INTERSTATE 4, Florida (CNN)– Joe the plumber goes on tour?
Well sort of.
Driving through Florida on the "Straight Talk Express," Sen. John McCain rallied voters and talked to small business owners during the "Joe the Plumber: Keep Your Wealth" tour.
“You know whether it is Joe the plumber in Ohio or whether it is Joe over here –thank you Joe. There's Joes all over here,” said McCain at his second stop, a rally in Ormond Beach, Florida. “Senator Obama wants to spread the wealth around. That means fewer jobs at their businesses and fewer jobs here in Florida.”
People cheered as they held signs that said, "McCain will help the working man" and "My husband is Tom the plumber". Two fork lifts held the "Country First" sign above the platform.
McCain kicked off the tour at the Starlite Diner in Daytona Beach with four small business owners, or in campaign speak, four Joe the plumbers.
Their actual names and professions are florist Richard Rivers, pub owner Tom Curtis, food store owner Patricia Surgine and Thomas Crowe, president of a lumber supply company and a former professional football player.
Diners at neighboring tables manned their cell phone cameras as the business owners told McCain their troubles, particularly with Barack Obama's tax plan.
At the morning rally, held at the lumber supply company owned by Crowe, the Arizona Senator got very fired up about two topics: the Bush presidency and his Democratic opponent.
“I call on the Administration to act now and buy up these home loan mortgages and keep people in their homes,” he said as he pounded on the podium. ”And why is the Secretary of the Treasury not ordering them to do that?”
McCain also emphasized concerns about Obama's ability to lead.
“You know it is amazing," he said "Are you ready to trust Americans’ national security to an untested leader in these times of war?”
He also mocked Obama’s explanation of why Democratic VP candidate Joe Biden said his running mate would be tested by an international crisis as president.
“Yesterday Senator Obama tried to explain away this by warning – by saying that his running mate sometimes engages in rhetorical flourishes. Really? Really? That’s another way of saying he accidentally delivered some straight talk to America.”
At his third and fourth stops, he also met with small business owners. The third stop was held at a dentist's office in Altamonte Springs, Florida. Hispanic business owners were targeted at the later stop, a Puerto Rican restaurant in Orlando.
After his meeting, he made a statement to the press corps where he talked about one of the women he spoke with inside the restaurant, noted the new jobless report, and said he was optimistic about his chances in Florida.
“We’re doing well in Florida, I’m happy with the polling numbers. It’s going to be a battleground state, we got a lot of work to do but with Charlie Crist, Mel Martinez and a lot of the great support we have across this state we will win and we will win this election.”
The six stop tour will take the McCain campaign through Florida along the I-4 corridor. This part of the state is home to nearly 20 percent of undecided voters which both campaigns consider the key to Florida’s 27 electoral votes.
From CNN Politics
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By the way, CNN owes Sarah Palin an apology today! The CNN reporter made an outright bogus claim on a nationally aired interview in which he claimed Conservatives called he stupid, corrupt, dumb, etc. This was a blatant LIE! His only point was to mislead the nation! CNN, what do you have to say for this obvious misquote to mislead?
A FAKE presidential candidate using a FAKE plumber.
I was wondering when Wolf Blitzer is interviewing Sen Obama?after all it is only fair right?
Way to go McCain. Get the people to vote AGAINST a tax cut for themselves. Ridiculous!
I am so sick of joe the plumber rhethoric – who cares about this guy that dosen't even pay the taxes he owes? Who is not even a plumber!
My family will do better with Obama's tax cut because we make no where near 250,000 a year!!!
amazing how the GOP poster boy is a fraud they know it and they dont care either.
THEY'RE ALL SLEEPING WITH THE ENEMY!!
mccain is for the joes on wall street not main street, he's proven that, VOTE OBAMA-BIDEN
Go home looooooser.
Vote Obama.........08
John, Sarah and Joe you guys are al toast. So you think the american people like all your lies and attacks and they are going to vote for you. Did you know That John has Black ancesters in his family tree. One of the ones that are still live today are voting for Obama. If you dont believe this just go to yahoo, click on the news in the policts section.
McCain where were you yesterday and day before? You are so studpid that it seems as if you can't campaign without bging up dead stuff and stuff that should have been hog washed. Now please get a plan and tell the difference between Obama and McCain.
This is what the American People want and not just some washed up Joe the Plumber information.
JOE THE PLUMBER is a FRAUD !!!!
McSame you are fooling no one...
98% of people will benefit from Obama's plan..
You are fighting for the 2% of people ! You are an evil man.
I think the republicans have run this "joe the plumber" into the ground. They are just preaching to a republican choir...no one else is listening.
A plumbers' tour for McCain is very appropriate.
His campaign has sprung so many leaks, it would take an army of plumbers to plug them all.
The "Joe the Plumber Tour?" A tour based off of a man who:
1. does not pay his taxes.
2. not even a licensed plumber. He is operating in the state illegally.
3. Only makes $40,000. He would get a tax cut under Obama and pretty much lied to Obama claiming he was ready to purchase the company.
4. told a right wing radio host that he was trying to trap Obama. (ie McCain's "gotcha journalism")
5. was registered with the now defunct Natural Law party. Wiki them for a good laugh.
6. has a relative who is the son-in-law of Charles Keating.
The Straight Talk express is running on a flat tire and a cracked engine.
Oh brother......each day McCain changs his theme. I can't wait for his November 5th theme.........."WHOSE FAULT WAS IT TOUR"
McCains turning into a jester.......we change the channel
Where is the diversity at McCain Palin rallies?
Keep your wealth tour? Is that really going to resonate with working people?
Give it a break already. Who cares.
I am sickened by the fact that all these years I actually believed that John McCain was a man of integrity.
He is a purely horrific excuse for a man and I would actually consider moving out of my own country before I'd let this man be my Commander-In-Chief.
The only thing McCain has tested is an ejection seat!
For those of us who saw the whole conversation between this man... and Obama and then the follow ups meaning ... that he is not ready nor could he afford to buy this bussiness... we are tired of it McCain..
Talk on the issues, let us know who you are and what you stand for other than you are against Senator Obama. Find your voice John.
Oh By the way, not only Europe prefers Obama, he has one more supporter
Here is the news flash : Larijani: Iran prefers Obama
McCain's sounding like a Democrat.
The Republicans are nationalizing our banks.
Wow...I guess they all agree that we need some change. It's too bad that all their rhetoric is just for the election and that, if put back in office, will just continue the policies that have been so ruinous.