McCain defends Joe the plumber

Senator calls him victim of attacks

MIAMI - Republican John McCain stood up yesterday for the Joe the plumber, saying that he asked a good question about Democratic rival Barack Obama's tax proposals and that he is being smeared in return.

Since McCain repeatedly cited Joe Wurzelbacher during the final presidential debate this week, his credentials as a working-class symbol have come under scrutiny.

When Wurzelbacher complained last weekend to Obama that his tax plans would discourage him from buying a plumbing business in Toledo, Ohio, Obama replied that in a tough economy, it would be good for America to "spread the wealth." But news reports on Thursday uncovered that Wurzelbacher does not have a plumber's license, owes back taxes to the state of Ohio, did not have firm plans to buy the business, and would probably qualify for a tax cut under Obama's proposal.

At a rally in Miami, however, McCain portrayed Wurzelbacher as an innocent victim.

"Last weekend, Senator Obama showed up in Joe's driveway to ask for his vote, and Joe asked Senator Obama a tough question. I'm glad he did; I think Senator Obama could use a few more tough questions," McCain told supporters. "The response from Senator Obama and his campaign yesterday was to attack Joe. People are digging through his personal life and he has TV crews camped out in front of his house. He didn't ask for Senator Obama to come to his house. He wasn't recruited or prompted by our campaign. He just asked a question. And Americans ought to be able to ask Senator Obama tough questions without being smeared and targeted with political attacks."

"When politicians talk about taking your money and spreading it around, you'd better hold onto your wallet," McCain added.

Others are also rallying to Wurzelbacher's side. There's already an online effort to get Joe to run for Congress as a Republican in 2010.

The effort's website says, "Joe 'The Plumber' Wurzelbacher is exactly what Washington D.C. needs in the US Congress. A future small business owner, check. Blue-collar perspective, check. Father, check. Real-world experience, check. Faith in the American Dream, check."

But real plumbers don't like Joe - at least the ones supporting Democrat Barack Obama.

"He's impersonating a plumber," Kevin L. Cotter, business manager of Local 12 in Boston of the Plumbers and Gasfitters union, said of Wurzelbacher.

About 100 union plumbers from the local plan to knock on union members' doors today in Portsmouth, N.H., to urge them to vote for Obama and US Senate candidate Jeanne Shaheen, a Democrat.

Joe the plumber is certain to be a topic of conversation, Cotter said.

Cotter's international union was the first to endorse Obama. Its local in Wurzelbacher's neck of the woods also plans an event tomorrow, timed with McCain's visit to Toledo.

"Actual plumbers will share their concerns with several of Senator McCain's proposals including his plan to tax employer-based healthcare insurance, his tax proposal which favors the wealthy over working Ohioans, and other issues that will impact working families," the local said.