'Joe The Plumber' Strikes Back

In an appearance on former Republican Presidential candidate Mike Huckabee's Fox News talk show, Samuel "Joe The Plumber" Wurzelbacher tries to remind the voracious media what the fuss should have been all about.

Samuel Joseph Wurzelbacher and his son were just tossing a football around in front of his home in Holland, Ohio last weekend when fate dealt him that back handed slap in the face, and Barack and his campaign walked into his neighbourhood to do some glad-handing. Now, who wouldn't want to take an opportunity to ask a presidential candidate a question, so Wurzelbacher did and that's when "Joe the Plumber"'s (as Obama so dubbed him) fifteen minutes of fame began. Wurzelbacher walked up to Obama, simply asked a question about his tax policy and the Democratic Presidential candidate, at the end of his response, said the following: "And I think, when you spread the wealth around, it's good for everybody." The right, immediately pounced on those four little words (as Huckabee described them) "spread the wealth around" and in the ensuing firestorm, Joe the Plumber's rep has grown to epic proportions. He has had over 100 media representatives camped out at his home, and in his own words "now I can't work, now I can't do a lot of different things". In a classic case of trash the messenger to distract from the message, the media has pulled out the stops and gone for the throat of an average working man who simply asked a question.

You know, I asked a question, uh, you know, when you can't ask a question of your leaders any more, that gets scary.

We've heard about Joe's unpaid back taxes, liens on his property, and how he isn't a licensed plumber in the county he lives in. Honestly, how long is it before we hear from an old girlfriend about some sexual deviancy? After reading all the news being printed about himself, Joe said: "I felt about that small," he said. "I mean I really did.", gesturing with his thumb and first finger about an inch apart. I'll bet Mr. Wurzelbacher's wishing that his 15 minutes surely must be up by now.

I'm sure Obama has sacrificed some things in his life to get where he's at. To use me to go a little further, I am a very small step ladder. I mean don't go try to use me.

Remember, Joe the Plumber never claimed to make 250K, he simply asked a question if he bought the business from his boss and would make over 250K would his taxes go up under Barack Obama's plan. Now, really, here is the point. Yes, in the hypothetical case where Joe The Plumber bought a business and made $280K, his taxes would go up and Barack Obama said just that. Yes your taxes would go up. He also said that he would take those extra taxes and "spread" it around. You are welcome to take that as you will.