Joe 'The Plumber' 'appalled' with McCain
[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2008/images/12/10/art.mccainjoe.gi.jpg caption="Joe 'The Plumber' Wurzelbacher said he was 'appalled' with some of what McCain said."](CNN) - With the dust still settling from the 2008 presidential race, one of its biggest celebrities lashed out Tuesday at the man who made him famous.
Joe "The Plumber" Wurzelbacher, the Ohio voter who challenged President-elect Barack Obama on his tax plan and later became a hero of John McCain's presidential bid, said Tuesday he felt "appalled" at some of his interactions with the Arizona senator, and soon felt the need to ditch his campaign.
Speaking with conservative talk-radio host Glenn Beck, Wurzelbacher said he was specifically at odds with McCain's support over the massive $700 billion bailout, a measure many conservatives opposed despite McCain's attempts to shepherd the bill on Capitol Hill.
“When I was on the bus with him, I asked him a lot of questions about the bailout because most Americans did not want that to happen,” Wurzelbacher told Beck. “I asked him some pretty direct questions,” he continued. “Some of the answers…they appalled me, absolutely. I was angry.
"In fact, I wanted to get off the bus after I talked to him."
Wurzelbacher rocketed to stardom during the third and final presidential debate, when McCain referenced the Ohio plumber's direct challenge of Obama's tax proposals. On an Obama campaign swing shortly before that debate, Wurzelbacher approached the Democratic presidential nominee while cameras rolled and challenged the candidate over his plan to raise taxes on those making over $250,000. Wurzelbacher said that could mean his taxes would go up if he ever achieved his goal of owning a plumbing business.
McCain jumped at the opportunity to use Wurzelbacher as a symbol of all small business owners who could potentially be penalized under Obama's plan, and his name was repeatedly invoked by both the Republican presidential nominee and his running mate, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin.
But Wurzelbacher never appeared completely comfortable being used as a tool of the McCain campaign, and notably failed to show up at one campaign rally - prompting the Arizona senator to embarrassingly call out to him to no avail.
Despite his disappointment with McCain though, Wurzelbacher praised Palin as "absolutely the real deal."
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Joe (dumb) and CNN (dumber) for wasting pixels on him. Rocket to stardom? like Kato Kalin and William Hung?
CNN should be glad Glen Beck is gone.
Look, this man is trying his best to remain in the spotlight (as is Gov Palin). Please stop giving into his request for media attention. And could you please remember that he is not a plumber, that fact did come out when the media did an investigation into his background. He is still wanting his 15 minutes of fame to continue. He is a liar and is hoping to rebound in a different direction. He happened to side with the losing team with hopes of skyrocketing to the top had McCain/Palin won. Well, they lost and please try to find a way for "Joe the Plumber" to get LOST!!
Can we please just let this guy go back to his normal life and let us not have to hear about him ever again? Please?
I think it's time for Joe to go back to his job... which I thought was plumbing, not politics. If I want to know what the average American thinks... I'll ask my neighbor, or my father, or myself!
~Jess
OMG! Please – your 5 minutes of fame is over – go away!
Go away. The election is over.
What have the Republicans come to when THIS guy speaks for their base, along with dimwit Palin? This is not a game. This is a country to run, and for anyone to have thought that a woman who took 6 years and 5 colleges to graduate with a 2.2 gpa and has an I.Q. of 85 could be a heartbeat away from the presidency has space dimension.
Joe was appalled by McCain but thinks Palin is the real deal? I mean, McCain isn't my favorite person, but I would have felt a lot more comfortable with him in the White House than Palin.
"absolutely the real deal." lol yeah.. If Palin was a middle aged man she would be making biscuits at mcdonalds. She can attribute all of her success to her pretty face and nothing more.
Good grief...Take the ALASKA DIMWIT and just go away.
Oh give me a break!!! This "faux" plumber supposedly challenges President Elect Barack Obama, meanwhile he was challenging John McCain behind the scenes.
That entire campaign was an absolute JOKE!!! And so is Joe "The Book Writing Plumber" and Sarah "I'm not running in 2012" Palin.
Sore Losers!!!
Joe, it's over, go and crawl back into your hole. You got your taxes paid and a few new shirts, so go away.
Isn't his time about up? Do we really nedd to hear any more from Joe?
I am glad McCain used him, got both of them far...
Time for Joe the plumber to go fix some sinks.
If this is the new Republican party, I'll take the old. They were cold, they were ruthless, and they were calculating. But at least they were intelligent. If Joe and Sarah are what we are left with as the "great heroes" or the "real deal" (ala Joe), I see a very long and prosperous future for the Democrats.
Don't bite the hand that fed you, Sam the Plant.
Why is this newsworthy? Who cares about Joe the Plumber. Ignore him, and he'll go away. There are far more important things happening in the world that need our attention.
He's still alive?
You aren't the only one apalled Joe. Whats even more appalling though is Palin and 8 years of Bush. Now thats appalling.
Hey Joe...go get your plumbing licence!!!
Can anyone smell political plumber. I do.
Palin's the real deal? Wait... what?
ENOUGH OF THIS FAKE PLUMBER! I agree Viv he is an attention seeker. Now he is displaying the fake support that he had with John Mccain. He is something.
who cares
who care what Joe thinks? When he's not uninformed, he's misinformed. He opinions are worthless.