John McCain will regret his clumsy citation of "Joe the Plumber" in the debate last night, and his organization, I'm sure, already regrets planting "Joe" at an Obama event. Things didn't work out the way they thought they would.
In the clip below, we see Barack Obama give "Joe" a clear, thoughtful answer free of the empty platitudes that seem to represent the limits of McCain/Palin's communication abilities.
You gotta admit: This Obama guy is good.
UPDATE: Is "Joe the Plumber" related to... Charles Keating? Republican strategist and McCain supporter Martin Eisenstadt writes:
John McCain did great tonight in the debate. But every time John mentioned “Joe the Plumber,” some of us in the campaign banged our heads against the wall. If Steve Schmidt had any hair left, I hear he would have been pulling it out tonight. He reportedly screamed at John’s debate prep team tonight (out of earshot of reporters, of course). “You idiots - he’s related to Charles Keating… of the Keating Five scandal!” They thought they had a real live Joe Six-Pack who’s spurned Barack Obama’s tax plan. But what they forgot to do was check on Joe Wurzelbacher’s background.
Turns out that Joe Wurzelbacher from the Toledo event is a close relative of Robert Wurzelbacher of Milford, Ohio. Who’s Robert Wurzelbacher? Only Charles Keating’s son-in-law and the former senior vice president of American Continental, the parent company of the infamous Lincoln Savings and Loan. The now retired elder Wurzelbacher is also a major contributor to Republican causes giving well over $10,000 in the last few years.
Does any of this make Joe the Plumber a bad guy? Of course not. In fact, after that ill-fated night at the Watergate, he may finally be giving plumbers a good name. But at a debate where John goes full bore on Obama for guilt-by-association with William Ayers (and dodges a bullet by Obama not mentioning Keating Five), the press is going to bring it back front and center by midday tomorrow once they delve deeper into the most popular plumber in America.
"John McCain will regret his clumsy citation of "Joe the Plumber" in the debate last night, and his organization, I'm sure, already regrets planting "Joe" at an Obama event."
You might want to do a little more diligent research. "Joe the plumber" was tossing a football around in his front yard with his son when BO came into his neighborhood. Ahh, why let the facts get in the way when you can just make stuff up.
Posted by: Bob the carpenter | October 16, 2008 at 11:12 AM
You'll pardon me if I remain the skeptic, "Bob," as truly "spontaneous" events like this for Republicans OR Democrats are few and far between.
We might even come to find out OBAMA's people put him there. :)
Posted by: John | October 16, 2008 at 11:26 AM
Why would you be skeptical John?
Isn't it obvious that Joe makes $250,001 at his job as a licensed plumber and is in the process of buying his boss's company?
Posted by: J. Strupp | October 16, 2008 at 10:27 PM