So what does the non-English speaking world think of ‘Joe the Plumber’ – made famous by Senator John McCain when he mentioned him at least a dozen times – during his third debate with Barack Obama?
According to Patrick Etschmayer of Switzerland’s Nachrichten newspaper – McCain’s exchanges with Obama over ‘Joe’ – served to demonstrate once again that John McCain lacks the temperament for perhaps the most stressful job on the planet.
“McCain seemed like an attacker who, lacking any effective means, tries again and again to topple a fortress and getting bruised by each and every assault, as the defender smiles down from the tower of his fortress. … And McCain seems to have known this. After launching his offensive and with full fury and throwing Joe the Plumber into the battle, McCain became ever-more aware of the fact that his attacks weren’t shaking Obama – which really seemed to throw McCain off. This was made particularly evident by his unprompted interjections and interruptions while Obama spoke.”
Then delivering the ‘coup-de-grace’, Etschmayer writes:
“Just imagine an American President at an international conference with other world leaders suddenly breaking out into bristling, scornful remarks, or even interrupting other heads of state while they explained views that differed from his. McCain offered an extremely unflattering self-portrait that no one could actually have liked – the image of a man who lacks self-confidence and a man who loses his cool at the most critical moment. … It could just be that he’s simply not cut out for a job that requires a cool head and self-control, even under the most extreme kind of stress.”
By Patrik Etschmayer
Translated By Patrik Etschmayer
September 16, 2008
Switzerland – Nachrichten – Original Article (German)
All right. The last debate is over and things look no better for John McCain. On the eve of Wednesday’s confrontation, McCain had announced that he was going to “kick Obama’s ass,” … although he did not use the actual word ass. One was curious, then, as to whether he would succeed in delivering a decisive blow – or kick – against his opponent.
But the only such attempt that he made, and which promised any chance of success, was the mention of “Joe the Plumber.” No, not Bob the Builder – but Joe the Plumber from Ohio, who wants to purchase the shop in which he works, and who, under Obama’s proposed reform plan, might pay $1000 more in taxes per year.
McCain tried to use him as an example, repeating his name more than 20 times (until even the audience in the studio snorted contemptuously) to show that Obama would destroy small U.S. companies, omitting, however, that most Americans would have more money to spend and therefore also spend more at Joe’s “Plumbing” (according to Obama 95 percent of Americans will receive a tax cut, while independent sources cite a figure of 81 percent).
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