McCain can't get Joe the plumber to show up on time
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Joe the plumber was Joe the no-show for most of yesterday.
Joe Wurzelbacher is a staple of the Republican ticket's attempt to label Democrat Barack Obama as something close to a socialist. Obama had told the Ohio man that with America struggling economically, it would be good to "spread the wealth."
But when John McCain called out to Joe at a rally yesterday morning in Ohio, he was nowhere to be found, producing a rather awkward moment.
The scene is already recorded on YouTube and being sent around by gleeful Democrats.
"Joe, I thought you were here today," McCain said, looking around before recovering to say, "Well, you're all Joe the plumbers, so all of you stand up."
Contacted later by CNN, Wurzelbacher said it was news to him that he was supposed to be at the McCain rally. Wurzelbacher and McCain did eventually get together, and appeared at a later event in Ohio.
FOON RHEE
Obama's infomercial takes back seat in ratings
Barack Obama's half-hour pitch to voters Wednesday night drew about 33.5 million viewers - fewer than the number who watched him accept the Democratic nomination and not nearly as many as tuned in to the presidential debates.
On an average Wednesday night, the seven broadcast and cable networks that aired the long-form ad draw a combined average of 30.3 million viewers during that half-hour,
Ross Perot's similar infomercial in 1996 on three networks drew almost 22.7 million viewers, Nielsen said.
Nielsen said that in the 56 biggest local markets, 21.7 percent of all households watching television tuned in.
By comparison, Obama's second debate with Republican John McCain was seen by about 66 million people.
Their final debate drew nearly 60 million, and the first debate 55 million.
The infomercial audience was also slightly smaller than the estimated 38 million who watched Obama's acceptance speech at the Democratic National Convention - a record for a convention speech - or the 37 million who watched Sarah Palin accept the Republican vice presidential nomination.
FOON RHEE
Diving into tricky waters, Palin talks security issues
While national security is not Sarah Palin's strongest suit, the Republican vice presidential nominee held a roundtable on the topic yesterday.
At its end she echoed John McCain's closing message that while the economy is bad, voters shouldn't lose sight of the threats facing the country - and can trust McCain far more than Democrat Barack Obama to meet them.
The Alaska governor met with Tom Ridge, the former Homeland Security secretary, Jim Woolsey, the former CIA director, and former Navy secretary John Lehman, among others.
"When your most valuable assets - from your home to your retirement plan - seem at risk, it may be hard to spend much time worrying about great troubles in far-off places," she said, but added: "The terrorist threat will be with us for many years, and millions of innocent lives are in the balance."
In a rally in Erie, Pa., Palin accused Democrats of planning to slash defense spending by as much as 25 percent.
She mentioned that her teenage son Track is in Iraq, and, addressing other mothers of military personnel, she asked: "What are we supposed to do, throw a bake sale? What are they thinking?"
Obama responded in Sarasota, Fla. "I will never hesitate to do what it takes to defend this nation," he said.
"From day one of this campaign, I have made clear that we will increase our ground troops and our investments in the finest fighting force in the world."
FOON RHEE
