I should say "the Left" or "Left Leaning"instead of "the Dems"; my bad. But you know just as well as I do that it isn't Rush, Hannity, et al that are digging into every aspect of "Joe's" life. And where do you get the idea that I "like to pretend the MSM is all-liberal-all-the-time"? I said no such thing, I didn't even mention the MSM. And why "most of you"? Why do you have to try to lump me in with some mysterious "others"?

I'm simply making the point that this is exactly the same thing that happened with Frost except the parties were on opposite sides. For either side to get outraged over anything anymore is just plain silly. The Right is outraged now even though they used these same tactics on Frost and his family. Likewise, the Left is using the same methods now that they were once outraged by when the Right was using them against Frost and his family. If this is incorrect then please correct me because it certainly looks that way to me.

"There is a right-wing arm of the MSM just as there is a left-wing arm, how do we know the party affiliation of the reporters?" You are contradicting yourself. How can you make a distinction between the two if you don't know about the reporters?

As far as media bias: http://www.ibdeditorials.com/IBDArticles.aspx?i...

jchem

Rambie, I had also meant to pass this along: http://waxy.org/2008/10/memeorandum_colors/

There was a posting here a few days ago about it; its a pretty slick tool.

christoofar

daveinboca

As has been pointed out, the truth about Joe's question on him wanting to buy his own business is that under Obama's tax plan he would NOT be paying more taxes & most likely would save $$.
So...what was that point you were tryin' to make again?

RevDave

Thanks, interesting, good points.

He did misrepresent himself. Drudge and other right wing sites did trumpet him as the "common man with the potential tax problem" and he did willingly engage in lots of media avails - once you do that you do open yourself up to greater scrutiny as to the validity of your story - totally fair, probably not - thanks, DB> Subject: [themoderatevoice] Re: Is America A Great Country Or What? (Samuel J. Wurzelbacher/Worzelbacher Edition)> From: > To: davebader@hotmail.com> Date: Fri, 17 Oct 2008 15:02:02 +0000> > Marlowecan wrote:> > RevDave . . . can you survive that level of scrutiny?> > Can Shaun? He has, by his own account, known some dubious characters in his very colorful life.> > I have known some who are possibly even more dubious.> > And what did Joe do to deserve this? Obama was on his street. He asked Obama a sort-of critical question.> > And you say he got what he deserved. And for what . . . for having a messy life . . . or for daring to question Barack Obama.> > This Joe the plumber is a little man . . . a messy, little man . . . whose life has been f**ked for daring to ask a question. > > Obama will still win the election . . . is it necessary to go DefCon3 on this little man.> > Shakespeare was a wiser, and more humane, person:> > Polonius: My lord, I will treat them as they deserve.> > Hamlet: By God, man, much better. If you treat every man as he deserves, who shall escape a whipping! > > Shakespeare was > > Link: http://themoderatevoice.com/media/you-tube/2357...> > --> You may reply to this email to post your response. To turn off notifications, go to your Disqus settings at: http://disqus.com/settings/notifications/
_________________________________________________________________
Store, manage and share up to 5GB with Windows Live SkyDrive.
http://skydrive.live.com/welcome.aspx?provision...

Rambie

jchem, "I'm simply making the point that this is exactly the same thing that happened with Frost except the parties were on opposite sides."

100% agree with you there. I'm not outraged about Jor or Frost, the sad fact is if you stick your head out of the turret hole you may get shot at. It should not be that way but it is.

"You are contradicting yourself. How can you make a distinction between the two if you don't know about the reporters?".

I believe you are the one assuming the political bend of the reporters not me.

daveinboca

c2fur

"Obama isn't happy about Joe or whatever his name The Plumber, because Joe outed the slippery Barry the artful unvetted dodger" is the point. Obama stupidly admitted he was a socialist & Joe the P had nothing to do with it----although you lefty hypocrites luv to punish the messenger who reveals what lying buttholes you are.

jchem

You are correct Rambie, perhaps I am making a few assumptions. But I think they are pretty safe. There was a story a while ago and discussed here about how many blogs only link to other stories that make "their side" look better or make the "other side" look bad. The sad reality is that you can tell quite a bit about the story by who's linking to it. I'm pretty sure many folks here would say that FOX news, Malkin, Hannity, Rush, et al are to the Right; likewise MSNBC, KOS, Olbermann, and Think Progress are to the Left. Just like you had commented, each side has their own respective arm. But the folks on the Right weren't digging through Mr. Plumber's tax returns, marriage, or everything else.

This whole outrage is crap. I would suggest however that going after "Joe the Plumber" fits rather well in McCain's war with the media. I would be willing to bet that there are many more people like "Joe the Plumber" out there who don't like seeing someone like them go through this "vetting".

blog comments powered by Disqus