Fox News Snakes Joe the Plumber

Update: The Times Caucus Blog is reporting that Joe was a no-show for a McCain rally in Defiance, Ohio.

"Joe's with us today!'' Mr. McCain hollered at a cold outdoor rally at Defiance Junior High School. "Joe, where are you? Where is Joe? Is Joe here with us today?''

Nothing.

"Joe, I thought you were here today,'' Mr. McCain continued, with dimmed enthusiasm.

Still nothing. The crowd murmured.

"All right,'' Mr. McCain said, realizing that Joe was nowhere to be found. "Well, you're all the Joe the Plumbers! So all of you stand up and say'' – Mr. McCain was interrupted here by cheers. "I thank you. You know, I saw Joe on television this morning, he did a great job. And wherever you are Joe, let's give him a round of applause for what he has done for America.''

As Caleb Howe reported yesterday, Joe the Plumber, or "Samuel the PipeDabbler," as I like to call him, was scheduled to appear on BlogTalkRadio's "Are You Kidding Me?" last night. I called the show in hopes of talking to Joe, but the host, Tricia Cunningham, told me he'd be on later. I was looking forward to asking Joe about his statements concerning Israel, but the McCain campaign must have gotten wind of the fact that I was lying in wait for Joe, because he never showed.

Thankfully, Fox News' Shep Smith took care of it for me. Crooks and Liars has the transcript.

Sheppard: What I can't figure our is why, let's listen to this clip from earlier.

Q: A vote for Obama is a vote for the death to Israel. I'ss guarantee you that.

Joe: Well, you know what? I'll actually agree with you on that one. I agree with you. I really think that would be a problem.

Sheppard: Joe, do you know Barack Obama's positions on Israel?

Joe: Ahhh, listen, I know you want to really get some answers on this one, I'm just not going to help you out here Sheppard. Let people go out and find it issues....

Sheppard: Do you think John McCain agrees with you?

Joe: No, it's just my personal opinion that I've come up with looking at different facts. Listen, you don't want my opinion on foreign policy. I know just enough to probably be dangerous.

Sheppard: Well that's what I was kind of wondering. I wonder if you think it's dangerous at all for people to say a vote for Barack Obama is the same as a vote for Israel. If you think that's something dangerous for people to start believing because what happens if the polls are right and he becomes the President of the US and people start thinking this means the death of Israel. Are you worried what people might do if they actually believed something like that?

Here's the full video, followed, in the interest of fairness and balance, by Keith Olbermann's take, and my own commentary.





In this case, I think Olbermann is focusing on the wrong thing. Who cares if Joe the Plumber gets a record deal? That's just more money for him to whine about paying taxes on. Hell, he can't be any worse than Dennis Kucinich.

I'll get to Joe's comments on Israel in a second, but I wanted to address another takeaway from the Olbermann version of the Fox clip.

"Us middle class workers are out there working to support 'em so they can go out and be more vocal."

Is that right, Samuel? Are you supporting me, and my three kids, Samuel, so that I can be more vocal? Or is it the two jobs I work? And are you supporting me with the $1183.00 in taxes you didn't pay?

Wait, since I pay my taxes, and you don't, does that mean that I'm supporting you so that you can go out there and "be more vocal," and tell the world that electing Barack Obama means death to Israel? Please, Samuel, tell me how that works.

It was bad enough when John McCain presumed that the anti-union un-plumber spoke for all of "us middle class workers."

Fox News anchor Shep Smith asked an interesting, if overstated, question. Is it dangerous to stir up this kind of fear in people? What might people do if they really believed things like this?

Joe doesn't ever answer that question. Maybe he'll write a song about it.

Tommy Christopher co-hosts "Unusable Signal" , on BlogTalkRadio Tues - Thur at 9pm, and Fri, & Sat at 11pm. Click here for the Unusable Signal homepage.