Otherwise, you may wind up like Joe the plumber. He became a celebrity after John McCain mentioned him a dozen or so times, and so of course he drew celebrity coverage in the media. We now know, thanks to the ace investigators at the New York Times, that Joe the plumber isn't...well, might as well come right out with it, isn't a plumber.
He is Samuel J. (where the Joe comes from) Wurzelbacher, age 34, of Holland, Ohio, just outside Toledo, a single father.
But Thomas Joseph, the business manager of Local 50 of the United Association of Plumbers, Steamfitters and Service Mechanics told the Times that Wurzelbacher never had a plumber's license--required in Toledo--never completed an apprenticeship and does not belong to the union. It, by the way, has endorsed Obama. Wurzelbacher acknowledged, the Times reported, that he does plumbing work without a license. Goodness gracious!
The Times also reported that the poor guy owes back taxes--two liens, each over $ 1,100. One settled; one, with the state of Ohio, still outstanding. Oh, and the Times--wouldn't you know--found a tax expert or two who said that if Wurzelbacher took over the business--it's a two man show, he works for the owner--his taxes would probably go down, not up.
Wurzelbacher himself summed it all up: "I'm kind of like Britney Spears having a headache," he said, "Everybody wants to know about it."
I tell you--you see one of those candidates coming, flee.
Sent via BlackBerry from T-Mobile
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