Poor Joe (The Plumber)
I don’t know whether to feel bad for Joe Wurzelbacher, or glad. Joe, for those of you not familiar, was the winner of last night’s presidential debate, because both Senator John McCain (R-Ariz.) and Senator Barack Obama (D-Ill.) spent a good portion of it trying to woo him.
Wooing is nice. Unfortunately, with that wooing comes the insatiable appetite of the media, which as we all know (working in it and all) just love ordinary guys like Joe thrust into the spotlight. I mean, seriously, can you get any more generically all American than Joe the Plumber? According to Katie Couric, who spoke to Joe after last night’s debate, he had at least three news trucks outside his home. The man is now more popular than Sarah Palin.
Of course, it helps that Joe is also media friendly, giving pithy quotes and sounding, you know, normal. Oh yeah, he also looks like The Shield’s Michael Chiklis. Seriously:
Joe the Plumber
Michael Chiklis as Vic Mackie in The Shield
Now that I think about it, maybe Joe is Michael Chiklis, considering that The Shield is over and done with. So Joe, Michael, whoever you are, enjoy (or despise) the attention while you can. If your interview with Fox News’ Neil Cavuto from last night is any indication, you at least seem to know how it goes:
Neil Cavuto: “You are a pretty famous guy.”
Joe: “I don’t know about that. I am famous for 15 minutes then I will go away like everybody else.”
Back to plumbing for you my friend. Unless you get a movie deal. Call Michael Chiklis, he needs the work.
First Dude commented:
The funniest Joe The Plumber parody is at
I'm Pullin' For Palin - The Unofficial Tribute To Our Future VPILF
www.pullinforpalin.com
Joe The Plumber - I Know Crap When I See It
UnaffiliatedIndie commented:
Forget the character attacks, however deserved or not. Let’s deal with the actual issue that was raised. Here’s a relevant excerpt from the (very) conservative Wall Street Journal’s article of OCTOBER 17, 2008, 'As Joe the Plumber Grows Famous, the Politics Get Murkier':
"To reach a level that would be affected by Sen. Obama’s proposed tax increase, Mr. Smither said, a mom-and-pop plumbing company like Newell would have to clear $5 million in annual sales. [Joe’s company actually reports only $100,000 in sales.]
Even if Mr. Wurzelbacher reaped taxable income from his business of $280,000 a
year, he'd pay only about $900 more a year in taxes under Sen. Obama's plan, which
would raise the tax rate on the income between $250,000 and $280,000 to 36%
from 33%.
[...]
If Mr. Wurzelbacher earns the wages of a typical Ohio plumber, $40,600, and holds a $90,000 mortgage, he would see a TAX CUT (emphasis added) under Sen. Obama's plan of more than $1,000, compared with no tax reduction under Sen. McCain's.
If he succeeds in buying the plumbing business where he works, he could see even more tax benefits, including Sen. Obama's proposed elimination of capital-gains taxes for small-business investment, a 50% tax credit to purchase health insurance for employees and a $3,000 tax credit for every new hire over the next two years."
Yep … facts are pesky things.
TruthIsWhatPeopleSayItIs commented:
Poor Joe, he's just a registered republican who has several tax liens against him, working a job that he has no qualifications for (unlicensed plumber), misrepresents himself (as a union member--he's not) and hates social security. He's just plain folk...
Bob Parsons commented:
Hahahah I love that picture
freewebs.com/joetheplumber