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Joe the Plumber
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Joe the Plumber is a moniker applied to Samuel Joseph Wurzelbacher during the 2008 U.S. presidential election. Wurzelbacher is a celebrity, author and former plumber. He was videotaped questioning Democratic candidate Barack Obama about his small business tax policy during a campaign stop in Ohio. Republican candidate John McCain then called him "Joe the Plumber" during the third presidential debate on October 15, 2008. The McCain-Palin campaign and the media later applied "Joe the Plumber" as a metaphor for middle class Americans.
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Encyclopedia
Joe the Plumber is a moniker applied to Samuel Joseph Wurzelbacher during the 2008 U.S. presidential election. Wurzelbacher is a celebrity, author and former plumber. He was videotaped questioning Democratic candidate Barack Obama about his small business tax policy during a campaign stop in Ohio. Republican candidate John McCain then called him "Joe the Plumber" during the third presidential debate on October 15, 2008. The McCain-Palin campaign and the media later applied "Joe the Plumber" as a metaphor for middle class Americans. Media background research soon revealed that he was not a licensed plumber and he owed taxes. Wurzelbacher now promotes digital converter boxes for analog television, his political watchdog group, charity, and book; he describes himself as "unemployed."
Encounter with Barack Obama
On October 12, 2008, three days before the final presidential debate, Obama met residents in Wurzelbacher's Ohio neighborhood. Wurzelbacher, who had been playing football with his son in his front yard at the time, asked Obama about his tax plan. As ABC News cameraman Scott Shulman recorded the conversation, Wurzelbacher suggested that Obama's tax plan would be at odds with "the American dream." Wurzelbacher said, "I'm getting ready to buy a company that makes 250 to 280 thousand dollars a year. Your new tax plan's going to tax me more, isn't it?"
Obama responded with an explanation of how his tax plan would affect a small business in this bracket. Obama said, "If you're a small business, which you would qualify, first of all, you would get a 50 percent tax credit so you'd get a cut in taxes for your health care costs. So you would actually get a tax cut on that part. If your revenue is above 250, then from 250 down, your taxes are going to stay the same. It is true that, say for 250 up — from 250 to 300 or so, so for that additional amount, you’d go from 36 to 39 percent, which is what it was under Bill Clinton."
Obama also said, "It's not that I want to punish your success. I just want to make sure that everybody who is behind you, that they've got a chance at success, too… My attitude is that if the economy’s good for folks from the bottom up, it’s gonna be good for everybody. If you’ve got a plumbing business, you’re gonna be better off [...] if you’ve got a whole bunch of customers who can afford to hire you, and right now everybody’s so pinched that business is bad for everybody and I think when you spread the wealth around, it’s good for everybody.
Presidential debate
During the third and final Presidential debate on October 15, 2008 at Hofstra University, many references were made to "Joe the Plumber." In the debate, McCain repeatedly brought up "Joe the Plumber" and Obama and McCain then made statements aimed directly at Wurzelbacher. As a result, subsequent media attention was directed at Wurzelbacher.
After the debate, Wurzelbacher did not declare his vote for either candidate. He expressed concern that Obama's plans were "one step closer to socialism." Obama's running mate Joe Biden argued that 98% of small businesses take in less than $250,000 a year in income and thus wouldn't be subject to higher taxes under Obama's plan. McCain stated that Wurzelbacher would see higher taxes under Obama's plan.
Media appearances
Wurzelbacher spoke to Katie Couric of CBS Evening News on October 15, shortly after the conclusion of the final debate. Asked whether Obama's proposed $250,000 tax threshold would affect him, Wurzelbacher replied: "Not right now at presently, but (...) he's going to do that now for people who make $250,000 a year. When's he going to decide that $100,000 is too much? (...) You're on a slippery slope here. You vote on somebody who decides that $250,000 and you're rich? And $100,000 and you're rich? (...) Where does it end?" He also said, “I asked the question but I still got a tap dance ...almost as good as Sammy Davis, Jr.”
Wurzelbacher held a press conference at his home on the morning of October 16, following the debates, where he refused to express support for either candidate. "I'm not telling anybody anything" about which candidate he prefers, he said, adding, "It's a private booth. I want the American people to vote for who they want to vote for."
On October 16, Wurzelbacher appeared on Your World with Neil Cavuto on Fox News. Neil Cavuto asked if Wurzelbacher was persuaded by Obama's plan. Wurzelbacher said that he was not and that he was more frightened upon hearing it. Wurzelbacher suggested that Obama's plan was socialist in nature.
That same day, Wurzelbacher also appeared on Good Morning America. Diane Sawyer asked him if he was taking home $250,000 now, Wurzelbacher said with a laugh "No, not even close." Sawyer asked Wurzelbacher, "And the McCain camp, some people have said did they contact you and tell you that you were going to be a major part of this, and had they contacted you before that encounter with Senator Obama?" Wurzelbacher answered, "Oh no, no, no one's contacted me as far as if I was going to be on the debate or as far as my name being used. No. I have been contacted by them and asked to show up at a rally. But, other than that, no. I just happened to be here and Barack Obama happened to show up."
On October 20, Wurzelbacher appeared on Hannity & Colmes. During the interview, he stated that he thought that Obama's plan to 'spread the wealth' was socialism, and that he didn't want to take 'somebody else's money who worked hard for it'. During the same interview, he stated that he and his parents had benefited by being on welfare during tough times.
At a McCain campaign rally on October 28 in Columbus, Ohio, Wurzelbacher encountered an elderly Jewish man who told him that "a vote for Obama is a vote for the death to Israel." Wurzelbacher replied, "I'll actually go ahead and agree with you on that one." During a television interview later that day, Fox News anchor Shepard Smith repeatedly asked him to explain his comment with specifics. Wurzelbacher demurred, and suggested that viewers should research the question for themselves. When Smith persisted, he replied, "Listen, you don't want my opinion on foreign policy. I know just enough to probably to be dangerous. "
On November 2, Wurzelbacher appeared again on Your World with Neil Cavuto, where he said that although his earnings were "not even close" to "the 6 figure mark," he was concerned that Barack Obama's tax plans would go down "a slippery slope" and eventually raise his taxes. Wurzelbacher also questioned Obama's patriotism saying "there's too many questions with Barack Obama, and his loyalty to our country."
Publicity management
Wurzelbacher has signed with a publicity management agent regarding media relationships, including "a possible record deal with a major label, personal appearances and corporate sponsorships."
Joint appearances with John McCain
On October 30, Wurzelbacher made appearances with John McCain during campaign stops in Sandusky, Ohio, Elyria, Ohio, and in Mentor, Ohio In Sandusky, McCain accused the Obama campaign of attacking Wurzelbacher, and in Mentor, Wurzelbacher was allowed to address the crowd, saying "Once you find out the facts, they become quite obvious," while pointing at McCain.
Earlier in the day, at a rally in Defiance, Ohio, McCain thought that Wurzelbacher was supposed to be in the crowd, and called for him to stand up, resulting in a silence. McCain ended the silence by telling the whole crowd to stand up instead, stating "You're all Joe the Plumber."
Draft campaign for Ohio's 9th congressional district
Since his meeting with Barack Obama, a campaign to draft Wurzelbacher to run for the United States House of Representatives in the 2010 election started with the website joewurzelbacher2010.com. The Washington Times and the Boston Herald have reported that this campaign's goal is to draft Wurzelbacher to run against Rep. Marcy Kaptur of . The website was created by Trevor Lair (presently the chairman of the Massachusetts College Republicans), Derek Khanna, and The Massachusetts Alliance of College Republicans. The website encourages visitors to sign an online petition that supports Wurzelbacher’s run for office. Laura Ingraham asked Wurzelbacher, on October 24, 2008, if he would run against Rep. Marcy Kaptur. Wurzelbacher responded that he had considered the run and would be "up for it".
Opinions on taxation and welfare
In an October interview, Wurzelbacher said, "You know a lot of the stuff that our government is doing right now is all about taxation without representation and you know the last time that happened a couple guys got together and threw the Brits out."
Wurzelbacher opposes the existing American Social Security program. He told CNN, "Social Security is a joke. I have parents; I don't need another set of parents called the government. You know, let me take my money and invest it how I please. Social Security I've never believed in, don't like it. I hate that it's forced on me."
ABC News reported on October 16 that there is a judgment lien against Wurzelbacher for non-payment of $1,182 in owed Ohio state income taxes dating to January 2007, but "no action has been taken against him outside of filing the lien." Barb Losie, deputy clerk of the Lucas County Court of Common Pleas, said that "there is a 99 percent chance [Wurzelbacher] doesn't know about the lien, unless he did a credit report or was ready to pay his taxes." While on Hannity & Colmes, Wurzelbacher stated that he was unaware of the tax lien prior to it being reported in the press, and felt he was being attacked because of his question of Obama.
Wurzelbacher has also acknowledged that his parents were on welfare twice while he was growing up. Asked by Alan Colmes whether that constituted "taking somebody else's money and giving it to you", Wurzelbacher responded that he had "paid into welfare. It's something to be used, not abused, as it often is, Alan."
On December 10, 2008, it was reported that Wurzelbacher criticized John McCain for voting for the $700 billion Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008, also known as the bank bailout.
Ohio government database searches
During the 2008 United States presidential election season, an employee at Helen Jones-Kelley's department used state computers to search for information on Joe Wurzelbacher. In a response to a letter from Ohio Senate President Bill M. Harris, R-Ashland, Jones-Kelley wrote that her office routinely checks their records for such information; the employee whom she ordered to do the search said she was unaware of such a routine. She also defended her decision to approve of the search.
On November 13, 2008, the Columbus Dispatch reported that, in response to a public records request, the Department of Job and Family Services stated that "it had no records involving prior checks of the type that Director Helen Jones-Kelley authorized on "Joe the Plumber."
On November 20, 2008 State and local officials completed an investigation into whether Jones-Kelley's order to access Ohio government databases was illegal; they concluded that the searches breached protocol but found there was no evidence to prove they were part of a political agenda or linked with a political group or campaign.
Ohio's inspector general Thomas Charles reported that the reasonings that Helen Jones-Kelley provided for the checks on Wurzelbacher "were not credible and they included contradictions, ambiguity, and inconsistencies." Charles found that Jones-Kelley "improperly authorized searches of state databases for information on Samuel Joseph — "Joe the Plumber" — Wurzelbacher." Charles has provided the report to the prosecutors office of Franklin County, Ohio for their review and consideration.
On December 17, 2008, Jones-Kelley resigned.
In response to ODJFS records search on Joe Wurzelbacher, Republican Ohio state representative Shannon Jones sponsored House Bill 648, which mandates civil and criminal penalties for improper access of personal information on state databases. The bill passed the Ohio House of Representatives and Ohio Senate in December 2008. On January 6, 2009, Governor Ted Strickland signed the legislation which will become effective after 90 days.
Judicial Watch lawsuit
On March 5, 2009, on behalf of Joe Wurzelbacher, Judicial Watch filed a lawsuit in a U.S. District Court in Columbus charging that Helen Jones-Kelley, and fellow ODJFS employees Fred Williams and Doug Thompson, improperly searched "confidential state databases" in an attempt to retaliate against Wurzelbacher's criticism of then-presidential candidate Barack Obama. The lawsuit claims that "officials of the State of Ohio violated Mr. Wurzelbacher's constitutional rights by illegally accessing confidential information from its official databases," and that "Wurzelbacher suffered emotional distress, harassment and embarrassment as a result of the search." Tom Fitton, the president of Judicial Watch, stated "no American should be investigated for simply asking a question of a public official." The lawsuit seeks unspecified punitive damages.
Career
Past plumbing work
In October 2008, Wurzelbacher told the New York Times and he is one of two employees of a small plumbing firm, Newell Plumbing and Heating Co. of Toledo, the company he described to Obama as making $250,000 to $280,000 per year. Wurzelbacher said that the idea of buying the company was discussed during his job interview six years prior. According to MSNBC and Fox News, court records show that Wurzelbacher made $40,000 in 2006. Dun & Bradstreet's report estimated that A. W. Newell Corporation, the full corporate name, had $510,000 in annual sales and 8 employees.
As part of the background on McCain's use of "Joe the Plumber", several media outlets researched his professional plumbing credentials. One Toledo Blade article stated, "Mr. Wurzelbacher said he works under Al Newell’s license, but according to Ohio building regulations, he must maintain his own license to do plumbing work. He is also not registered to operate as a plumber in Ohio, which means he’s not a plumber." "Mr. Joseph (business manager of the local union) said Mr. Wurzelbacher could only legally work in the townships, but not in any municipality in Lucas County or elsewhere in the country."
A detailed article in Newsweek pointed out that, "Reporters working on profiles soon discovered that Wurzelbacher didn’t actually have a state or local license to work as a plumber in the Toledo area, and despite Wurzelbacher’s insistence that he didn’t need one, local officials and building inspectors in Toledo insisted he did. On Friday, those officials said a letter was being mailed to Wurzelbacher’s employer warning him to get into compliance with city codes or face the loss of the company’s license." Wurzelbacher's former employer, A. W. Newell, is licensed by the State of Ohio and the City of Toledo.
An MSNBC article further elaborated on the requirement for Joe to legally work, "...anyone working under Newell should have a journeyman’s plumbing license or an apprenticeship license, officials said." Local 50 of the United Association of Plumbers, Steamfitters and Service Mechanics, whose national membership endorsed Obama, stated that Wurzelbacher has not yet completed the apprentice program he began in 2003.
Wurzelbacher has since stated that he is no longer employed.
Promoting digital converter boxes
In November 2008, Wurzelbacher began to work with VelocityStore.com reminding people to convert analog television to digital. Wurzelbacher was hired to help consumers understand the digital transition through a series of videos designed to explain the changeover. In the ads, Wurzelbacher tells viewers that they can apply for a $40 federal government coupon for the cost of a converter box. Concerning the DTV transition, Wurzelbacher states that it "affects the public safety of the United States, so it's imperative that all Americans come together and learn all we can about the DTV transition."
Secure Our Dream
Since the 2008 U.S. presidential election, Wurzelbacher has worked with the watchdog group and website he founded called Secure Our Dream. Wurzelbacher has stated that the group will, "keep a check on both the Republicans and the Democrats for not only living up to their promises, but also not let them dictate to people how to live and spend their hard-earned fortunes." Wurzelbacher is also working with Secureourdream.org, a nonprofit organization, that will be a charity branch of the watchdog site.
Joe the Plumber - Fighting for the American Dream
In November 2008, Wurzelbacher started the promotion of his book Joe the Plumber - Fighting for the American Dream. Co-written with novelist Thomas Tabback and published by PearlGate Publishing of Austin, Texas, the book addresses Wurzelbacher’s ideas concerning American values. In particular, Wurzelbacher criticizes John McCain and states that he did not want him as the Republican presidential nominee. The book also describes Wurzelbacher's experience during the 2008 election and discussed various milestones that shaped Wurzelbacher growing up. In addition, Wurzelbacher offers his definition of "a true president." Also, Wurzelbacher refers to himself as "the most famous unemployed person in America." He also states, "I was and still am flat broke."
An advance copy of his book sent to The Toledo Blade, wherein Wurzelbacher revealed more negative opinions about John McCain as a candidate: "...the Republicans didn't put out a candidate for us to really vote for. It's the lesser of two evils. When you get to that level, you've compromised your principles, you've compromised your values so often and you owe your soul to whatever special interest group or lobbyist has padded your campaign finances and everything else that you no longer are your own man. So you can no longer stand on your own feet because they've been cut out from underneath you years ago."
Wurzelbacher said "Sarah Palin's absolutely the real deal. ... I don't want to say I felt a presence but she definitely had energy and she definitely went to work for American people, and it disgusts me on how often they try to bash her just for her sincerity. " He and Sarah Palin both made Michael Tomasky's list of "19 Worst Americans of 2008".
Commentator
In January 2009, Wurzelbacher took on the job of a war correspondent. From Israel, Wurzelbacher's reports on the fighting between the Israel Defense Forces and Hamas. Wurzelbacher works for Pajamas Media. His focus is on the Israeli experience of the conflict.
See also
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