Joe the Plumber

[DavidJames]

Political opportunism combined with media feeding frenzy isn't pretty. McCain shined a spotlight on Joe and continues to do so. If he stops, the feeding frenzy will stop. This comment by McCain is a joke and more his misrepresentation of facts and reality.

“I talked to him this morning for the first time ever,” said McCain. “And I want to tell you his sprits are good and he’s a tough guy. He is what small business people all over this country are all about.

So small business people are all about not paying their taxes and court fees? Actually Joe isn't a small business person he's a working stiff like most of us.

I do feel sorry for Joe and if Joe wants the spotlight gone, I hope it goes away for him. But he needs to tell John to shut the **** up about him.

 

[Dymanic]

And, having exposed this poor guy to the spotlight, McCain should realize his mistake and shut up about Joe the Plumber, completely, but of coure he hasn't.

No, quite the contrary, he has blamed his opponent for the embarassment he has caused Joe. McCain obviously doesn't have a shred of genuine concern for Joe. Or anything else besides winning this election.

Has McCain completely lost his mind?!

What a waste it is to lose one's mind. Or not to have a mind is being very wasteful. How true that is.

 

[Cicero]

McCain did, at a rally today at Florida International University.

Here's the McCain quote again:

“The response from Senator Obama and his campaign yesterday was to attack Joe,” Mr. McCain said. “People are digging through his personal life, and he has TV crews camped out in front of his house. He didn’t ask for Senator Obama to come to his house. He wasn’t recruited or prompted by our campaign. He just asked a question. And Americans ought to be able to ask Senator Obama tough questions without being smeared and targeted with political attacks.”

And here's the link again.

You said McCain blamed Obama for the media attention on "Joe."

***.."and now it's Obama's fault that the vultures descended?"..***
Dynamic

McCain blames Obama for his campaign's attacks on "Joe," not the media attention. Are not Obama's minions dismissing "Joe" much in the same way they do Palin?

What about the left wing blogs conspiracy blather about how "Joe" is related to Charles Keating? And that McCain somehow engineered Obama to stop in front of "Joe's" house and how "Joe" maneuvered Obama into saying "spread the wealth?"

 

[Cleon]

You said McCain blamed Obama for the media attention on "Joe."

***.."and now it's Obama's fault that the vultures descended?"..***
Dynamic

McCain blames Obama for his campaign's attacks on "Joe," not the media attention.

Has the Obama campaign itself attacked JTP? I'm not aware of the campaign even mentioning him, beyond the debate itself.

ETA: I googled Obama's site, and all the mentions of JTP seem to be independent bloggers, not the campaign itself.

What about the left wing blogs conspiracy blather about how "Joe" is related to Charles Keating? And that McCain somehow engineered Obama to stop in front of "Joe's" house and how "Joe" maneuvered Obama into saying "spread the wealth?"

What about them? Is Obama responsible for the actions of blogs his campaign does not control?

 

[Dymanic]

You said McCain blamed Obama for the media attention on "Joe."

Actually, what I did was link to a NYT article which appears to me to be saying that. If McCain was referring to something besides the media attention, I can't imagine what it would be.

McCain blames Obama for his campaign's attacks on "Joe," not the media attention.

I'm having trouble seeing the distinction you're making there.

Are not Obama's minions dismissing "Joe" much in the same way they do Palin?

If what "minions" are doing is to be taken as a reflection of what campaigns are doing, then the McCain campaign has much to answer for, considering the excesses of some of his minions. But that clearly is not what McCain meant when he accused Obama of "attacking" Joe.

***.."If he stops, the feeding frenzy will stop."..*** Dynamic

I don't disagree with that, but I wasn't the one who said it. Watch your quotes, please.

 

[Cicero]

If he stops, the feeding frenzy will stop. .

McCain now controls what the media covers. Interesting. I bet he wishes the media would send a satellite truck to Ayers house. Not going to happen no matter how much he talks about Ayres.

 

[Cicero]

Has
What about them? Is Obama responsible for the actions of blogs his campaign does not control?

Is McCain or Palin responsible for what a person shouts out at their open to the public campaign rallies?

Obama seems to think so.

 

[Malerin]

Joe may begin having a few choice words for McCain making such a celebrity out of him. Joe could very well lose his drivers license because of the spotlight McCain put on him ...

http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/story/128323




Opps.

Yeah, but Joe's got big dreams, see? He's gonna get that license (plumbing and driver's), buy hisself a plumbing business, and then BAM! Obama's tax hike is gonna send Joe right back into median income-mediocrity.

 

[Cleon]

(change of subject removed)

So, McCain attacked Obama's campaign for the campaign's attacks on JTP, only Obama's campaign hasn't attacked JTP.

And you don't see a problem with this dishonesty.

 

[Malerin]

McCain now controls what the media covers. Interesting. I bet he wishes the media would send a satellite truck to Ayers house. Not going to happen no matter how much he talks about Ayres.

Of course Mccain has control over what the media covers. By virtue of being a presidential candidate, EVERYTHING he says is gone over with a fine-tooth comb and REPORTED on. Mccain would either have to be incompetent or senile to think he and Palin could bring up Plumber Joe yet again and NOT expect the media to cover it.

 

[Cicero]

So, McCain attacked Obama's campaign for the campaign's attacks on JTP, only Obama's campaign hasn't attacked JTP.

And you don't see a problem with this dishonesty.

What do you consider an attack? Obama supporters go on TV and bring up the fact that "Joe" is not a "licensed" plumber when "Joe" never said he was.

There is also Obama saying this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mSHqxosjyLY

 

[Cicero]

Of course Mccain has control over what the media covers. By virtue of being a presidential candidate, EVERYTHING he says is gone over with a fine-tooth comb and REPORTED on. Mccain would either have to be incompetent or senile to think he and Palin could bring up Plumber Joe yet again and NOT expect the media to cover it.

Excellent. Can you show me a video of the satellite trucks camped out in front of Ayers house? How about the numerous interviews Ayres has given to the media in the last week? McCain's ability to direct the media seems to be only coincidental with what the media already has a propensity to cover..

 

[geni]

Excellent. Can you show me a video of the satellite trucks camped out in front of Ayers house? How about the numerous interviews Ayres has given to the media in the last week? McCain's ability to direct the media seems to be only coincidental with what the media already has a propensity to cover..

To an extent. Bill Ayers is already a fairly well documented figure. Interviews are not going to dig up anything new and file photos are avialible. He probably also has a fair idea how to field the press. Still a univeristy professor's less ah PC past got a rather serious airing as a result.

McCain however chose joe plumber as his human shield. The result was fairly predictable.

 

[Malerin]

Excellent. Can you show me a video of the satellite trucks camped out in front of Ayers house? How about the numerous interviews Ayres has given to the media in the last week? McCain's ability to direct the media seems to be only coincidental with what the media already has a propensity to cover..

You must have missed the MSM's ad nauseum coverage of the Ayer's story. Joe is unknown, has become the centerpoint of Mccain's campaign, and is therefore interesting. Ayers is not.

You also can't interview someone who won't answer questions. Joe hasn't exactly been media shy- he's more than happy to talk about his recent fame, his opinion of Obama's tax plan, and the debate with Katie Couric.

The point is, which many people have brought up, is Mccain had to have known that bringing up Joe 20+ times in the debate would make him an instant celebrity. And they're STILL talking about him TODAY, and they have the gall to complain OBAMA put him in the spotlight? Everytime I think the Republican party has reached a point of moral bankruptcy, they stoop to a new low.

Edit: Joe to appear on Foxnews: http://elections.foxnews.com/2008/10/17/joe-plumber-appear-mike-huckabees-new-fox-news/

Poor Joe

 

[Cicero]

To an extent. Bill Ayers is already a fairly well documented figure. Interviews are not going to dig up anything new and file photos are avialible. He probably also has a fair idea how to field the press. Still a univeristy professor's less ah PC past got a rather serious airing as a result.

McCain however chose joe plumber as his human shield. The result was fairly predictable.

Interviews are not going to dig up anything new? Huh? Please show me an interview where the reporter asks Ayers about his connection with Obama?

The fact that Ayers background prepared him for his role as a professor with a PhD in Education is a perfect example of the mindset that is attracted to the nebulous field of education.

 

[Cicero]

You must have missed the MSM's ad nauseum coverage of the Ayer's story. Joe is unknown, has become the centerpoint of Mccain's campaign, and is therefore interesting. Ayers is not.

You also can't interview someone who won't answer questions. Joe hasn't exactly been media shy- he's more than happy to talk about his recent fame, his opinion of Obama's tax plan, and the debate with Katie Couric.

The point is, which many people have brought up, is Mccain had to have known that bringing up Joe 20+ times in the debate would make him an instant celebrity. And they're STILL talking about him TODAY, and they have the gall to complain OBAMA put him in the spotlight? Everytime I think the Republican party has reached a point of moral bankruptcy, they stoop to a new low.

How do you cover a story without interviewing the subject of the story, Ayers? Where is the video of reporters following Ayrers asking him questions regardless if he answers them? That would be an answer in itself.


McCain is not complaining about "Joe" doing interviews, he complained that Obama is making sport of "Joe."

For moral bankruptcy you might want to play back a few memories from Clinton, JFK, or even recent memory, Barney Frank, Charlie Rangel, etc.

 

[XBoxWarrior]

Excellent. Can you show me a video of the satellite trucks camped out in front of Ayers house? How about the numerous interviews Ayres has given to the media in the last week? McCain's ability to direct the media seems to be only coincidental with what the media already has a propensity to cover..

Ayers doesn't do interviews...never has, never will. He has NO relation to the Obama campaign, despite what the FOX news folks would like you to believe.

Now coming from your point of view, shouldn't FOX news be camped out in front of Ayers house 24/7 to get that "interview". I can see Insannity in a motorhome
out on the curb in front of Ayers abode ranting like the moron he is about how Ayers hasn't bombed the Obama campaign.

Joe has encouraged his own nightmare, it's a different beast altogether.

I hope JTP does get some cash from his TV appearances to pay his taxes, and that DMV thingy in AZ.

 

[Dymanic]

What do you consider an attack?

I think that's a great question, but it's one for John McCain, since it was he who said:

“The response from Senator Obama and his campaign yesterday was to attack Joe”

Do you think what McCain was referring to as an "attack" is Obama's question: "How many plumbers do you know making a quarter of a million dollars a year?" Would YOU consider that an "attack"? Is there something else McCain could have been referring to?

McCain is not complaining about "Joe" doing interviews, he complained that Obama is making sport of "Joe."

No, what McCain is doing is LYING about what Obama says, in a continued effort to smear him. That he continues this failing strategy in the face of poll results showing it to be completely ineffective for him evidences poor decision-making abilities on his part, as well as a tacit acknowledgment that he cannot go toe-to-toe with Obama on issues.

McCain decided to use Joe as an example. In doing that, he wasn't concerned about Joe or whatever heat he might get from the media spotlight. Obama points out why Joe is not a good example of the sort of person who would experience a tax increase under his plan, and McCain calls this an "attack" on poor Joe the plumber. John McCain knows he can't play fair and win, and he still hasn't figured out that he can't win by playing dirty either. I predict that in the future, McCain's campaign will be the reference point for discussions on dirty politics.

 

[Meadmaker]

If what "minions" are doing is to be taken as a reflection of what campaigns are doing, then the McCain campaign has much to answer for, considering the excesses of some of his minions.

Hey, could we blame McCain for MagZ?

 

[maxfrost]

Sounds to me like those people who experienced a warm, glowing feeling in the crotch when Joe the Plumber launched his "gotcha" have come to realize that all they did was piss in their pants. And now they're blaming it on Obama.