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A Friend Stopped By | 10/25/2008 8:20 am

Who Gives a ____ What 'Joe the Plumber' Thinks?!

Editor’s Note: A longtime journalist, Margo Howard went into the family business (her mother was the fabled Ann Landers) in the 1990s as Dear Prudence. Her broad experience and understanding of human nature provide answers for the troubled — and entertainment for everyone else. Click here to read her column on Yahoo!

A BIG Drudge headline blared the following: JOE THE PLUMBERSCARED FOR AMERICAIF OBAMA PRESIDENT.

Well, who gives a rat’s ass about what this man thinks? And what’s wrong with Drudge that he gives credence to this schmo? Is he our new expert on the body politic?

I, frankly, don’t give a damn about his opinion – for a lot of reasons. First of all, his name isn’t even "Joe;" he’s not a licensed plumber; he lied about belonging to a union; and he had no intention of buying a business that would earn him $250,000 a year. And assuming his name were Joe, that he had a plumber’s license, that he did belong to the union, and was actually considering buying a business that would earn him a quarter of a mil a year, I still wouldn’t place him in the category of people whose opinion merited ink. (And don’t you think that a guy who had been discredited in everything he said would be consigned to the rubbish bin of media-worthy bloviaters? Guess not.)

And secondly, that kind of "man on the street" crap is demeaning. It reminds me of how we used to refer to our Lab as "Alice the dog." It is, furthermore, condescending to refer to people with only a first name followed by their job description — especially so when done by a senator, or anyone in a superior position. Have you heard of anyone referring to President Bush as "George, the government guy?"

As for this clown making headlines on Drudge, it is ludicrous. I doubt that he even speaks for the odiously named Joe Six-pack. This is just one more example of the intellectual cleansing we have somehow been subjected to. Shape up, Matt Drudge, and find some more authoritative sources. And "Joe," go back to fixing toilets.

659 Reader Comments (so far…) Sign In or Register to comment

Tina Walden
Margo, my thoughts exactly. Fortunately the Media actually decided to put out the truth about the guy, including the fact that he owes back taxes on his home. Personally I’m tired of the people who make the least paying more in taxes than the wealthy or there being a cut off on income that doesn’t tax what they earn after a certain amount. My own personal opinion is that we should all pay a flat tax—individual’s and businesses with no exclusions. There wouldn’t be a need for filing income tax if you work, because it would come straight out of your pay. If you were a business, less paperwork because it would be a flat amount against your earnings—period! No deductions, no tax breaks, just pay as you go. You could cut the IRS personel by thousands, think of the savings. Only a few days left till the election, hopefully America will make the right choice and stand up to the smear tatics, lies and half truth’s. If we don’t the Country deserves what it gets, more of the same and a world wide depression.
By Tina Walden on 10/25/2008 9:50 am
Sandbee (FB) 54
Wouldn’t work because the wealthy get their money in ways that would not get the money taken out of their income (not earnings) and so would once again be coming out way ahead of everyone else. Otherwise I agree with you.
By Sandbee (FB) 54 on 10/25/2008 4:06 pm
Elisabeth S
Joe the Plumber” is another Rovian artifice, which must substitute for actual ideas and policies. The McCain campaign is devoid of an ideology, they are just jumping from device to distraction, because Republican leadership had been discredited over the last eight years. Witness the massive defections of respected and intelligent Republicans from the McCain camp. And so many others are ominously silent. I take this as a good sign that the nation is coming to it’s collective senses and understands that we are only going to get out of this ditch with some non-partisan common sense.
By Elisabeth S on 10/25/2008 9:51 am
Mommy Dearest
Ah, dahling Margo, I DO find it difficult to visualize you chatting it up with Joe - or any other - plumber, or caring what he thinks, for that matter.
By Mommy Dearest on 10/25/2008 10:11 am
Margo Howard
I actually have a very pleasant relationship with our plumber, Jim Bonos. We do, in fact, chat — even sometimes about politics. These conversations are quite good, as he happens to be an Obama man. And I care very much what he thinks … particularly about plumbing issues.
By Margo Howard on 10/25/2008 10:46 am
Lady Gator
Margo ——-How about “Larry the Cable Guy”? That I would LOVE to see.
By Lady Gator on 10/26/2008 8:38 pm
Margo Howard
And don’t forget “Bob the builder.” Neither one, however, is a part of a national campaign — nor should they be.
By Margo Howard on 10/26/2008 10:51 pm
BookMomma LibraryLady
Joe the Plumber” is from my area of Ohio; now he is talking about running against our long-time Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur. What joke!
By BookMomma LibraryLady on 10/25/2008 10:14 am
DeBúrca obj
Joe the Plumber” looks like a thug. I wonder if the GOP will give him $$thousands for a makeover before he runs for office?
By DeBúrca obj on 10/25/2008 11:50 am
Ms. Dee
I agree, Margo. This guy gives every plumber in America a bad name.
By Ms. Dee on 10/25/2008 11:12 am
Irish Eyes NY
VERY NICE LADIES (I USE THAT TERM LOOSLY) PICK ON SOME POOR GUY ABOUT THE WAY HE LOOKS, THAT IS JUST EXCELLENT, AND OH HOW LIBERAL OF YOU.
By Irish Eyes NY on 10/27/2008 5:22 pm
Patty E
The moment “Joe the Plumber” was brought up in the debate, by mcCain, even though the conversation was between Obama and ‘Joe’, my thoughts naturally went into clandestine thinking mode. I felt that’Joe’ was another one of those ‘McCain Shenanigans’…..and I still do. I don’t give a hoot about what McCain has to say these days, nor do I aspire to hear that Joe, now that he has tasted the ‘being important’ niblet, has desires to run for office—-a desire never before known to him….not until he learned how easy it was to deceive in public and get away with it, with applause! What is much more telling to me, is where the water has settled within John McCain….and Joe the Plumber apparently was able to recognize that too!
By Patty E on 10/25/2008 11:37 am
rocky rocky
You got me with the title of this piece, Ms Howard. LOL! But I wonder about your aspersions against names that denote a skill or craft. Well, that kind of naming has long been a tradition in some (if not many or even all) cultures. Examples (easy to find on the Web): Baxter/baker • Sawyer/carpenter • Chandler/candle maker • Clark/clerk • Collier/coal miner • Wright/construction worker • Faulkner/falconer • Fletcher/bow-and-arrow maker … and on and on I’m no linguist, but might Hayward, meaning fence keeper, be a variation of Howard?
By rocky rocky on 10/25/2008 11:56 am
Ky McQueen
This man is a joke! Who cares what this man thinks???? I will be glad when this election is over, so FOX news, MSNBC, CNN, etc…will stop talking about Joe the Plumber!!!!
By Ky McQueen on 10/25/2008 12:00 pm
Eddie Barrera
I have had enough of “Joe The Plumber” myself….(“Eddie The HVAC Tech”). I work for a national HVAC company, I am a license HVAC contractor, I belong to the union (Local 823) and my name is really Eddie. Since Bush and the republicans have been in office, I have had to close my self-employement business down (never made close to $250,000.00 a year), file for bankruptcy twice in less then 5 years, had to go to work for another company and work has been slowing down alot due to the Bush economy. We now need leadership that will work for the working people. And if I was going to buy a company that makes over $250,000.00 a year, I would strive to make more money so I would not have to worry about another 3% tax increase. Bring back the work and I will be more then happy to work harder. It is time to make this country a “blue collar” country again. “BRING BACK BILL CLINTON” I had great credit when he was in office. Now I can even get credit at my local video store.
By Eddie Barrera on 10/25/2008 12:12 pm