Joe the traitor now flushing good friend John McCain

Maybe you remember Joe the Wurzelbacher, an Ohio plumber who so sincerely quizzed a campaigning Barack Obama on a Toledo cul-de-sac that his videotaped answers about the Democrat's damaging "tax cuts" attracted the opportunistic eye of Republican John McCain's aides.

Obama, apparently thinking Joe was genuinely concerned about the tax cuts' effect on his professed dream to someday own a small plumbing business, provided a full answer that included mention of redistributing wealth.

The GOP senator promptly took the occasion of the next debate to make Joseph an instant national celebrity as the ultimate regular guy (who's about 6-2, bald and a little behind in some taxes), opining on tax policies, etc., who'd be hurt by Obama's plan.

And McCain invited him to ride the campaign bus, apparently thinking Joe was genuinely concerned about the tax cuts' effect on his professed dream to someday own a small plumbing business.

And Joe got to meet Sarah Palin and speak at rallies to large cheering crowds and be interviewed lots of times like a real celeb. Perhaps that was a lot more entertaining than fixing plugged toilets. (And you don't need a license to do it.)

Joe seemed to really like the campaign. He said he did anyway. But now Joe's writing a book, or maybe a book's being written with Joe's name on it, that Joe says is going to analyze the 2008 campaign and his role in it. About time too.

So Joe's out promoting himself and the unfinished book already on Glenn Beck's radio show (audio tape below).  Don't tell Joe but, frankly, he's museum-grade history as far as 2008 politics are concerned.

But he's still out there talking. Joe admits he's a little more educated than other people about politics. So his insights are worth more. He finds Palin to be "the real deal."

But Joe says after talking with McCain in depth on the bus and quizzing him in depth about the bailouts that Joe doesn't like and neither does McCain if they've got pork though he voted for it, which Joe apparently doesn't like. Joe says he was "appalled" at some of the things he saw in politics.

Joe promises the Democrats are really gonna like what he has to say about the Arizona senator they already beat. But Glenn didn't tell him that part.

Joe said he felt dirty after being on the bus with politicians and wanted to get off. Glenn asks the obvious question: So why didn't you?

Joe thinks a second to find an answer, which Democrats won't like.

(Hat Tips to old pal Jimmy Orr over at the refreshing VoteBlog and the always insightful LittleGreenFootballs.)

The interview tape is available for bipartisan listening below.

-- Andrew Malcolm

Even someone as smart as Joe needs cellphone alerts on each new Ticket item; just register here. RSS feeds are also available here. And Amazon has Ticket Kindle feeds as well.

Photo credit: The Blade via Associated Press 

Comments

[Scott]

Backstabbing run in your family does it Joe? It is over, you are over. You are a traitor and nobody wants to read your "educated" rantings.

Jump on the Obama bandwagon Joe. You might be able to stay in the public eye for another week..........NOT!!

[joe schmo]

buzz off dum dum

[frank burns]

I would vote for a Palin/Joe ticket in 2012 hands down. Then let's see them liberal types running for cover once they are elected. Palin/Joe, 2012!

[Jeff Balla]

"We all know how much pork was in that $700 billion bailout."

Yeah we do, $840 billion of pork.

[frank]

Joe who?

[M. C.]

Man, what a tool. A snake. (Those are the same in plumber-speak, right?)

[trader]

The LA times are the real traitors to the US.

[pogomcl]

pubishing industry must be desperate to want book from this guy, especially when so many Trib ournos are on the streets now

[Mia]

What's the book going to be called--

"How Not to Pay Your Taxes, Campaign for A Vietnam War Hero, then Backstab Him so You Can Get Close to His Hot VP, then Pretend to Know Enough About Politics to Teach the Rest of the Country How to Be Cool, So That You May Milk Your Fame For All Its Worth"

But "Plumbing for Dummies" is a lot shorter.

[Alessandro Machi]

At the end of the day, Barack Obama had a lot more money (a significant portion arriving in umarked credit card payments) to throw at paid professionals, who generally weill be more loyal than volunteers who work for free.

Joe was a volunteer celeb, so of course he will not be as loyal as a well paid Barack Obama staffer.

http://www.DailyPUMA.com

[egret77]

Sorry Joe. You asked one sensible question and it made you a celebrity. But your personal and professional life is not stellar nor does it qualify you to give the rest of us advice. I won't be buying your book. My advice is to go back to being a plumber.

[silver dollar]

Hmmm...Joe may be behind in some taxes, but, he's not having to file for bankruptcy. I'm glad that his story is getting out, but what a smug and elitist delivery on the part of the editorialist.

[Kerry]

Funny, we that voted for Obama and could read through McCain and his ignorant rhetoric didn't have to be with him for awhile to read him and it's good to hear "Joe" the non-plumber to see the truth..Why didn't he just shut-up then, but no then he had to say Palin's the real deal...

What an ignoranus!!!

[Susan Clearfield]

Sarah Palin / Joe the Plumber 2012!

Enough with the phony Republicans like McCain!! Back to the base!

[Kevin]

I don't find Joe that objectionable. After all, Obama "found" him on the street tossing a football with his kid, and Joe was blunt about his answer. That it happened to suit McCain at the time didnt change the fact that Joe was just expressing his honest opinion. That he is equally blunt now about his experience with the McCain campaign is what one would expect.

What I find objectionable and frankly vaguely slimy, once again, about the LA times, is Mr Malcolms thinly veiled contempt, that media mandarin tone of "above you plebes out there" that once again simply does not get it about the rest of the US who are not of the chattering class of the elites.

Its Mr Malcolm who does not get it, and thats sad, because we actually do need newspapers to report facts. However, this election, and the aftermath indicated that the denial, and indeed, glorying in their "victory" of "meaning" over truth, an ends justifying the means approach to free press, will be their downfall.

This is why LAT, NYT, WAPO, the Tribune, NPR, ABC/MSNBC/CBS are going down the tubes. Like an alcoholic, the MSM needs to hit bottom, it seems.
Faster, pls.

[Grant]

Joe's not a traitor to conservatism! I voted for McCain holding my nose too.

[ryukyu]

No comment about how democrat government employees illegally accessed Joe's private information but you think this is post-worthy. Copy and paste, what a job.

[Joe the Teacher]

What moral illiterates some of you are. Joe the Plumber didn't owe John McCain SQUAT. Joe became a political symbol independently from the McCain campaign and he volunteered his services to John McCain. McCain owes Joe, not the other way around. Joe the Plumber doesn't owe anybody his silence. Give em hell, Joe. Morons.

[Carlos]

Joe the Plumber was doing John McCain the favor on that bus. McCain was using HIM. He therefore owes McCain no duty of loyalty and can therefore say whatever the hell he wants.

[Jake]

I am really becoming dismayed at the level of common people hatred people in this country have. It seems that if you are not a political elite---a member of the ruling class--- your politics are worthless.

Seems kind of backwards from what the States were founded on.

[Zellinator]

"Don't tell Joe but, frankly, he's museum-grade history as far as 2008 politics are concerned."

What does that say about a blog that continues to lavish attention on him?

[ron]

The author of this article and most of the comment writers are bizzare. How the hell is Joe Wurzlebacher a traitor? Traitor to what? To whom? The United Democrats of America?

This article is a complete parody of the Democrat/Militant Leftist mindset. If you don't share their politics then you are a heretic, a traitor to the one true cause.

It's pathetic. Shame on the author for insulting the English language with this mindless drivel. Shame on you mindless drones that parrot his words.

[Mike]

Hey Obamabots, your boy won and you STILL aren't happy. Of course given what's happened this month...........

--Saxby wins in a landslide, with an assist to Sarah Palin

--"Cold Cash" Willie, in addition to his already perfect name for a lowlife corrupt scumbag, gets tossed out in LA

--Blago the ethical

......I can see why you're a little PO'd. Why do you care if Joe W doesn't like John McCain? I thought YOU ALL didn't like McCain, make up your minds!

But actually I can see you lib-bots actually loving McCain, since he's been nothing more than an enabler for the dims and his campaign was nothing more than runnining interference for Barry. He'd only have been a pushover for (Can't)Reid and Pelousy anyway (much like Barry will be).

[JMT]

Joe is an idiot but not a complete one.

He knows that controversy sells & he's got books to sell...otherwise he would have spoken-up sooner.

Hey Joe, your 15 min's was up long ago...spend your time on getting your license to be a plumber.

[Slim]

Joe is milking what he can from his brief fame. I doubt he'll write a word of the book with his name on the cover. It's done all the time, it's almost de rigeur for anyone in situation. And any publicity, such as this article, can only help him. So even if you feel Andrew Malcolm is being mean to poor ol' Joe about the book learning and stuff, don't berate him in your comments, he's actually doing the Joe the nebbish a favour just by talking about him.

Let's just hope that Palin doesn't get the itch to be an author and shove herself back into the limelight in the cause of sales.

Palin/Joe 2012 ? LOL, good one! I can't figure out which commenters are serious and which just enjoy a good joke.