(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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Don't be surprise to hear Joe voting for Obama on 4th Nov.
That is not going to surprise at least me,if Joe finds out the truth of change that America needs!!!
Obama/Biden '08-
McCain! McCain!! Pick me! Pick me!! I also want to buy my boss' business and it makes way more than $280,000 per year! I will show up at your rallies! I will go to your fund raisers!! I will even agree to serve on your cabinet! Forget Joe – pick me!! And I promise I will come up with a catchy name like Jordan the Warden or something like that.
If he is such a hard worker then why is he always at home or at campaign events. All of the real workers that I know go to work everyday...
Doesn't Joe have a job? When does Joe the Plumber actual do his plumbing? Can we drop this idiot already?
He's just enjoying and making the most of his 15 minutes of fame..totally based on his deception.
Considering McCain and Palin have been building their recent campaign around sound bites related to the guy... they are getting pretty much what they deserved.
Maybe they can get Joe 6-Pack to show up and cover for him...wink, wink!
Please stop reporting this non-news.
No show Joe. This really is funny! The McCain camp has egg on its face yet again. How incompetent is thi campaign. No worries, he has nothing to add to this presidential race anyway. His 15 minutes of fame are well and truly up, thank goodness. Watch out , ice berg ahead! An the band played on.
Ok, I'll try one more time to get CNN to look at this, why won't you address this issue of McCain's support for this organization?
McCain, what a joke. CNN why haven't you mentioned McCain's connection.
The International Republican Institute, under McCain's leadership in the 1990s, donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to a Palestinian research organization that Khalidi helped found.
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Oh my GOODNESS! At this rate, I almost expect Joe to have his own VH1 reality show called "Plumber of Love" like all the other D-list celebs.
I am so SICK of hearing and seeing Joe the Plumber.
Why is CNN calling him a plumber? HE IS NOT A PLUMBER!!!!!!
FYI....The Plumbers Union (plumbers actually licensed) endorsed Barack Obama for President. I'm so sick about hearing about "Joe the Plumber". Nobody cares. I don't hear anyone other than McCain or Palin even talking about him. Not one of my friends or family members has decided to vote for McCain just because some unlicensed man calling himself a plumber is voting for him. ENOUGH ALREADY!
They called him "Joe the Plumber"
Now he's "No Show Joe"
Ha ha ha!! This guy's no dummy. He shows for Palin only... he knows McCain is about to be swept into the dustbin of history.
Joe is not even a registered Voter. Why are we even listening to him. WHO CARES
OBAMA/BIDEN 08
First it was Joe Liebermann who disappeared... now it's Joe the Plumber.
Does this look like Palin/Joe-the-Plumber 2012???? What a joke this campaign has become!
LOL
This whole Joe DaPlummah thing stinks of set-up. I mean, WHEN exactly is he a plumber? Speaking AS a plumber, I can promise you that we do NOT make that kind of money and do NOT have that kind of free time. This feels, to me, like somoene trying to play the American Conservatives as a bunch of fools.
He is also missing a brain. I can't believe that someone is offering this guy a recording contract and possible book deal. I have seen way more folks on the campaign trail who were clear about what their concerns were. Shouldn't everyone get some sort of a deal.
If they bring him on CNN, I will turn to another station. What a joke for news!!!!
i find this to be so ironic, a plumber is supposed to help Mr. McCain win the White House, we americans are not stupid Mr. McCain.
wish I'd seen his face... a pic for ages! should be new Obama ad.
Plumber Joe just flushed McCain down the toliet..........
McCain wants to give another 4 billion in tax breaks to companies like Exxon Mobile, who once again announced record profits today.
Unless Joe the Plumber holds Exxon stock, I don't think this will "trickle-down" to him anytime soon.
Maybe he was working on his demo, or his book or doing some unlicensed plumbing work. Or better yet maybe he was at home designing his campaign signs for the 2010 run...LOL. Why is he still around!
LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLO
McCain, your campaign is pathetic. If you can't run a campaign, how can you run this country?
Obama has demonstrated ultimate organizational skill and decision making prowess.
Vote for the smart guy. Vote Obama!
Perhaps Joe the Plumber got tired of the McCain campaign resurrecting Joe the McCarthy!