(CNN) - Joe Wurzelbacher, aka Joe the Plumber, has become an integral part of John McCain's presidential bid, but it appears the Arizona senator's campaign and the now-famous Toledo plumber need to work on their communication skills.
McCain aides told CNN's Dana Bash Wurzelbacher would appear with the Republican presidential candidate at his first campaign event in Defiance, Ohio. But in what was a slightly awkward moment for McCain, Wurzelbacher was nowhere to be seen when the Arizona senator called out for him.
Read Dana Bash's first person account of the mix up on AC360 blog
A campaign aide later said Wurzelbacher had "decided not to come" and may join McCain later in the day.
But reached at his home by CNN's Mary Snow, Wurzelbacher said it was "news to him" that he was supposed to be at the McCain rally. Wurzelbacher said nobody from the McCain campaign confirmed he was attending the event and called the incident a "miscommunication."
Wurzelbacher also said he is headed to Philadelphia for a charity event unrelated to the campaign and has no plans to meet up with McCain today.
UPDATE: Contacted by CNN a second time, Wurzelbacher said the campaign only called him to confirm after the event in question already took place. He will now try to meet up with McCain later in the day.
Watch: 'Joe': McCain 'a real American'
Wurzelbacher also said he had gotten an initial call about coming to the morning rally, "but no one called back to confirm," and was "not happy" that McCain had called out his name and he wasn't there.
From CNN Politics
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It seems joe has a new job,plumbing must not be paying to well. Go home Joe I am tired of looking at you,go home.
I was watching, too! John the Joke McCain looked like an old fool calling out for 'Joe Blow'.
This election campaign has detrioriated to the lowest of lows. It's just a farce with the McCain tactics, antics & gimmicks. So sad, when the stakes are so high. Unbelievable.
IDIOTS!!!!!
Obama/Biden 08
"Ferriss Bueler...Bueler...Bueler...Bueler............."
Must have been a stuck toilet ...
Couldn't stand the heat, had to get out of the bathroom.
No ........say it ain't so joe/john............................................
A fine tuned/smooth/well scripted.....oops.............................................................maybe ,he got a better offer................more $,it'll help with those back taxes..........................unless sarah paid them already,.....wait ,she couldn't have ............she couldn't afford all those clothes.....................
How are those last 2/seperate, "new" ethics charges coming along.......sarah......do you hear Alaska calling...............................
MARY STEINS:
I agree with you! I was being sarcastic!
I think the sad part about this is that McCain has to rely on a made up senario to try and fool people that he realy stands for the little guys, all those poor little guys that make 250k a year net... those poor bastards!! No one has stood up for them and said hey, they need help to be able to afford that car at the mecum auto auction! hey, they help in order to be able to play their country club dues! Thank god McCain is there to make sure that the rich get richer while the rest of us get poorer and poorer. Of course it makes sense, the stupider and poorer the people in your country the less you have to pay them and the more profit you can make. It's modern fuedalism. Thanks but no thanks Johny MAC. I am in the tank for Obama too, Brett the nurse.
Joe will be out of the spotlight and this will all be over in 5 days when Obama wins.
Why is he home and not out working??? hmmmmm
Follow closely folks...this will show you how the White House will be run under McCain! Ineptatude has reached a fever pitch!
So Joe the Plumber is ditching a charity event for McCain? And McCain wants that??
This campaign has the wrong priorities.
Hmm, when I've been "stood up" by a plumber (or other repair person), I never call them again and start looking for a replacement.
I guess this happens to all of us, even Sen. McCain. Time to move on.
The diva should share her makeup and clothing money with poor old joe.
Joe's new PR agent recommended that he not attend. His book deal negotiations and country music deal negotiations are more important to his future career than showing up with a troubled campaign.
Ummm...shouldn't the guy who wants to _run the country_ be able to _set up an event_?
Maybe Joe was out getting his plumming license
Oh NO!
Will noshowing on McCain kill poor old Joe's record deal?
Not to worry, the book deal's in the bag.
All the best to Joe the Loser, who plays a plumber on TV.
HEY JOE THE PLUMBER.......PAY YOUR "UNPAID" TAXES!!!!! puleeeze!
If you have no other reason to vote for Obama, this should be it. How in the world can John McCain expect to be the leader of the free world if he can't even coordinate a campaign that gets a plumber to show up to a rally???
"Contacted by CNN a second time, Wurzelbacher said the campaign only called him to confirm after the event in question already took place. He will now try to meet up with McCain later in the day."
Liar, Liar; pants on fire!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Unbelievable; he lies just like "those two".
So Joe is a plumber just because he says he is? I thought that he didn't have a license...oh that's right, I THOUGHT.
Hi there Thebe:
I agree with you 100%. This is not funny anymore, it is very S-C-A-R-Y and creepy people.
A LICENSED plumber is more likely to show up on time. I feel sorry for McCain. As soon as it looks like he's gonna lose, all his supposed allies 'cut and run'!