Has Obama Camp "Attacked" Joe The Plumber?
In a speech in Pennsylvania this morning, John McCain said that Barack Obama and the Obama campaign have been attacking Joe Wurzelbacher, better known as "Joe the Plumber," the Ohio man whom McCain repeatedly referenced during the third presidential debate and has been citing on the campaign trail.
"Now, Joe didn't ask for Senator Obama to come to his house, and he didn't ask to be famous," McCain said. "And he certainly didn't ask for the political attacks on him from the Obama campaign." This prompted cheers from the crowd.
"Joe's dream is the American dream to own a small business that will create jobs, and the attacks on him are an attack on small businesses all over this nation," McCain added. "We're not going to stand for it."
Wurzelbacher has criticized the media for its treatment of him, suggesting that the press corps is worried about issues such as whether he's paid his taxes and "any number of silly things that have nothing to do with America." But asked on Fox News yesterday if he blamed either of the campaigns for how he was depicted, Wurzelbacher said he did not.
"Oh, no, no, I think the media pretty much did that all by themselves," he said. "You know, I don't think -- I held no animosity towards either of one them, by no means. No.”
I asked the McCain campaign for specific examples of what it considered attacks on Wurzelbacher from Obama and the Obama campaign. "Their campaign has been moving dirt on Joe and their allies in the press and liberal blogs have been going after him," McCain spokesman Brian Rogers said in an email.
"Now, Joe didn't ask for Senator Obama to come to his house, and he didn't ask to be famous," McCain said. "And he certainly didn't ask for the political attacks on him from the Obama campaign." This prompted cheers from the crowd.
"Joe's dream is the American dream to own a small business that will create jobs, and the attacks on him are an attack on small businesses all over this nation," McCain added. "We're not going to stand for it."
Wurzelbacher has criticized the media for its treatment of him, suggesting that the press corps is worried about issues such as whether he's paid his taxes and "any number of silly things that have nothing to do with America." But asked on Fox News yesterday if he blamed either of the campaigns for how he was depicted, Wurzelbacher said he did not.
"Oh, no, no, I think the media pretty much did that all by themselves," he said. "You know, I don't think -- I held no animosity towards either of one them, by no means. No.”
I asked the McCain campaign for specific examples of what it considered attacks on Wurzelbacher from Obama and the Obama campaign. "Their campaign has been moving dirt on Joe and their allies in the press and liberal blogs have been going after him," McCain spokesman Brian Rogers said in an email.
