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October 17, 2008
Joe the Plumber, is actually Joe America's Everyman
He won’t say who he will vote for on Nov. 4, but did say he likes Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin.
He said he was born in the Toledo area, lived until he was 13 in the Florida Panhandle area, went to Springfield High School, and then entered the U.S. Air Force. He was stationed at an Air Force base in Alaska from 1992 until 1995. He said he was honorably discharged.
Joe Wurzelbacher held a news conference this morning at his Holland, Ohio home. Holland is about 8 miles from Toledo.
An advocacy group Family Security Matters secured an interview with Mr. Wurzelbacher
At a recent campaign appearance in Ohio, Sen. Obama was approached by plumber Joe Wurzelbacher, who has concerns about Obama’s proposed tax policies. FamilySecurityMatters.org’s Pam Meister had a candid conversation with him about his experience.
PAM MEISTER: You recently met Sen. Obama on the campaign trail in Ohio, and you asked him a question about his tax policies. What exactly was your question for him?
JOE WURZELBACHER: Initially, I started off asking him if he believed in the American Dream and he said yes, he does – and then I proceeded to ask him then why he’s penalizing me for trying to fulfill it. He asked, “what do you mean,” and I explained to him that I’m planning on purchasing this company – it’s not something I’m gonna purchase outright, it’s something I’m going to have to make payments on for years – but essentially I’m going to buy this company, and the profits generated by that could possibly put me in that tax bracket he’s talking about and that bothers me. It’s not like I would be rich; I would still just be a working plumber. I work hard for my money, and the fact that he thinks I make a little too much that he just wants to redistribute it to other people. Some of them might need it, but at the same time, it’s not their discretion to do it – it’s mine.
Regarding Obama’s statement that he didn’t want to punish success:
PAM MEISTER: …taxing small businesses making $250,000 and above is going to help the people “behind you.” And yes, “spreading the wealth around.” How did you feel about that?
JOE WURZELBACHER:As soon as he said it, he contradicted himself. He doesn’t want to “punish” me, but – when you use the word “but,” you pretty much negate everything you just said prior to that. So he does want to punish me, he does want to punish me for working harder to – you know, my big thing is the American Dream. I work hard. You know, I was poor; my mom raised me and my brother by herself for a very long time until my dad came along. So I know what it’s like to suffer. It’s not like I was born with a silver spoon. Usually it was a wooden spoon and it was on my butt. It was just a contradiction of terms, what he said: he doesn’t want to punish me but he wants to redistribute my wealth. And what I mean when I say my wealth, I mean the collective. Eventually – I mean, just to sound a little silly here, but you need rich people. I mean, who are you going to work for?
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Good Morning America’s Diane Sawyer spoke with Joe Wurzelbacher.
Having become the nation’s most famous plumber, Wurzelbacher explains that he doesn’t make $250,000 now, but hopes to do so as a small business owner. And he sees no reason why that will remain the cutoff in an Obama administration, anyway:
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FOX channel....John Gibson is a good man, I have read his articles and liked his commentary for several years. John Gibson talked to Joe Wurzelbacher just before the debate began.
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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 ( Couric is Horrible disgusting - my words added ) 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."
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.
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McCain/Palin campaign ad with Joe the Plumber
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Joe Biden just more words, just more LIES!
Biden is worried about the truth and it came from Joe the Plumber!
Wild Thing's comment.............
Middle America Says No To Socialism!!!! I think that Joe the Plumber is America’s everyman and woman all of us. There’s a Joe in every city and town in America. Thank God for Joe and for Sarah Palin.
Obama said “spread the wealth” to Joe’s face.
Now Obama and his spinners want to lie and claim Obama said something else or change the subject.
Obama said “spread the wealth” as in Karl Marx.
It should be frightening to anyone who sees this video to consider that here in a few short, concise comments by a plumber we hear more common sense and wisdom than we are used to hearing from our elected leaders in a month.
.....Thank you RAC for sending these to me.
RAC has a website that is awesome. 336th Assault Helicopter Company
13th Combat Aviation Battalion - 1st Aviation Brigade - Soc Trang, Republic of Vietnam
Posted by Wild Thing at October 17, 2008 03:55 AM
Comments
Joe the Plumber does mean all of us hardworking, honest, live paycheck to paycheck Americans. Those of us trying to reach up for the brass ring on the carousel. Spreading the wealth does nothing for anyone because then everyone has the same and there is no incentive to have those who are lazy do any better and those who do work lose hope and heart. Today, my manager and several girls I work with wore Obama buttons. I could not believe it. Someone else asked if they could wear their McCain button and they were told NO. How fair is that? It makes it look like the company I work for is endorsing a certain candidate and that should NOT happen.
Spreading the wealth sounds good, but if you really read up on it, it's not as good as you think it is.
Posted by: Lynn at October 17, 2008 05:09 AM
Joe is articulate but plain spoken. He is so Middle American he could be the poster boy for Red State America. He is what Obama fears.
Obama's "spread the wealth" reply was as Marxist as you can get. That should terrify every tax paying Amercan. Obama wants to take hard earned money from productive people and spread it around to wefare receipiants, government employees and non productive peoples arond the world.
Joe the Plumber is Red State America and he did far better exposing Obama than any of John McCain's debate points.
Posted by: TomR at October 17, 2008 07:51 AM
Joe had it right. It appears he really threw a bobm to B. Hussein Obomba. It is unfortunate that there had not been more "Joe's" earlier to throw this character a good question. There seems to be more media backlash against Joe than B. Hussein. Typical of the non-reporters dominating the media with their opinions instead of honest reporting.
Posted by: Bob at October 17, 2008 08:51 AM
Obama runs a terrible risk when he walks through an ordinary American neighborhood. There are a lot of us "Joe the Plumbers" out here. He should stay in the inner city and on college campuses where his base lives. I give McCain credit for coming up with Sarah Palin but I believe God (Providence, Goodness) put Joe in O's path and made Joe fearless.
Each day is a New Beginning. Look for more good things before election day.
Posted by: horace at October 17, 2008 10:35 AM
Excellent counter to Obama, Joe speaks for all of the non-elites of the nation. Kris Kristofferson wrote a song that sums up freedom. Think about it.!!!
Posted by: Jack at October 17, 2008 01:38 PM
Lynn, oh my gosh that is really something. That is horrible Lynn, I am so sorry. Your right it does make it look like the owners of the company endorse Obama. That is not right, employees should have the freedom to wear McCain if others are wearing Obama buttons.
Posted by: Wild Thing at October 17, 2008 03:18 PM
Tom, LOL he sure did, your right!!
"Joe the Plumber is Red State America and he did far better exposing Obama than any of John McCain's debate points."
Posted by: Wild Thing at October 17, 2008 03:21 PM
Bob, yes that would have been great, maybe more like Joe will start to speak out now. And from other kinds of businesses too.
Posted by: Wild Thing at October 17, 2008 03:24 PM
Horace,....exactly sooooo true!!!
"Obama runs a terrible risk when he walks through an ordinary American neighborhood"
Posted by: Wild Thing at October 17, 2008 03:25 PM
Jack, great song, perfect for this. Thank you Jack.
Posted by: Wild Thing at October 17, 2008 03:27 PM
Obama screwed up when he was trying to make his point to 'Joe the Plumber' by saying, 'Spread the wealth around', because if you work really hard and make too much money, Obama will take it away from you. Does that include the 300,000 dollar bonus his wife got when he was elected to the Senate ? I would bet not.
Posted by: Mark at October 17, 2008 04:14 PM
I see a news story today that "Joe" is a new target of the Obama hit squad. This is no surprise but it is a damn shame he's paying this price for asking a question. Obammunism at it's worst. Maybe we should call him "Smokin' Joe" for knocking down Obama with a jab.
Posted by: jim warren at October 17, 2008 05:26 PM
I listened to a bit of Rush and Sean today. Rush played a couple satire songs, "MEchelle MaBelle" was so requested he played it twice. I probably looked like a raving lunatic driving because I was laughing so hard. Sean was killing me with a story how MEchelle ordered room service: lobsters, champagne and "Iranian caviar without preconditions." lol Now if a Rep had ordered Iranian caviar, the lefties would call for them to be in stocks on the town square!
Greta has some seething entries on her blog. Keep in mind, she and her husband were Hillary supporting Democrats, and her husband came out supporting McCain. She's very fair and tries very hard to stay unbiased (and she is), but you can read through the lines that she is pretty pissed off at some of this stuff going on from the Obama supporters/ACORN/Dem crooks.
How low can they go, mocking a plumber? Obama just couldn't shut up about it. Mr. "JOBS is a 3 letter word" Biden is a blubbering idiot, but we already knew that. Mr. Eloquent has really jumped the shark on this one.
So typical...blame someone else for his screwup. Of course I'm preaching to the choir here.
All the money that has been spent and it very well could have all been blown by Obama's knocking on this guy's door.
Best comment "McCain should have vetted Joe the Plumber." LOL!
I saw someone on Gretawire that wants to pay Joe's tax liens, if that is even true. People don't care if he owes money, they don't care that his name isn't Joe, it's Samuel JOSEPH--oh horror he goes by his middle name! (so does my husband) They see through the distraction away from "spread the wealth around."
That is one damning video clip.
Posted by: Eden at October 17, 2008 05:33 PM
Oh, I have another story on the Obamas.
MEchelle was on the board of Treehouse Foods, for which she received I think over $100k in compensation. Treehouse Foods' biggest customer is Wal-Mart. During the time when people were causing a stink about Wal-Mart and how they treated their employees, Barack (always the champion of "the little guy) made the statement the he would "never shop at Wal-Mart!" A few days later, she resigned from the Treehouse board.
Posted by: Eden at October 17, 2008 05:37 PM
Mark, good one. LOL I bet not too.
Posted by: Wild Thing at October 17, 2008 11:54 PM
Jim I agree, we are dealing with such evil for me there is no other word for it. For Joe to just ask a question and give his opinion about it as well should not have caused anyone to go after him like they have. But the left will never stand for a person if they disagree with them. grrrrr
Posted by: Wild Thing at October 17, 2008 11:57 PM
Eden, I have that about Michelle Obama as a post for in the morning haha. Iranian of all the kinds she could have ordered. haha
That song on Rush is so funny.
Yes isn't that something, to attack Joe that he does not use his first name. It is insane how the left attacks the way they do.
Thanks for the updates at Greta's too.
Posted by: Wild Thing at October 18, 2008 12:02 AM
Eden hahahaha that is funny about Obama and Wal-Mart.
Posted by: Wild Thing at October 18, 2008 12:04 AM
