Joe the Plumber backs McCain
(CNN) - The McCain campaign is getting some help from Joe the Plumber in the key battleground state of Ohio.
Campaigning with a McCain surrogate, former Congressman Rob Portman, Joe Wurzelbacher took aim at Democratic presidential hopeful Senator Barack Obama, saying he wanted to redistribute the wealth. He told reporters, “We’re not a socialist country. That bothers me. It scares me. That’s the reason why I came out here. I’m really scared for our country,” he said.
“John McCain is spreading an important message for all of us. For small businesses. That’s really important,” said Wurzelbacher.
He told reporters “I’m not going to sit here and tell you which way to vote” - but he may be working to influence voters. A campaign aide says it’s possible Wurzelbacher will campaign in states outside Ohio, including Pennsylvania. Wurzelbacher himself has not confirmed the possibility.
While McCain has never met Joe the Plumber, the two have spoken. McCain has scheduled a two-day bus tour in Ohio starting Thursday. Asked whether the two will hit the trail together, campaign spokesman Paul Lindsay said Wurzelbacher approached the campaign earlier this week offering to help, and that they are is “open to whatever Joe is comfortable doing.”
Wurzelbacher shot to instant fame when John McCain brought him up during the last presidential debate. At an Obama campaign appearance, he Ohio native had challenged the Illinois senator on his tax plan, saying he wanted to buy a small business for $250,000 and was worried about taxes he might face.
Wurzelbacher later revealed he was talking about a possibility - that he makes far less than $250,000, and would not currently be taxed under Obama’s plan. He also came under intense scrutiny that included questions about whether he was even registered to be a plumber.
“There is a lot of, a lot of different taxes. Capital gains. Different things. It’s hard to follow all of that to be honest with you,” Wurzelbacher said Tuesday. “But if you look at the basic facts, [Obama] wants to spend a million or a trillion dollars in new spending. Where is he going to get it?”
Ohio’s inspector general is looking into reports that Wurzelbacher’s information was accessed on state databases. Cuyahoga Support Enforcement Agency Director Jim Viviani tells CNN he is trying to determine whether one of his employees accessed Wurzelbacher’s information on October 17, the day after the last presidential debate. Wurzelbacher doesn’t live in the county and Viviani says there would be no reason to access his records.
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Is this news? He was obviously rooting for McCain from the beginning. This guy is such a joke–I don't understand these people who would be much better off under Obama but vote against their own interests.
Uh........ who cares what that loser thinks in fact the more he is on the trail with mcCain the worse it is for the GOPS. Fact checked: found out that the Obama economic plan works better for Joe the Plumber anyway. This point keeps getting out in the media and blogosphere, so it really helps Obama instead.
I really care what an unlicensed plumber who hasn't even payed last year's taxes thinks.
OH MY GOODNESS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Is John McShame serious! How lame and desparate can you get! SNL is going to love this.
Joe the Bum – he is only trying to profit!
Isn't this guy's fifteen minutes over yet?
this whole thing is a giant JOKE
Demand LA Times release the tape of Obama laughing at Israel destruction jokes.
Sickening that the LA Times will NOT release the video tape they claim they have.
250 down to 200 to 150k in Biden speech on your taxes. No retractions yet.
See you suckers at the polls!
If he and McCain campaign together perhaps they could call it the I Don't Pay My Fair Share Tour, or the Leave The Deficit For Our Children To Pay Tour, or the I've Got Mine To Hell With You Tour. I wonder who paid for those highways they'll be using...
Come on, CNN. Know that you limit the comments – often only one or two are posted. It seems to me that you are trying to save McCain's neck.
Again, I write that I don't understand why this joker (Joe, the Plumber) gets so much attention from the media when most Americans simply want to know the facts about candidates and see "Joe" to be a big joke!
I'm shocked. What's with Americans and your unhealthy fear of 'socialism'? First, many clearly don't even get what it is. Second, Sweden, Germany, Italy, hell even Canada seem to be doing pretty well, given we're a bunch of pinkos... who take care of those who can't take care of themselves, not because they're slacking losers, which are the minority, but they're down on their luck, new immigrants trying to get on their feet, or physically or mentally unable to work. Gee, what a terrible thing we're doing, taking care of each other. Keep your rugged individualist ethos south of the 49th parallel... I'm happy to give others a hand up. They may just do the same for me if I ever unfortunately find myself down on my luck.
Oh Please,
Does anybdody cares about Joe the Plumber or who he endorses. McCain wants to talk about patriotism how about McCain tell Joey boy to pay his TAXES!!
You win! I'm going back to Huffington Post.
Amazing how intense the left attacks a poor guy who just asked a question, or is asking your elected officals a straight question no longer allowed in this country. Obama came to him, not the other way around, then Obama has the gall to atack the guy. I swear, you liberals are like cattle, you'd follow Obama off a cliff if he lead you over one in the pasture.
Obama is a Marxist. Read his books. He is also does whatever it takes to further his political career. Read HIS books. The GOP does not have to make anything up Obama admits to it all- Read his books, then if you still are in awe of this man, vote for him, but for goodness sakes be informed not deluded.
Wurzelbacher said Tuesday. “But if you look at the basic facts, [Obama] wants to spend a million or a trillion dollars in new spending. Where is he going to get it?”
Counter question: Where does John McCain get the trillions needed and that he will need to pay for his and Bush's unending war in Iraq? Has this Joe EVER looked at our Pentagon's budget? Has he ever realized that its budget is bigger than the next 20 nations' budgets combined? Who are they preparing to invade anyway? Does he ever realize that it is his taxes going off to pay for bullets, tanks, bombs and planes to be shot off/wasted in a country that is simply waiting for us to leave so they can get on with their killing of each other as they wage their stupid civil war anyway?
Does he or any of the Republicans realize that you can not shove democracy down someone else's throat if they don't want it? Democracy has to come from within a person. It can not be forced upon someone, most of all by some hypocritical oil-addicted nation.
If Obama does require us to pay for things, why is it so bad that it is done right here?
Yay another skinhead for McCain!
@Scott
You should be more concerned about the video tape the LA Times is suppressing showing Obama laughing and nodding his head at anti-Israel jokes.
Okay, didn't we already prove that 1.) "Joe" was already a McCain backer before he met Obama, and 2.) He's a fraud!? Come on. They're parading liars and cheats around in order to gain support! This isn't right!
Joe, I'm scared for our country should McCain somehow win the White House. If this happens, pray hard for our country.
Is he a "closet" AIN member????
as a resident of a fairly socialist country- and that would be canada, not russia- i can't help but wonder: why do americans fear socialism so much? america is the worlds largest economy, the richest country in the world with a large population, and yet, there are quite a few countries in which the standard of living is measurably higher year after year, and basically all of these countries implement a much greater degree of socialism than does the US.
WHO CARES HE'S A HICK AND HE'S NOT EVEN A LICENSED PLUMBER !!
wow, WHO CARES?!?
I think this is absolutely absurd! Who cares who "Joe the Plumber" endorses. The media is simply perpetuating this ridiculousness.
I am totally shocked! Joe the plumber is stumping for the man who brought him national fame! Who'd have thought!