Who is Joe the Plumber and what is his relationship to John McCain?
Joe Wurzelbacher — the Ohio plumber who became an instant celebrity when John McCain mentioned him 24 times during the final debate with Barack Obama — is a fake. He isn't even a licensed plumber, according to the National Enquirer.
The Enquirer reports that "Joe the Pumber" is not a member of the plumbers union, as he claimed to be. (The United Association of Plumbers and Pipefitters endorse Obama.)
McCain's Joe the Plumber is actually the son of Robert Wurzelbacher, who is Charles Keating's son-in-law, according to the Enquirer.
You may remember Charles Keating from the previous savings and loan crisis in 1989. He was the head of Lincoln Savings and Loan, which collapsed in 1989 at a cost of over $3 billion to the federal government. More than 23,000 shareholders were defrauded and elderly customers lost their life savings.
When government regulators wanted to step in, John McCain was among five senators who attempted to use their influence to stop the investigation. Why? Keating had contributed handsomely to all five senators' campaign accounts. He also sent McCain on a little vacation to the Bahamas, which was caught on camera.
McCain was reprimanded by the Senate for his part in the scandal. He calls it his "asterisk." Perhaps a better description would be the words McCain used to try to discredit his opponent: "Dishonorable." "Dangerous." "Too risky for America."
Here's a CNN/Huffington Post video report about the Keating Five scandal which was called one of the worst Senate ethics scandals in U.S. history:
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Comments
This goes beyond the pale. Examiner, you should be ashamed for publishing this drivel.
It looks like the one who should be ashamed is John McCain.
You have got to be kidding me!!! Your source on "He is a Fake" accusation is the National Enquirer??!! OH THEN IT MUST BE TRUE!!! Moron!!
You can't call it fake until you do your research. National Enquirer likes to exaggerate, but many media outlets are debating whether to expose this. Glad the Examiner had the nerve to put it out there for us to decide. Obama is compassionate about this presidency, lol, he never digs up all the dirt on McCain or pulls out all the skeletons from the closet. I respect him for doing that, and its a first in history to hold back as much for ethical gain. Hope everyone researches Wurzelbacher, lol. I knew he was lying when he first appeared. Crossing his arms, looking up and down Obama, and lying about his credentials. He's not licensed, make over 100k, or is close to buying a business if he owes 1200 in taxes. He should be ashame to publicize his arrogance in a presidential race. I just wonder if McCain knew before hand since they were separated by 3 degrees. The old politics of straight talk, straight face, but all straight lies has to stop. The trust is hard to gain after these political stunts, I'm going with Obama. He reminds me of MLK, Ghandi, or some other great leader. I can't believe people would not vote because of his race, think he's a fake, or read bogus reports and not research him. He has enough education to run the country and has more understanding of the future than most politicians. They will aid his success and help change not only the US, the whole world as well. Make sure you vote for that one!
It doesn't matter who Joe the Plumber is. The question he asked Obama was a valid question and Obama gave him an answer. Why is it that Obama doesn't spread any of his own wealth around. Oh that's right he only spreads it to people like Acorn. LOL!! Obamazoids are so completely brainwashed by Obama. The morals that this country was founded on are long gone especially with Obama. Obamazoids are too funny!!!!! God help us all!!!!!!
That wouldn't be the same National Enquirer that broke the John Edwards affair story would it?
The question was not valid. It was a distortion. Mr. Wurzelbacher mis-represented himself and his situation, which makes him a liar.
The evidence Joe the Plumber is a fake isn't just at the National Enquirer. Look here, they sum up the evidence well, with links to the sources.
http://www.ickypeople.com/2008/10/joe-plumber-is-mccain-plant.html
ellyn-
O.K. Let's stay on the real significance of "Joe the Plumber" -- i.e., who pays? Here's what I'm sick and tired of: Republicans giving tax cuts to the rich, running up record deficits, and then expecting the me, the middle class, to pay the bill. That's not just "spreading the wealth" from the bottom to the top, it's a scam. They did that once with Reagan and under Clinton we had to pay it off. Now "W" and the R Congress has run up deficits and once again, McCain is trying to leave us holding the bag. Never again! Obama's got it right. The rich got the tax breaks that blew a hole in the budget, the rich should pay to close it. There won't be money for anything if the middle class can't save, invest, and buy what we need.
I am not surprised. The Republicans have yet again tried to deceive the American people. They manipulated the political process to get W back to the White House and they manipulated evidence and intelligence information to go into Iraq. Barack Obama is one of the few politicians that has the common sense and ethics to lead this country out of this crisis. I call on all - Democrats and Republicans, to realize that Obama is the President we need to move forward and become the world leader that we once were. Both Americans and people abroad have lost respect for how the Bush administration has abused political power to manipulate the political process and pursue a war that has led us into this recession. Obama has demonstrated that he can manage to raise monies without getting into exorbitant debt - he has exhibited that he can run a financially sound campaign. He is resourceful. He knows the priorities that need to be set and how to take specific steps to get us back on track.
Uh oh! Sarah Palin better start smacking down McCain for his 'ssociations!
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