After Debate, Glare Of Media Hits Joe

Washington Post: Revelations About "Joe The Plumber" Following Debate Reveal Downside Of Moment In Spotlight

(Washington Post)  This story was written by Robert Barnes.

"The real winner" of Wednesday night's debate, John McCain said yesterday at a campaign stop in Downingtown, Pa., "was Joe the Plumber."

That might depend on the definition of "winner."

Joe the Plumber, a.k.a. Samuel Joseph Wurzelbacher of Holland, Ohio, is suddenly (sort of) a household name, featured in a McCain ad and sought after by networks news anchors and newspaper reporters. McCain would like to meet him in person this weekend, but Wurzelbacher's got a date on Mike Huckabee's Fox News show and might not have the time.

But the emergence of Joe has allowed the state of Ohio to locate the man it says owes nearly $1,200 in back taxes. His motives for confronting Sen. Barack Obama at a campaign stop in his neighborhood earlier this week are the subject of intense Internet speculation. The city of Toledo is preparing a letter to his employer seeking to determine whether he is violating city codes, and the plumbers union is on his tail.

"Joe the Plumber really isn't a plumber," said Thomas Joseph, business manager of Local 50 of the United Association of Plumbers, Steamfitters and Service Mechanics, whose national membership has endorsed Obama.

Wurzelbacher, 34, had already taken tentative steps onto the national stage after talking to Obama on Sunday as the Democrat toured his suburban neighborhood outside Toledo. Wurzelbacher told Obama that he wants to buy the plumbing company he works for, and that his potential income of more than $250,000 would make him eligible for increased taxes under Obama's proposals.

"Your new tax plan is going to tax me more, isn't it?" Wurzelbacher asked.

Obama's answer to that and a question about the flat tax -- that Obama thought it better to "spread the wealth around" -- captured the attention of conservative media and the McCain campaign.

"Joe wants to buy the business that he has been in for all of these years, worked 10, 12 hours a day," McCain told Obama at the start of Wednesday night's debate. "And he wanted to buy the business, but he looked at your tax plan and he saw that he was going to pay much higher taxes," deferring what McCain called "the American dream."

Joe the Plumber quickly became a metaphor for the middle class, and between them, McCain and Obama mentioned him more than two dozen times.

The result was an avalanche of attention: "CBS Evening News" anchor Katie Couric on the phone, "Good Morning America" awaiting an interview, reporters in the driveway of his modest home.

"I'm completely flabbergasted with this whole thing," he told reporters. He did not return a phone call from The Washington Post.

The morning also showed that the spotlight can be unwelcome. Reporters wondering who Wurzelbacher is quickly found that he owes the state of Ohio $1,182 in back taxes, leading sharp-tongued liberal commentators to say he was not so much concerned about rising taxes as paying taxes at all. (A spokeswoman for the state said it is possible Wurzelbacher did not know about the lien.)

Wurzelbacher also acknowledged to reporters that he did not have a plumber's license but said he did not need one to do residential work with the two-man Newell Heating and Plumbing Co., which does have a license.

David Golis, a manager in Toledo's office of building inspections, said that is incorrect. "We were just discussing that we will send a letter to the owner of Newell reminding him" of the city's requirement that all who do plumbing work be licensed or in apprentice or journeyman programs, Golis said.

Union manager Joseph said that Wurzelbacher applied for an apprentice program in 2003 but never completed the work.

And Wurzelbacher told reporters that the goal of buying the business was more aspirational than firm. He said his income is "not even close" to the levels at which Obama's proposed tax increases would kick in.

Even if Wurzelbacher's hypothetical were true, tax experts said it is unclear whether he would pay higher taxes under Obama's plan.

Wurzelbacher told Couric that it is Obama's approach to tax increases that are worrisome. "When's he going to decide that $100,000 is too much, you know?" the divorced father of a 13-year-old son said. "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?"

McCain senior adviser Matt McDonald said Thursday that the Republican nominee had mentioned Wurzelbacher's encounter with Obama in a previous speech, but the campaign had not said he would be the centerpiece of McCain's debate performance.

That Wurzelbacher is not a licensed plumber or that his situation is not relevant to Obama's tax proposal did not give him pause, McDonald said. "He's a guy who asked a question that needed to be asked," McDonald said. "He's not a campaign staffer; he's not a surrogate. He's not someone who was vetted, and this wasn't something orchestrated by the campaign."

Appearing on CBS's "Late Show With David Letterman" on Thursday night, McCain mentioned the attention Joe the Plumber was getting and said, "Joe, if you're watching, I'm sorry."

Earlier in the day in New Hampshire, Obama said McCain advocates tax plans that favor the rich.

"He's trying to suggest that a plumber is the guy he's fighting for," Obama said. "How many plumbers do you know that are making a quarter-million dollars a year?"

Wurzelbacher has made that he is conservative and no fan of Obama -- he told Couric that Obama's answer to his question was a "tap dance" that was "almost as good as Sammy Davis Jr." -- but declined to say who he will be voting for Nov. 4.

That is between him and the lever in the voting booth, he said.

[d_moran-2009]

Sam "Joe" Wurzelbacher sought to confront Barack Obama on national television. He portrayed himself as a hardworking taxpayer who would be harmed by the democratic candidate''s tax plans. He was further thrust into the spotlight when his encounter with Obama was embraced by John McCain during the final debate. What a fortunate happenstance that Joe''s troubles meshed with one of the McCain campaign themes.

Does Joe earn $250,000 a year? No. Not even close.
Is Joe planning on buying a business? Nah.
Is Joe a licensed plumber? Nope.
Does Joe pay his taxes? Apparently, the answer is no.
Do Joe and his family have longtime ties to the GOP? Yes.

Joe Wurzelbacher brought this scrutiny upon himself.

[d_moran-2009]

Sam "Joe" Wurzelbacher sought to confront Barack Obama on national television. He portrayed himself as a hardworking taxpayer who would be harmed by the democratic candidate''s tax plans. He was further thrust into the spotlight when his encounter with Obama was embraced by John McCain during the final debate. What a fortunate happenstance that Joe''s troubles meshed with one of the McCain campaign themes.

Does Joe earn $250,000 a year? No. Not even close.
Is Joe planning on buying a business? Nah.
Is Joe a licensed plumber? Nope.
Does Joe pay his taxes? Apparently, the answer is no.
Do Joe and his family have longtime ties to the GOP? Yes.

Joe Wurzelbacher brought this scrutiny upon himself.

[harbinger09]

Who says that a plumber can''''t grow his business to make the $250,000 threshold? There are plenty of people like Joe at this time, people that are behind in taxes, mortgage payments, utilities, car payments and many other bills. And those are the same people that Obama and Bidden are parading around making fun of? Is that is Presidential? The worst part is that Obama approached him, he went to his neighborhood, his house and was asked a question that showed to the rest of America a real view of his Socialist plan.

Posted by torresc1 at 11:44 AM : Oct 18, 2008


No one says a plumber can''t grow their business to 250K or beyond. But Joe is NOT a plumber. He is a scrub. A plumber wanna be. He has stolen a job from a legitimate union plumber, he failed to pay his taxes, he is not registered to vote, and he only makes (supposedly) around 40K a year. So from claiming he is a plumber to saying he planned to buy the business--this man is a fraud--we don''t make fun of real plumbers--but America does not like or respect phony people.

[harbinger09]

"Joe the Plumber" is lashing out at the media for analyzing his personal life since he suddenly became a focal point of the presidential race last week.

Joe Wurzelbacher, a plumber from Holland, Ohio, told Mike Huckabee on his Fox News talk show Saturday that he is upset by the attention and has been unable to work with reporters crowded on his front lawn.

"The media''s worried about whether I''ve paid my taxes, they''re worried about any number of silly things that have nothing to do with America," Wurzelbacher told the former Republican presidential hopeful on his show, "Huckabee."

Actually, Joe, failing to pay your taxes IS America''s business.

Being a scrub who steals jobs of legitimately trained union employees IS America''s business.

Failing to pay your hospital bills makes you a deadbeat and makes the rest of us have to offset your debt--so that IS America''s business too. Real Life 101 Joe--you get involved in politics and try to shill for either side--you will go under the microscope--and if there is any dirt there--it will be mixed with the sweat of your brow and become MUD all over your face. Are YOU learning yet?

[mitch5511]

Why did Joe the Plumber lie? He has only himself to blame now. The truth wins out in the end...always. BTW, plumbers do not make $250,000+ a year in individual income taxes. Unless it''s a large company employing several plumbers, the likelihood of breaking that ceiling is nil. The average Journeyman plumber salary is $42000 so this whole conversation is out of the realm of reality.

This is for the real Americans, this guy Joe represents most of us, the middle class, mainstreet and the respect that now Bidden and Obama are showing is a disgrace, now why did he not stop people from laughing at him at his rally when he pokes fun at Joe The Plumber. I''m sorry but this goes to show me the type of Presidential respect he has for the middle class. This man as most of Americans respect this country and are known to love it, this is the land opportunity and why should our dreams be made fun of? How dare he put this mans pursuit of Happiness down the toilet. Who says that a plumber can''t grow his business to make the $250,000 threshold? There are plenty of people like Joe at this time, people that are behind in taxes, mortgage payments, utilities, car payments and many other bills. And those are the same people that Obama and Bidden are parading around making fun of? Is that is Presidential? The worst part is that Obama approached him, he went to his neighborhood, his house and was asked a question that showed to the rest of America a real view of his Socialist plan.

[harbinger09]

To: Posted by medmom04

My Gawd you are an angry person - please stop associating yourself with Liberals. We don''''''''''''''''t want your kind...


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Posted by oleander8


Just who is the "we"? Stop speaking for anyone but yourself. Liberals NEED her kind--so that at least some of you will have a backbone and will stop kneeling in front of the Republican party ready to service their political d1cks from any ***. Sometimes anger is exactly what is needed to fight fire with fire. If you had more of those kind in Congress--maybe the war would have stopped and at least someone would have attempted to impeach Bush. There is nothing wrong with that poster--stop being a weak sister.

[harbinger09]

mcliar-if he were a "low life whatever" he wouldn''''t have outstanding medicaL bills, you elitist snob. He would be on medicaid and really be sucking on the government TEET.


Posted by Xlib at 02:44 PM : Oct 17, 2008


Get a clue. Except for large cities, most cities would NOT allow Joe to get on Medicaid. Medicaid is an adjunct to Welfare. It is often limited to only unmarried women with children under the age of 18. Only larger cities allow men to get on Welfare or to get Medicaid. Men with disabilities get Medicare.

[harbinger09]

This man asked a legitimate hypothetical question of a politician and the media is going to destroy him with their scrutiny. Even if he were a ''''plant'''' - he asked a good question and Obama gave a detailed explanation of what his tax will do. Leave ''''Joe'''' alone - he did nothing to deserve the notoriety.

Posted by oleander8 at 02:41 PM : Oct 17, 2008


Joe opened his big fat mouth when he had a lot to lose. He lied about being a plumber. he was working illegally in the city of Toledo. He was taking a job away from a person who bothered to finish the apprenticeship/journeyman plumber program.

he exposed himself and a look into his finances where we discover he owes money for back taxes and for not paying Medical bills. Like most Republicans and just like McCain--he shot off his mouth to try to make himself look stellar but did not think and weigh the consequences first. It never occurred to him that he would have a lot of scrutiny if his story even gained local traction--once it did--he is exposed to be a fraud. He got in Obama''s face to try to discredit Obama''s programs--instead he is the one who got discredited and McCain once more looks like an misinformed, did not bother to get informed FOOL.

[harbinger09]

mcliar-if he were a "low life whatever" he wouldn''''t have outstanding medicaL bills, you elitist snob. He would be on medicaid and really be sucking on the government TEET.


Posted by Xlib at 02:44 PM : Oct 17, 2008


A low life is anyone who does not pay their bills. Him not paying means all our premiums go up--most illegals do not have health insurance. Joe is in the same boat as they are. He is a drain on the rest of us--and he is a cheater. He has no business working without the right credentials. Somewhere in Toledo are a few apprentice or Journeymen plumbers who maybe cannot get a job--now they know at least one cheater that kept a job from them--Joe. The fact is, Joe is the legal equivalent of an illegal alien. Lying and cheating to take a job away from the person who actually earned a place for it--then trying to defraud or coast on the system by not paying his bills or taxes--if he was an illegal--the right would be singing a different tune--his sneaking to keep that plumber job is no different than illegals line jumping the immigration line--just as deceitful with no regard for anyone except himself. I hope Newells, is closed down or they fire Joe--let the GOP take care of Joe--he can join the millions of other GOP Joes just like him.

[harbinger09]

Did you here that he''''s doing unlicensed work? I bet his boss will be really happy to sell him the biz after this great publicity!

Posted by Mcliar at 02:33 PM : Oct 17, 2008


His boss risks his own license by hiring Joe. NO doubt he will be paying penalties and poor Joe might have to find another job. The GOP will take him in and make a star out of him--or they will leave him for dead on the political sidewalk if McCAin loses.

[harbinger09]

McCain is not Bush. Obama is a disaster.

Posted by john43218 at 02:23 PM : Oct 17, 2008

You are right--McCain is NOT Bush--he is far worse. At least Bush thinks out his choices before he makes them--no matter how deluded his thought processes are and at least Bush sticks to what he says and does not flip flop like a dying carp on the bank--like McCain does. Bush even lies better than McCain.

McCain does not think first, or even second or third--to him, everything is a lurch--a pingpong reaction and he flies by the seat of his pants. He expects to do to America what he has done with his campaign. From his lies about Bagdhad to his choice of Palin, he continually shows very poor judgment--and you wonder why people are moving to Obama. It is this: Obama''s race is an issue-but the more people see McCain, the more they realize that race may not be the worst thing to happen here--McCain is a walking disaster and Palin is a joke. A disaster and a joke. No thank you--we already are experiencing those things right now.

[harbinger09]

McCain had nothing to do with Watergate. Absolutely nothing. But G. Gordon Liddy did.
Posted by IOWEIGN at 01:57 PM : Oct 17, 2008


Gordon Liddy was more than just a plumber for Watergate. During his trial, he testified under oath to plans to blow up federal buildings and to assassinate a journalist. Dave Lettermen asked McCain about his association to Gordon Liddy--you should have seen McCain''s face--he was bug eyed--he started squirming in his chair before saying--that Liddy had paid his debt to society.

Liddy is a felon and a domestic terrorist. Both Palin and McCain have connections to Liddy. McCain is friends with Liddy and has appeared on Liddy''s radio talkshow several times. Palin tried to get Liddy to be a chief spokesperson for Alaska, before the legislature and the public nixed that with write-ins about hiring such a person.

There ties to Liddy are every bit as strong if not stronger than Obama''s to Ayers. And Ayers was pardoned and never actually bombed anyone though his group did. LIddy and North are two other stories entirely--too bad Obama does not serve forth with robocalls about Liddy, North and the extreme right neo nazi supporting groups McCain has belonged to.

[harbinger09]

So, what you are saying is that because Obama says that America is not good enough, we need to pay MORE?

How about controlling spending. We are taxed enough...

Posted by SUCKIT123 at 01:47 PM : Oct 17, 2008


Let''s see.... topping our 10 billion dollar a month war could save us about 120 billion/year. WE could put a freeze on money sent yearly to Israel--that would save us how much? Then stop bailing out wallstreet and banks should save us a few trillion--and that is only trying to stop the spending put in motion by a Republican President and his Republican administration.

yeah. We hear you. McCain does not propose stopping the war and was for the bailout--just what spending did you think we could/should cut?

[harbinger09]

DUH!!!


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Posted by IOWEIGN at 01:27 PM : Oct 17, 2008


i rest my case about libs folks

Posted by jamesm12341 at 01:28 PM : Oct 17, 2008


When you finally cease trying to distract the conversation by criticizing other posters; Joe the plumber will still be a liar and a fraud and McCain will still look like an idiot for championing and touting a fake set of credentials--Sarah Palin style.

McCain''s failure to vet ONCE AGAIN is one of the main reason he is behind in the polls--just think of how many things in our country he can screw up by failing to get the real information first and just shoots from his stupid hip.

[harbinger09]

I JUST CANT BELIEVE THIS POOR GUY IS BEING SLAMMED FOR ASKING A QUESTION.ITS SO WRONG ITS ANTI AMERICAN HE DIDNT ASK OBAMA TO SWING BY.HE JUST ASKED AN ELECTED MAN A QUESTION.LIKE I TELL MY KIDS JUST TELL THE TRUTH LIES LEAD TO MORE LIES THEN ALL YOU ARE IS ONE BIG LIE. I DONT THINK HE HATES AMERICA HE JUST HAS A BAD VISION FOR IT FAR FROM WHAT OUR FOUNDING FATHERS EVER IMAGINED
CASTRO LOVES OBAMA SO DOES ACORN AYERS HAMAS HEZZBOLAH AL QAEDA REV WRIGHT FATHER FLAGER AND LOUIS FARRAKHAN.THAT SOME LIST OF FRIENDS.OBAMA=MARXISM.

Posted by NEEDERBAUR at 11:08 PM : Oct 17, 2008


Sam/Joe is slammed for being a fraud--then to top it all, he does not even pay all of his own taxes and hurts real plumbers by stealing work when he is not even an apprentice or journeyman. So he is a fraud who just got busted--now either Newells will have to get rid of him--put him back in an apprentice program--or maybe the GOP will take care of him--but on so many levels--Joe the fake plumber should have kept his mouth shut--because he made McCain look like a fool, McCain''s campaign look like a fool and he made himself look like a fool. Worst of all, is that fact he can''t buy the business, could not work in the business as a plumber and may very well have ruined the real owner''s business with his poseur stunt. THAT''S WHY HE WILL NOT BE LEFT ALONE. AMERICANS HATE A PHONY.

[harbinger09]

Turns out Joe the Plumber is NOT a plumber. He is not even a journeyman or apprentice--he''s a handyman working illegally for a plumber. And he just got his boss into hot water, not to mention also showing McCain does not vet before he endorses or exploits. Poor McCAin--one more leap before you think, out of the frying pan and into the fire--which is in a skillet--hurtling over a cliff, and will hit jagged rocks below, before continuing in some rapids, then swallowed up by a whirlpool, to be sucked into an abyss--that''s just the kind of luck McCain has. Hey America--want some of that kind of luck? LOL

[harbinger09]

Wurzelbacher told Couric that it is Obama''s approach to tax increases that are worrisome. "When''s he going to decide that $100,000 is too much, you know?" the divorced father of a 13-year-old son said. "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?"


Yeah, that makes a whole lot of sense, Joe. Why don''t you worry about that, when you get there? By then, Obama''s 2 terms will be up, in fact, you probably will NEVER get there. If you can''t even finish the license program, or an apprentice and journeyman program--you will never be a plumber--you will just be the hired help that works with the plumber--and if you continue to do that in Toledo, you will be doing that undercover.

As for the Newell business--your boss cannot thank you enough for the attention your loud mouth has provided him.

Face it--you dislike Obama and you wanted to slam him on tv--God punishes immediately. You tapped dance and slipped and fell, almost as good as Jerry Lewis on that one. LMAO

[sayfud-deen]

desperate people make desperate moves! now we have joe the plumber,a complete fraud! are we to believe that a person with a net income of 250,000. not going th pay taxes? whay is joe talking about! next,we have mccain telling people that obama is going to give your tax dollars to people who don''t work. the fear factor! if you can''t see the advantage in 95% of the country getting tax relief with obama then something is wrong! and behind all of this is the corporate sponsored media who are keeping these lies and distortions out there. putting the racist aside,it''s the media and the the big money makers in the 5% bracket that want mccain/palin in office!

[kimb54]

Typical McCain he brings up %u201CJoe%u201D then reporters swamp Joe and then McCain blames Obama for Joe%u2019s popularity. Joe can%u2019t afford to buy the business he only makes about 40 thousand a year and the business only makes about 100 thousand per year, facts are not passing the smell test.
Now Joe%u2019s life might get even more complicated. Will his employer be fined for having an unlicensed plumber do certain work? He might if there wasn%u2019t a licensed plumber on sight when Joe was plumbing. Then in the places that the work was done if no certified plumber oversaw the work it my have to be re-done, I see lawsuits against Joe%u2019s boss.
Yep McCain is looking out for his own selfish gains again. McCain invited himself into Joe%u2019s home and took a huge dump and has left it for Joe to deal with the mess!