Seth
12th October 2011, 03:33
Remember Joe from the 2008 elections? Well, he's back:
http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/10/10/joe-the-plumber-may-be-joe-the-candidate/?partner=rss&emc=rss
Joe the Plumber May Be Joe the Candidate
By ASHLEY SOUTHALL (http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/author/ashley-southall/)http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2011/10/10/us/politics/10caucus-joe-plumber/10caucus-joe-plumber-blog480.jpgStephen Crowley/The New York TimesSamuel J. Wurzelbacher, known as Joe the Plumber, left, appeared at a campaign rally for Senator John McCain during the 2008 presidential campaign in Mentor, Ohio.
Samuel J. Wurzelbacher, better known as Joe the Plumber from the 2008 presidential campaign (http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/10/16/joe-in-the-spotlight/), has filed papers to run for a House seat in northern Ohio.
Mr. Wurzelbacher filed papers on Friday to run as a Republican in Ohios Ninth Congressional District, a seat altered in redistricting that will pit two longtime Democratic lawmakers Dennis Kucinich and Marcia Kaptur against each other in the Democratic primary. For now, he is the lone Republican in the race.
Roman Schroeder, a consultant to Mr. Wurzelbacher, said that the campaign was in an exploratory phase and that Mr. Wurzelbacher would make a final decision on Oct. 25.
People are looking for jobs, and theres a certain amount of desperation in this part of the country, Mr. Schroeder said in a phone interview from Mr. Wurzelbachers home. Joe thinks he can do a better job and wants to know if other people feel the same way.
Mr. Wurzelbacher, a suburban father, was anointed the proxy for the middle class during the 2008 presidential campaign after an encounter with the Democratic nominee, Barack Obama, in which he asked him whether his tax policy would hurt Mr. Wurzelbachers plumbing business.
Mr. Obamas answer was, essentially, maybe. He told Mr. Wurzelbacher that he wanted to spread the wealth.
The moment became a flash point in the debate over tax policy in the 2008 campaign. Mr. Obamas Republican opponent, Senator John McCain of Arizona, seized on the encounter as proof that Mr. Obamas tax plan would be damaging to the middle class. Mr. Wurzelbacher said he was concerned that Mr. Obamas plan bordered on socialism and later appeared on the campaign trail with Mr. McCain and his running mate, former Gov. Sarah Palin of Alaska.
His celebrity was quickly tainted by revelations that he was not a licensed plumber and owed back taxes. Analysts said the premise of his tax question was flawed. Still, activists tried unsuccessfully to recruit him to run against Ms. Kaptur in 2010. Though he passed on the run, Mr. Wurzelbacher reincarnated himself as Joe the Author and Joe the Motivational Speaker. He has also appeared on the presidential campaign trail this year with Herman Cain.
Mr. Schroeder said the Wurzelbacher campaign would use his Joe the Plumbers Twitter account, @JoeWurzelbacher. He also has a Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/TheRealJoethePlumber)
http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/10/10/joe-the-plumber-may-be-joe-the-candidate/?partner=rss&emc=rss
Joe the Plumber May Be Joe the Candidate
By ASHLEY SOUTHALL (http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/author/ashley-southall/)http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2011/10/10/us/politics/10caucus-joe-plumber/10caucus-joe-plumber-blog480.jpgStephen Crowley/The New York TimesSamuel J. Wurzelbacher, known as Joe the Plumber, left, appeared at a campaign rally for Senator John McCain during the 2008 presidential campaign in Mentor, Ohio.
Samuel J. Wurzelbacher, better known as Joe the Plumber from the 2008 presidential campaign (http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/10/16/joe-in-the-spotlight/), has filed papers to run for a House seat in northern Ohio.
Mr. Wurzelbacher filed papers on Friday to run as a Republican in Ohios Ninth Congressional District, a seat altered in redistricting that will pit two longtime Democratic lawmakers Dennis Kucinich and Marcia Kaptur against each other in the Democratic primary. For now, he is the lone Republican in the race.
Roman Schroeder, a consultant to Mr. Wurzelbacher, said that the campaign was in an exploratory phase and that Mr. Wurzelbacher would make a final decision on Oct. 25.
People are looking for jobs, and theres a certain amount of desperation in this part of the country, Mr. Schroeder said in a phone interview from Mr. Wurzelbachers home. Joe thinks he can do a better job and wants to know if other people feel the same way.
Mr. Wurzelbacher, a suburban father, was anointed the proxy for the middle class during the 2008 presidential campaign after an encounter with the Democratic nominee, Barack Obama, in which he asked him whether his tax policy would hurt Mr. Wurzelbachers plumbing business.
Mr. Obamas answer was, essentially, maybe. He told Mr. Wurzelbacher that he wanted to spread the wealth.
The moment became a flash point in the debate over tax policy in the 2008 campaign. Mr. Obamas Republican opponent, Senator John McCain of Arizona, seized on the encounter as proof that Mr. Obamas tax plan would be damaging to the middle class. Mr. Wurzelbacher said he was concerned that Mr. Obamas plan bordered on socialism and later appeared on the campaign trail with Mr. McCain and his running mate, former Gov. Sarah Palin of Alaska.
His celebrity was quickly tainted by revelations that he was not a licensed plumber and owed back taxes. Analysts said the premise of his tax question was flawed. Still, activists tried unsuccessfully to recruit him to run against Ms. Kaptur in 2010. Though he passed on the run, Mr. Wurzelbacher reincarnated himself as Joe the Author and Joe the Motivational Speaker. He has also appeared on the presidential campaign trail this year with Herman Cain.
Mr. Schroeder said the Wurzelbacher campaign would use his Joe the Plumbers Twitter account, @JoeWurzelbacher. He also has a Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/TheRealJoethePlumber)