TPMDC
Joe The Plumber On John McCain: 'I Don't Owe Him Sh-t'
Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) and Joe 'The Plumber' Wurzelbacher
Share
Send to a friend!
Samuel Wurzelbacher, the man better known to America as Joe The Plumber, is backing away from the man who made him the C-list celebrity he is today, Sen. John McCain. In an interview with Pennsylvania public radio reporter Scott Detrow over the weekend, Wurzelbacher lashed out at McCain, who turned Wurzelbacher into the mascot of his 2008 presidential campaign.
"I don't owe him shit," Wurzelbacher told the Detrow. "He really screwed my life up, is how I look at it."
Wurzelbacher also told Detrow he's no longer a fan of Sarah Palin because she's endorsing McCain's reelection bid in Arizona. Wurzelbacher, who's become an ardent support of the tea party movement and went to Pennsylvania to endorse a conservative Republican's gubernatorial bid, told a crowd of conservatives he was upset with McCain because he's "a career politician."
(Speaking of careers and politics, as Christina reported last month, Wurzelbacher charges a fee to campaigns for public endorsements like the one he made in Pennsylvania.)
"McCain was trying to use me," Wurzelbacher told Detrow after the appearance. "I happened to be the face of middle Americans. It was a ploy."
Despite his new feelings about the man that got him the moderate fame he now enjoys, Wurzelbacher said in the interview that "it's his duty to take advantage of the platform he's been given."
Comments (38) | Join the Conversation!
Leave a comment
Follow us!
Most Popular
TPM Stories Now Surging on Digg.com
TPM Top News
© 2010 TPM Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
freaktown
February 15, 2010 10:48 AM
i don't think joe the plumber is a c-list celebrity. i'd say he's more of a d-minus or f-list "celebrity"
Reply | Flag Abuse
Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?
rynato
February 15, 2010 4:00 PM in reply to freaktown
""McCain was trying to use me," Wurzelbacher told Detrow after the appearance. "I happened to be the face of middle Americans. It was a ploy."
No shit, Captain Obvious?
Reply | Flag Abuse
Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?
sammy baby
February 15, 2010 4:23 PM in reply to rynato
I guess the thing I don't get is, what the hell did he think was going to happen? I'm sure he was caught up in the excitement of the whole thing, but did he think he was in the running for a cabinet post in a McCain presidency? I just don't understand the thought process.
Reply | Flag Abuse
Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?
rynato
February 15, 2010 4:35 PM in reply to sammy baby
why would you presume there was any thought involved?
Reply | Flag Abuse
Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?
Michael A
February 15, 2010 10:50 AM
Funny thing is that this fool isn't even a plumber. Priceless.
Reply | Flag Abuse
Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?
JNagarya
February 15, 2010 12:06 PM in reply to Michael A
McCain is a "career politician"? I didn't know that.
I'll bet Joe the Dumder would pay any amount of money (if he had it) to be a career politican; he's already got the incoherent bullshitter part of it down.
He does have one asset (aside from his daddy issues with McCain): He rejects Palin (pro'ly cuz she get more per speech).
Reply | Flag Abuse
Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?
freaktown
February 15, 2010 1:18 PM in reply to JNagarya
is there any other kind of politician these days other than a "career politician"?
Reply | Flag Abuse
Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?
JNagarya
February 17, 2010 1:27 AM in reply to freaktown
Gad I'm fed up with you smug ignoramouses.
Read a legitmate history of the founding era and you'll discover that most of the Founders/Framers were -- guess what? --
CAREER POLITICIANS.
"Wealth is leisure." Jefferson, as example, owned slaves and had significant assets so he didn't have to work for a living. That meant he could afofrd to sit around on his ass and read and wirte and philosophize and pontificate and spew stuff that even he didn't ultimately believe.
It is only historical amnesia that pines for a past "Golden Age" that never in fact existed.
Reply | Flag Abuse
Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?
JohnW1141
February 15, 2010 10:51 AM
They're eating their young.
Reply | Flag Abuse
Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?
kevbo
February 15, 2010 11:39 AM in reply to JohnW1141
Referring to McCain as "their young" is really stretching things, don't yo think?
Reply | Flag Abuse
Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?
jonnienohands
February 15, 2010 10:53 AM
Waaaaaaaa!
Reply | Flag Abuse
Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?
EastWest
February 15, 2010 10:55 AM in reply to jonnienohands
Yep. Boo-fucking-hoo.
Reply | Flag Abuse
Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?
Sailormarlowe
February 15, 2010 10:55 AM
Joe ain't a plumber. He just likes to hang around public toilets.
Reply | Flag Abuse
Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?
SOS ICEBERG
February 15, 2010 11:00 AM in reply to Sailormarlowe
Speaking of which, are we SURE he's not Jeff Gannon? Have we ever seen them in the same room at the same time (or in adjacent stalls)?
Reply | Flag Abuse
Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?
semiotix
February 15, 2010 11:07 AM
God, sometimes I love American politics.
Let's review: Joe the Plumber, concerned voter, Obama tax-plan victim, thrust unwillingly into the spotlight as a McCain supporter.
Not named Joe, not a plumber, not registered to vote, about to get a tax cut, making his living as a performer, and now not a McCain supporter.
And yet he's actually still relatively authentic, amongst the various teabagger luminaries, insofar as he probably hasn't gotten around to hiring a staff to write his schtick for him.
Reply | Flag Abuse
Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?
GTFOOH
February 15, 2010 11:14 AM
Boy, does he sound wrenched!
Reply | Flag Abuse
Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?
Marinus van der Lubbe
February 15, 2010 11:17 AM
Why is he whining? I'm sure he got laid by some old dirty leg somewhere he was squeezing out his 15 minutes...
Reply | Flag Abuse
Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?
lousgirl84
February 15, 2010 12:15 PM in reply to Marinus van der Lubbe
Mornin'. Well get this. I heard Joe also said he thinks Obama has been the most honest of all of them!! So whatcha think of dat???
Oh my head hurts and with the news of Bayh my head is exploding. I think I need a vacation from politics and TPM
Reply | Flag Abuse
Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?
Marinus van der Lubbe
February 15, 2010 12:51 PM in reply to lousgirl84
LOL...no shit. I had to laugh when ol' Joe/Sam/Douchebag said that about Obama. Yes, I have to take a rest from this hooey on weekends. Must maintain a life....
Reply | Flag Abuse
Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?
dal20402
February 15, 2010 11:40 AM
Well, he's authentic Middle America all right.
90% of people I talk to outside of the DC professional world are just as incoherent as he is about anything political. And our politicians have to pander to them.
Reply | Flag Abuse
Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?
oskieoskie
February 15, 2010 1:14 PM in reply to dal20402
Um, so you think "the DC professional world" bunch is coherent in matters political?
If 90 percent of the folks you talk to outside the Beltway sound like JTP, you need to get out more. And talk to different folks.
Reply | Flag Abuse
Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?
Knothead Jake
February 15, 2010 11:45 AM
It's funny that even though he's not a plumber he still keeps on topic by saying "I don't owe him sh*t". Still workin that plumber angle. Only in America can a grifter like him and Sarah pull in dollars from pinheads.
Reply | Flag Abuse
Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?
JNagarya
February 15, 2010 12:09 PM in reply to Knothead Jake
Imagine: were this a sane country, Joe the Plumber would either be a plumber, or wouldn't be allowed to lie that he is.
Reply | Flag Abuse
Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?
tchamp77
February 15, 2010 12:23 PM
Who is Christina? I know the answer but why should you assume everyone does? At least give her a last name...
Reply | Flag Abuse
Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?
labman57
February 15, 2010 12:24 PM
Joe the "P" attempted to capitalize on his "15 minutes" of celebrity status, but he lacked the intellect, talent, and charisma necessary. So of course, Mr. tax evading, unlicensed plumber now blames others for his own failures.
But he is correct on two points -- McCain's use of him WAS a political ploy, and Sarah Palin definitely lacks sound judgement.
Reply | Flag Abuse
Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?
rynato
February 15, 2010 1:37 PM
Bitter, party of one.
Reply | Flag Abuse
Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?
Marinus van der Lubbe
February 15, 2010 10:22 PM in reply to rynato
Well said.
Reply | Flag Abuse
Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?
scrutiny
February 15, 2010 1:45 PM
Evan -- I think you need to correct your reference to Christina's earlier story. That story does *not* claim that "Joe" charges a fee for an endorsement, only that he had charged a wingnut campaign for reimbursement of travel expenses he had incurred in support of the campaign. That's a huge difference. In fact, I would be surprised if anyone did *not* seek reimbursement of those expenses; it's only reasonable.
"Joe" the "Plumber" is plenty comical enough without adding fictitious offenses to his resume. Thanks.
Reply | Flag Abuse
Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?
we r all husseins
February 15, 2010 2:17 PM
From Labman57:
Sounds like a true conservative to me.
And this bit from the article:
Only took him a year and a half to figure that out, which puts him way ahead of the Evangelicals who, to this day, think George Bush is going to make gay marriage illegal.
Reply | Flag Abuse
Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?
KenInTenn
February 15, 2010 2:22 PM
This is really strange. Just yesterday I woke up wondering, "Whatever happened to Joe the Plumber?" I wonder what he thinks about the underpants bomber, a deficit commission and Iranian sanctions. And why haven't we heard on these topics from Lynn Cheney lately either? Am I th only one missing their valuable viewpoints?
I certainly hope so.
Reply | Flag Abuse
Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?
GTFOOH
February 15, 2010 3:27 PM
This is what I love about politicians hooking up with folks like tea partiers. At some point the kooks will turn and bite them in the ass.
Reply | Flag Abuse
Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?
mgardener
February 15, 2010 3:36 PM
Typical Republican, blaming others for his own state of affairs.
He could of faded into oblivion, but he chose to be used for his 15 min. Now because he is uneducated and has nothing to offer anybody, this is some how's McCain's fault.
Sit down and shut up!!!!
Reply | Flag Abuse
Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?
jonez
February 15, 2010 4:33 PM
actually, he owes the President. If Obama had not stopped to talk to him, we wouldn't know this clown at all.
Reply | Flag Abuse
Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?
bluesplashy
February 15, 2010 7:18 PM
Does he still work for that PJ gang?
Reply | Flag Abuse
Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?
VexSmith
February 15, 2010 10:15 PM
McCain's people blundered with this "everyman." It could have been worse: this outburst could just as easily have happened during the campaign.
Reply | Flag Abuse
Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?
NobleCommentDecider
February 15, 2010 10:57 PM
No birthday cake for Joe!
Reply | Flag Abuse
Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?
DB55
February 16, 2010 1:57 AM
Poor Joey! He got to write a book, do infomercials for digital TV conversion kits, travel to Israel as a foreign correspondent (really!), and is now charging money for political endorsements. All this - and his name isn't Joe, and he's not a real plumber. Ah, what happened to simple human gratitude these days?
Reply | Flag Abuse
Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?
BaileyWu
February 16, 2010 4:01 AM
You can walk into any bar or construction shack and here this guy's blather for free. He's a prime example of why plumbers should never bit their nails.
Reply | Flag Abuse
Are you sure this comment violates TPM's Terms of Service?