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Samuel Joseph Wurzelbacher
Joe the Plumber speaking in Elyria, Ohio
Other names	Joe the Plumber
Citizenship	United States
Occupation	Plumber
Employer	Newell Plumbing & Heating (A. W. Newell Inc.)

Joe the Plumber is a sobriquet referring to Samuel Joseph Wurzelbacher, an American plumber who was used as an example of an aspiring middle class American during the 2008 U.S. presidential election season. Wurzelbacher was recorded questioning Democratic candidate Barack Obama about his small business tax policy during a campaign stop in Ohio. He then received prominence when he was mentioned frequently as "Joe the Plumber" in exchanges between Republican candidate John McCain and Obama during the third presidential debate on October 15, 2008. After that the nickname was often used by the McCain-Palin campaign and the media as a metaphor for middle class Americans and to Wurzelbacher himself.

Encounter with Barack Obama

On October 12, 2008, four 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 Presidential debate on October 15, 2008, 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 his opponents' 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."

References on the campaign trail

On October 18, McCain told a Melbourne, Florida, campaign rally that he had phoned Wurzelbacher for the first time on October 17. McCain said, "He's a great guy, proud of his grandfather who served in the US Marine Corps. We're going to fight for Joe, my friends, we are going to fight for him. The question Joe asked about our economy is important, because Senator Obama's plan would raise taxes on small businesses that employ 16 million Americans. Senator Obama's plan will kill those jobs at just the time when we need to be creating more jobs. My plan will create jobs, and that's what America needs."

The McCain-Palin campaign's senior strategist Steve Schmidt said that John McCain's strategy in the final weeks of the presidential campaign was based primarily around his differences with Obama on economic issues, which they would continue to highlight through the story of Joe the Plumber.

After the final presidential debate, McCain and his running mate Sarah Palin frequently repeated the charge in campaign speeches that "Joe the Plumber" would pay higher taxes under Obama and Biden's plan, although according to tax analysts neither Mr. Wurzelbacher nor the company he works for would actually be subject to higher taxes under Obama's tax plan. Obama's "spread the wealth around" quote was later used by the McCain campaign, comparing the Democrat's policies to socialism. McCain said, " wants government to take Joe's money and give it to somebody else." Obama said in a campaign rally on October 24 that McCain was "not fighting for Joe the Plumber. He's fighting for Joe the Hedge Fund Manager... He likes to talk about Joe the Plumber but he's in cahoots with Joe the CEO." Obama then promoted a plan for middle-class tax cuts and "asked for a show of hands at the rally in the Richmond Coliseum from those making less than $250,000. Nearly all of the 13,000 people raised their hands."

Aides to the McCain-Palin campaign said on October 24 that they would "spend heavily" on a new TV advertisement invoking Wurzelbacher's nickname. The ad would feature "several different people looking into the camera and saying, 'I'm Joe the Plumber.' One man accuses Obama of wanting to use the man's 'sweat to pay for his trillion dollars in new spending.'" McCain also ran several other commercials with this theme.

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."

Plumbing career

Wurzelbacher told the New York Times 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. A 2007 Dun & Bradstreet's report estimated that A. W. Newell Corporation, the full corporate name, had $510,000 in annual sales and 8 employees.

An Associated Press article reported that Wurzelbacher does not have a plumber's license. Local 50 of the United Association of Plumbers, Steamfitters and Service Mechanics, which had endorsed Obama, stated that Wurzelbacher has not yet completed the apprentice program he began in 2003. Wurzelbacher's employer, A. W. Newell, is responsible for licensing issues; it is licensed by the State of Ohio and the City of Toledo, but not by Lucas County. According to Ohio building regulations, a plumber only needs his own license if he works independently.

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 Ohio's 9th congressional district. 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

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 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 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."

Ohio government database searches

Since The Columbus Dispatch reported on October 25, 2008, that “information on Wurzelbacher's driver's license or his sports utility vehicle was pulled from the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles database three times,” multiple state databases have been used to get information on Wurzelbacher.

In Ohio, state and local officials are investigating whether the accessing was illegal. Wurzelbacher responded on Fox News saying that, "It upsets me greatly, to be honest with you." John McCain responded later that day calling the actions, "remarkable." The Obama campaign responded that the access had nothing to do with the Obama campaign and that it should be fully investigated.

Currently, the attorney general's office of Ohio is investigating who used the government computers. Thomas Charles, the inspector general of Ohio, is currently part of the investigation. Also, Helen Jones-Kelley, the director of the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services, has stated that she approved a check on Wurzelbacher following the 3rd presidential debate. She stated that this was to see if he was current on child support payments and that there were no political motivations behind that decision. She "also checked Wurzelbacher in its computer systems to determine whether he was receiving welfare assistance or owed unemployment compensation taxes" according to The Columbus Dispatch of October 29, 2008. On October 28, 2008, the Columbus Dispatch reported that the inspector general of Ohio is currently investigating Jones-Kelley's approval of the search for information on Wurzelbacher. The Dispatch also reported that this was the fourth time it has uncovered the use of a state computer system being used to search for information on Wurzelbacher.

Toledo Police Chief Mike Navarre has stated that an internal investigation into why a civilian member of his department used a Toledo city computer to access personal information about Wurzelbacher would be expected to be completed. On October 28, 2008, The New York Times reported that, "the Ohio State Highway Patrol has identified a suspect in a criminal case involving illegal access to information in a state government database about Joseph Wurzelbacher." Wurzelbacher, who has contacted a lawyer, stated that he would, “like to see justice done." Julie McConnell, a police records clerk and police employee since April, 1995, has been charged with "gross misconduct." On October 28, 2008, the Toledo Police Department stated that hearing is due to be scheduled within the next 10 days.

Ohio State Rep. William Batchelder, R-Medina, has called for Ohio Governor Ted Strickland to place Jones-Kelley on administrative leave until the inspector general’s investigation has been completed. Batchelder has also called for Jones-Kelley to explain her agency’s actions in reviewing individuals who have been the subject of news stories. Jones-Kelly has responded to a letter from Ohio Senate President Bill Harris. In her letter she defended her decision to approve of the search on Wurzelbacher. On November 7, 2008, Governor Strickland placed Jones-Kelley on paid leave “for possibly using a state computer and e-mail account for political fundraising.” According to WYTV, "E-mails released by Strickland show Helen Jones-Kelley used her state-issued e-mail account to send names of potential contributors to the Obama campaign." Jones-Kelley was herself a contributor to the Obama campaign, donating the maximum $2,500 allowed.

Secure Our Dream

In an interview with Newsmax Media on November 5, 2008, Wurzelbacher stated that he is presently devoting his efforts towards the watchdog group and website he founded called Secure Our Dream. Wurzelbacher 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." The group's website is also used to promote Wurzelbacher's forthcoming book. On November 10, 2008, The Chronicle of Philanthropy reported that Wurzelbacher is also working on Secureourdream.org, a nonprofit sister orgainzation to his website.

See also

• Average Joe
• John Q. Public
• Mang Pandoy

References

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2. "Doubts raised on US 'plumber Joe'". BBC News. 2008-10-17. Retrieved 2008-10-29. Joe Wurzelbacher, 34, found himself at the center of a media frenzy on Thursday after "Joe the plumber" was mentioned 26 times during the final debate.
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30. Troy, Tom (October 30, 2008). "McCain finally shares stage with Joe the Plumber". Toledo Blade.
31. Shear, Michael (October 31, 2008). "John McCain and Joe the Plumber, Together in Ohio". Washington Post.
32. "John McCain In Sandusky Ohio". YouTube.
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59. ""Family Services checks on 'Joe.' Routine search part of policy, not politics, director says "". The Columbus Dispatch. 2008-10-28. Retrieved 2008-10-28. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
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63. "" Toledo police records clerk charged with misconduct in 'Joe The Plumber' info inquiry "". Toledo Blade. 2008-10-28. Retrieved 2008-10-29. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
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74. ""'Joe the Plumber' makes plans to take his politics online"". The Toledo Blade. 2008-11-05. Retrieved 2008-11-09.
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76. ""Joe the Plumber's Charity"". The Chronicle of Philanthropy. 2008-11-10. Retrieved 2008-11-11.

External links

• Full, unedited video of the conversation between Joe the Plumber and Obama

{{subst:#if:Wurzelbacher, Joe|}} [[Category:{{subst:#switch:{{subst:uc:1973}}

|| UNKNOWN | MISSING = Year of birth missing {{subst:#switch:{{subst:uc:LIVING}}||LIVING=(living people)}}
| #default = 1973 births

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• Living people
• LIVING deaths
• United States presidential election, 2008
• John McCain
• Ohio Republicans
• Plumbers
• People from Lucas County, Ohio