Joe The Plumber's Chat With Couric
Joe Wurzelbacher – immortalized during tonight's presidential debate as "Joe The Plumber" – spoke with CBS Evening News anchor Katie Couric shortly after the conclusion of the final debate between Barack Obama and John McCain.
To get a sense of just how central Wurzelbacher was to the debate, consider this: McCain and Obama mentioned Wurzelbacher 26 times during the 90 minute debate. By contrast, Iraq came up six times, and the word "economy" was used 16 times.
While still on the air, Couric asked Wurzelbacher what he thought of the debate. He said he wasn't swayed either way, though he seems to be leaning towards one of the candidates.
"I mean I have a pretty good idea who I’m going to vote for but you know that’s my - you know, the nice thing about going into the booth is only me and the lever knows," he said. "I think McCain did a fine job this evening, I think he brought up some good points. I do like his health care and I do like his, where he stands on taxes."
The conversation continued on Couric's webcast. Here's the full transcript of that exchange, along with video:
COURIC: We want to go to Joe the plumber, Joe Wurzelbacher from Toledo, Ohio, because Joe is telling me that he's got three live trucks parked outside his house - actually from Holland, Ohio, let me correct that, Joe. Was this a bit of a surreal experience, hearing your name mentioned not once, but twice, but almost half a dozen times during the course of this debate, Joe?
Mr. JOSEPH WURZELBACHER: Yeah, actually, surreal's a good word to use for it. It was - you know, I was glad I was able to act as some type of point, you know, to where they could sit there and hammer out what they both think, what they want to say. But ultimately, you know, the important part was the debate.
COURIC: And again, why don't you just reiterate quickly for us, Joe, because I want you to get back, get to your local news station where you are, how you felt about the statements made by the candidates vs. the statements you heard when they were out on the campaign trail talking to you.
WURZELBACHER: One thing I noticed that seemed like Obama changed his mind on offshore drilling, which I thought was a good move. I don't know how much he wants to do of it, I'd like to talk to - hear more about that. McCain I - made a solid - you know, McCain was solid in his performance.
Obama speaks well, but the one thing that's really important, that everyone in America really need to know is, you know, talk is talk. You know, he can speak pretty, but, you know, there's got to be action behind it. We've seen McCain, we know his actions. Even if you disagree with him, at least you know where he stands. McCain - or Obama, we're not sure where he stands yet, even after his debates. Like I said, he speaks eloquently, better than I do, but I honestly, I still don't know where he stands. He's said a lot, but none of his experience has backed it up. You know, the only experience I've seen or his actions are raising our taxes, so, you know, I'm middle class. I can't have my taxes raised anymore.
COURIC: Well, he supposedly will raise taxes only on people who make over $250,000 a year. Would you be in that category?
WURZELBACHER: Not right now at presently, but, you know, question, so he's going to do that now for people who make $250,000 a year. When's he going to decide that $100,000 is too much, you know? I mean, you're on a slippery slope here. You vote on somebody who decides that $250,000 and you're rich? And $100,000 and you're rich? I mean, where does it end? You know, that's - people got to ask that question.
COURIC: Could you just, Joe, explain quickly, and then we'll let you go, how you met both of the candidates?
WURZELBACHER: I've yet to meet John McCain. Obama came to my neighborhood and my son and I were outside tossing the football, and all of a sudden he showed up, and there went our football tossing for a while. And, you know, neighbors were outside asking him questions, and I didn't think they were asking him tough enough questions, so I thought, you know, I'll go over there. You know, I've always wanted to ask one of these guys a question and really corner them and get them to answer a question of--for once instead of tap dancing around it. And unfortunately I asked the question but I still got a tap dance. Do you - almost as good as Sammy Davis Jr.
COURIC: Joe Wurzelbacher, I mispronounced your last name earlier, Joe. Maybe you should fill in on "Meet the Press," Joe. Or "Face the Nation," I should add. I know they're looking for someone on "Meet the Press," that's why I said that. Joe, hey...
WURZELBACHER: Great. I've got opinions and I, you know, and that's it. But I - you know, everyone has opinions.
COURIC: Yeah, that's for darn sure. Well, Joe, thanks so much for talking with us. I'll let you get outside to your local news reporters. And really, I really appreciate your spending some time with us tonight. And now everybody knows your name, at least, right?
WURZELBACHER: I don't know if that's good or bad, but we'll see how, you know, the future brings.
COURIC: All right, Joe, thanks very much.
To get a sense of just how central Wurzelbacher was to the debate, consider this: McCain and Obama mentioned Wurzelbacher 26 times during the 90 minute debate. By contrast, Iraq came up six times, and the word "economy" was used 16 times.
While still on the air, Couric asked Wurzelbacher what he thought of the debate. He said he wasn't swayed either way, though he seems to be leaning towards one of the candidates.
"I mean I have a pretty good idea who I’m going to vote for but you know that’s my - you know, the nice thing about going into the booth is only me and the lever knows," he said. "I think McCain did a fine job this evening, I think he brought up some good points. I do like his health care and I do like his, where he stands on taxes."
The conversation continued on Couric's webcast. Here's the full transcript of that exchange, along with video:
COURIC: We want to go to Joe the plumber, Joe Wurzelbacher from Toledo, Ohio, because Joe is telling me that he's got three live trucks parked outside his house - actually from Holland, Ohio, let me correct that, Joe. Was this a bit of a surreal experience, hearing your name mentioned not once, but twice, but almost half a dozen times during the course of this debate, Joe?
Mr. JOSEPH WURZELBACHER: Yeah, actually, surreal's a good word to use for it. It was - you know, I was glad I was able to act as some type of point, you know, to where they could sit there and hammer out what they both think, what they want to say. But ultimately, you know, the important part was the debate.
COURIC: And again, why don't you just reiterate quickly for us, Joe, because I want you to get back, get to your local news station where you are, how you felt about the statements made by the candidates vs. the statements you heard when they were out on the campaign trail talking to you.
WURZELBACHER: One thing I noticed that seemed like Obama changed his mind on offshore drilling, which I thought was a good move. I don't know how much he wants to do of it, I'd like to talk to - hear more about that. McCain I - made a solid - you know, McCain was solid in his performance.
Obama speaks well, but the one thing that's really important, that everyone in America really need to know is, you know, talk is talk. You know, he can speak pretty, but, you know, there's got to be action behind it. We've seen McCain, we know his actions. Even if you disagree with him, at least you know where he stands. McCain - or Obama, we're not sure where he stands yet, even after his debates. Like I said, he speaks eloquently, better than I do, but I honestly, I still don't know where he stands. He's said a lot, but none of his experience has backed it up. You know, the only experience I've seen or his actions are raising our taxes, so, you know, I'm middle class. I can't have my taxes raised anymore.
COURIC: Well, he supposedly will raise taxes only on people who make over $250,000 a year. Would you be in that category?
WURZELBACHER: Not right now at presently, but, you know, question, so he's going to do that now for people who make $250,000 a year. When's he going to decide that $100,000 is too much, you know? I mean, you're on a slippery slope here. You vote on somebody who decides that $250,000 and you're rich? And $100,000 and you're rich? I mean, where does it end? You know, that's - people got to ask that question.
COURIC: Could you just, Joe, explain quickly, and then we'll let you go, how you met both of the candidates?
WURZELBACHER: I've yet to meet John McCain. Obama came to my neighborhood and my son and I were outside tossing the football, and all of a sudden he showed up, and there went our football tossing for a while. And, you know, neighbors were outside asking him questions, and I didn't think they were asking him tough enough questions, so I thought, you know, I'll go over there. You know, I've always wanted to ask one of these guys a question and really corner them and get them to answer a question of--for once instead of tap dancing around it. And unfortunately I asked the question but I still got a tap dance. Do you - almost as good as Sammy Davis Jr.
COURIC: Joe Wurzelbacher, I mispronounced your last name earlier, Joe. Maybe you should fill in on "Meet the Press," Joe. Or "Face the Nation," I should add. I know they're looking for someone on "Meet the Press," that's why I said that. Joe, hey...
WURZELBACHER: Great. I've got opinions and I, you know, and that's it. But I - you know, everyone has opinions.
COURIC: Yeah, that's for darn sure. Well, Joe, thanks so much for talking with us. I'll let you get outside to your local news reporters. And really, I really appreciate your spending some time with us tonight. And now everybody knows your name, at least, right?
WURZELBACHER: I don't know if that's good or bad, but we'll see how, you know, the future brings.
COURIC: All right, Joe, thanks very much.
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See all 318 CommentsJoe--no wonder you are a plumber---YOU JUST DO NOT GET IT!!!!
Joe was contemplating to buy a business that will generate income between 250,000 to 280,000.
You know that small business owners file taxes individually. Under Obama, he will see the following tax raised if he buys that business:
Federal tax: Up by 3%
Payroll/Self employed tax: 15.4% on 102,000 and 280,000 income (because right now, we only pay social security on 102,000 only)
Capital gains: up from 15% to 28% (i have no clue why Obama tied capital gains to income tax).
Joe will have marginal tax rate of 53.6% which means even if he can keep the same revenue, it will be tougher for him to expand the business because the government take more than half away from him.
Now, if you buy a business, you probably have to borrow money or risks your live savings. 56% of small businesses fail. Knowing that government will take more than half of what you are making, is it worth it? Why not just take the easy way and work for corporation even though it''s less pay? The less small businesses around, the less jobs around.
YOU just do not get it!
Unintelligent? Only the educated are allowed to be "rich"? Typical liberal elitist attitude.
Taxpayers in the upper brackets already pay a disproportionately large amount in taxes. (Both in percentage of income and absolute $ amount.) The top 5% already pay half of all federal taxes.
When the "rich" have less to invest in the economy, fewer jobs are created. Then the middle class suffers. When the cost of doing business goes up, companies pass it on to the consumers or stop growing their business. Then everyone. Have you ever gotten a job from a poor person?
I can''t relate to Joe the plumber.
Posted by raflin001 at 01:39 AM : Oct 16, 2008
Your money? Really!!! How would you earn that money with out the infrastructure, court system, employment laws, banking laws, etc. established by the government?
Well I guess you could barter the vegetables or fruits you grow on your land. Other than that you need government to make a living, enforce contracts, etc.
My guess is it''s the 700 BILLION of our TAX MONEY for WALL STREET FAT CATS on top of the ONE TRILLION of OUR TAX DOLLARS for WARMONGERING CRONIES (like Haliburton and Blackwater) of the GOP that has SOMETHING to do with WHY so many are so angry and McCain with 7 to 10 MULTI-MILLION dollar houses and DOZENS of VEHICLES looks like he''s LYING when he "claims" to even have a CLUE of how the REST of us LIVE!
- It''s NOT THE POOR that are the BIGGEST COST and YOUR professed frugality proves it (IF YOU ARE TELLING THE TRUTH)
You''ve FALLEN for BLAMING the "least among us" instead of looking at the REAL HOGS AT THE TROUGH - CORPORATIONS and Individuals like AIG with their nearly HALF MILLION DOLLAR RESORT SPREE (apparently Palin was "guest of honor" at THAT shindig) and their RECENT nearly Hundred Thousand dollar "Partridge Hunt" by 4 of their TOP EXECS that the BRITS EXPOSED recently AFTER GETTING HUNDREDS of BILLIONS of TAXPAYER DOLLARS FROM people LIKE YOU scraping by to save a FEW dollars so the FAT CATS can SPLURGE on YOUR MONEY!
A few more years of BUSH STYLE CRONYISM and "Mission ACCOMPLISHED" and it will be:
"FREE" SOCIALISM for the WEALTHY
SLAVERY for the POOR and
EXTINCTION for the Middle Class
Everything else on taxation is just naive chatter.
CORPORATE SHILLS - Have YOU NO SHAME!
Next thing they''ll be defending will be to EXTERMINATE all the "useless eaters" like the disabled, and then the scapegoats such as the homeless gypsies, and finally religion based individuals so the ALREADY POWERFUL and WEALTHY can accumulate even MORE.
Sound familiar? like post WWI - Depression, Hyperinflation, Hyper-exclusive "patriotic" militarism, Eugenics (look it up) and finally MASS internment and death.
If it gets that far WHO will save us from OURSELVES?
Whatever happened to "a FAIR days WAGE"?
By DAVID CAY JOHNSTON
Published: December 15, 2007
The increase in incomes of the top 1 percent of Americans from 2003 to 2005 EXCEEDED THE TOTAL INCOME of the poorest 20 percent of Americans, data in a new report by the Congressional Budget Office shows.
The poorest fifth of households had total income of $383.4 billion in 2005, while JUST THE INCREASE in income for the top 1 percent came to $524.8 billion, a figure 37 percent higher.
The total income of the top 1.1 million households was $1.8 trillion, or 18.1 percent of the total income of all Americans, up from 14.3 percent of all income in 2003. The total 2005 income of the three million individual Americans at the top was roughly EQUAL TO that of the bottom 166 million Americans, analysis of the report showed.
Earlier reports, based on tax returns, showed that in 2005 the top 10 percent, top 1 percent and fractions of the top 1 percent enjoyed their GREATEST SHARE of income since 1928 and 1929.
(HINT - the trigger to the previous Great Depression)
Joe is a hard core republican and that''s fine but masking his bias with supposed "tough" questions which were in fact, answered honestly and directly make no sense to me. If you like McCain great. But not a soul in the Mccain camp have unfolded an Economic plan yet. They were supposed to this week but McCain wanted to wait. You can find this fact in any Wednesday paper. Bottom line? He has no plan so what plan is Joe referring to that he likes from mcCain? I read that and laughed my butt off.
Joe seems like a good guy. He really does but he''s to busy buying the republican negative smear campaign to actually care about the truth or facts. Sadly, typical of all republicans. In the end, Obama was named victor once again by a HUGE margin in CNN''s, ABC''s, CBS''s and NBC''s and AOL''s polls. Take away the fact that 35% more Dems watched the debate and he still wins by around 50% to 30%.
Game over. Obama will be our next President.
Plumber."---Mike the Plumber from NYC/917-974-6367
You know how much your fine will be under Obama''s health care plan, Joe? ZERO. You know how much I care if you can buy your new plumbing business, Joe? ZERO. I just got fleeced for $1300 to fix a leak in a shower. And that didn''t involve any drywall type of expenses... that was purely a half-day of plumbing cost. It would have been cheaper to have a trial lawyer or brain surgeon fix it. I think their hourly is less. So if you have the money in this horrible economy to start your business, more power to you. But you don''t sound like the "Average Joe" to me. You sound like a guy doing pretty well, dude. Right now, you have ZERO sympathy from me.
I wonder what''s going to be brought out in the open when a background check on "Plumber Joe" and this company he''s buying! Like what''s the name of the bank that''s loaning him the money to buy this company when he already has a tax lien on his home?What''s the name of this company he''s in negoti- ation to buy? I mean Politico is already investigating some info that may not be squaring right. I can''t wait for the other shoe to drop on all this!
Hmm...
It would be interesting to know what he REALLY might be doing lately.
His story just seems a bit TOO convenient and his claim to have NOT had contact with McCain and yet McCain USED this man WITHOUT PERMISSION TO DO SO??
I DON''T quite buy that.
Although, McCain HAS in the recent past USED things like MUSICIANS'' COPYRIGHTED SONGS WITHOUT PERMISSION so maybe putting someone in the spotlight that MIGHT REFLECT BADLY on McCain (the veiled hint in his Sammy Davis Jr. comment comes to mind)WITHOUT CHECKING FIRST is the kind of ACT WITHOUT THINKING through the consequences thing this "loose Cannon candidate" WOULD be prone to do.
If THAT''S the case, heaven help us deal with the ERRATIC, IMPULSIVE, DANGEROUS, INCONSIDERATE CAREENING this nation would have to face if McCain won.
1) Obama is going to give Joe a tax CUT, because Joe makes less than $250,000 a year.
2) Joe owns a small business, so Joe would be exempt from all fines for refusing to obtain healthcare coverage.
3) Joe is not registered to vote. (Just thought I''d throw that out there as it''s kind of interesting.)
You''d never admit it, but YOU are the one avoiding truths and smearing your opponents with distortions and lies. Wake up!
http://doctorwascher.com
I work for a small business in a strip mall in middle America. A plumbing supply place next door (using over three times the square footage than my employer) just packed up and closed their doors.
There are those that take a risk, invest their energy and resources, open a business, provide a service, do the paper work, and have a dream that the business will grow. And then there are those that support them in that effort. It is a delicate balance.
Does one deserve more than the other?
Anyway, I''m a more than a little disappointed in the follow-ups on this guy. He is very likely an "average joe", just like the "average guy" (really a republican politiician) who drove to the white house with a FEMA trailer in tow to protest against how unfairly Bush was getting portrayed for ignoring Katrina victims. Which is to say he isn''t an actually an average joe, but a guy with more connections than he would like you to know about.
Bloggers are already on the story, and the assumption now is that Joe plumber may in fact be the son-in-law of a member of the Keating five.
I work for a small business in a strip mall in middle America. A plumbing supply place next door (using over three times the square footage than my employer) just packed up and closed their doors.
There are those that take a risk, invest their energy and resources, open a business, provide a service, do the paper work, and have a dream that the business will grow. And then there are those that support them in that effort. It is a delicate balance.
Does one deserve more than the other?
Anyway, I''m a more than a little disappointed in the follow-ups on this guy. He is very likely an "average joe", in the same way as another "average guy" who recently drove to the white house with a FEMA trailer in tow to protest against how unfairly Bush was getting portrayed for ignoring Katrina victims. That guy turned out to be a republican politician.
So I am thinking that this "plumber joe" is just like the katrina guy. Someone with more connections than he would like you to know about.
Bloggers are already on the story, and the assumption now is that Joe plumber may in fact be the son-in-law of a member of the Keating five.
"And unfortunately I asked the question but I still got a tap dance. Do you - almost as good as Sammy Davis Jr."
OMG! He just as well have said Obama is "steppin'' and fetchin". This is the poster child McCain wants to use in his final 3 weeks? Unbelievable.
Really, why didn''t Couric ask this? Having been lazy with the background check, or simply no curiosity at all???
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