Article published October 29, 2008
'Joe' publicly backs GOP ticket
Plumber draws support, ire at appearances for McCain
Samuel 'Joe the Plumber' Wurzelbacher of Springfield Township toured central and southern Ohio to support John McCain.
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COLUMBUS DISPATCH
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By STEVE EDER and JIM PROVANCE
BLADE STAFF WRITERS
CINCINNATI - For two weeks, Samuel "Joe the Plumber" Wurzelbacher has been the centerpiece of John McCain's campaign for president.
But until yesterday, Mr. McCain, the GOP nominee for president, didn't have the official endorsement of the northwest Ohioan thrust into the spotlight after his impromptu interrogation of Barack Obama and his tax policies - causing the Democratic nominee to utter the phrase: "spread the wealth."
Mr. Wurzelbacher, 34, of Springfield Township zig-zagged central and southern Ohio yesterday, campaigning for Mr. McCain, whom Mr. Wurzelbacher repeatedly called "a real American." He said he withheld his blessing of Mr. McCain and Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin until yesterday because of the personal nature of his decision, but he believed it was his "civic duty" to make his intentions known.
"I am an informed person. I did my homework. I know what I believe in," Mr. Wurzelbacher said after speaking to volunteers at the Hamilton County campaign office in Cincinnati last night. "I align myself with Senator McCain and Governor Palin. I believe they are more for middle-class America than what the other side would be."
Mr. Wurzelbacher - who spent the day traveling by bus with Rob Portman, a former GOP congressman and former U.S. trade representative, and a number of small business owners - visited The Flag Lady's Flag Store in Columbus, the Dublin Pub in downtown Dayton, S&S Pools in Middletown, Hermann's Florist in Milford, and GOP offices in Cincinnati. Throughout the day, he met with crowds ranging from 30 to 150 people.
He encouraged everyone to vote and become informed on the issues, while voicing his support for Mr. McCain and criticizing Mr. Obama's tax plans.
"The more and more I hear about Senator Obama, the more and more I get scared for America," said Mr. Wurzelbacher, who posed for dozens of pictures and signed numerous autographs.
Isaac Baker, a spokesman for Mr. Obama, said Mr. McCain's campaign has "nothing left but desperate attacks."
"But the facts are the facts: Barack Obama is the candidate who is standing up for the middle class, has a plan to turn our economy around, and will give Joe the Plumber and 95 percent of working families a tax cut," Mr. Baker said.
Two weeks ago, Mr. Wurzelbacher became an instant celebrity when he asked Mr. Obama about his plan to raise taxes on those earning more than $250,000 while promising tax cuts to the other 95 percent of Americans. Mr. Obama was in the Toledo area preparing for his final debate with Mr. McCain.
The employee of a plumber's business said Mr. Obama's policy could hurt him if he someday pursues his dream of buying a plumbing business, something he's not currently close to doing.
"It's not that I want to punish your success," Mr. Obama told him. "I just want to make sure that everybody that is behind you, that they have a chance for success too. I think that when you spread the wealth around, it's good for everybody."
He briefly strayed from the taxation issues addressed repeatedly on his tour when he endorsed a statement made by a member of the audience in Columbus that "a vote for Obama is a vote to the death of Israel."
"I agree with you," he said. "I really think that would be a problem."
After the Columbus event, Mr. Portman shook his head no when asked afterward if he agreed that support for Mr. Obama was support for "death to Israel." He noted that the man who originally made the comment was not associated with the campaign.
The man had identified himself as a Jewish senior citizen.
Later, in Milford, Ohio, Mr. Wurzelbacher reinforced his statements on Israel when questioned by reporters.
"I came to that opinion by hard work, actually, by reading books, reading Internet, finding out information. That's my opinion," Mr. Wurzelbacher said, adding that it would take 15 minutes to explain why he feels Mr. Obama's presidency would be harmful to Israel.
In Middletown, Mr. Wurzelbacher responded to a question from a Pakistani journalist about President Bush's record by commending the outgoing president on national security.
"Well, I feel safer," he said. "I thank President Bush for making sure that we are safe and we haven't had any more attacks."
Protesters also looked to derail Mr. Wurzelbacher from his message yesterday. In Milford, a man screamed "liar" as Mr. Wurzelbacher spoke, referring to back taxes owed by the plumber. Motorists on Main Street in Milford rolled down their windows to shout "Obama" as they passed the outdoor rally.
Mr. Wurzelbacher said yesterday he's considering a lawsuit over the fact that government workers apparently have searched some records pertaining to him.
"I have contacted a lawyer," he said yesterday in Columbus.
"Other than that, that's as far as I've gone with it," he said. "I'd like to see justice done. That's just for other people who dare ask their elected officials a question. They shouldn't have to go through the scrutiny that I've gone through. It shouldn't have to bother their families the way it's bothered my family."
Investigations are under way into why child support, driver's license, vehicle registration, and other computer records pertaining to Mr. Wurzelbacher had been accessed after he was thrust into the political limelight.
Contact Steve Eder at:
seder@theblade.com
or 419-304-1680.
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