Joe the Plumber: Most talked about tradesman in US

HE WAS just an ordinary Joe, now he is the most talked about tradesman in America.

Joe Wurzelbacher’s name was not only raised 26 times in the final presidential debate, yesterday he hosted a political news conference outside his house.

And all because “Joe the Plumber” asked a question of Barack Obama’s tax policy during a weekend walkabout and was told if he earned more than $250,000 a year he would be asked to “spread the wealth around”.

John McCain used the comment to bash the Democratic candidate as a brooding socialist. And rather than scrambling for facts and soundbites after the candidate’s final debate, the media swarmed to Ohio where Wurzelbacher was watching.

CBS television’s Katie Couric talked to Joe shortly after the debate.

Although he professed to being undecided he said McCain would be better for him and Obama danced around his question like “Sammy Davis Junior”.

Yesterday morning the remainder of the nation’s media had Joe in their sights and he facilitated them with a press conference where he said he was “flabbergasted” his plight drew more attention than the Iraq war. He also said he hoped he did not make a fool of himself.