Joe the Plumber's Book Tour Drawing Smaller Crowds Than a Jim Gilmore Presidential Rally

Maybe this guy should stick to country music.

Despite a hilarious website and national exposure as a journalist, DTV pitchman and government analyst, Joe the Plumber is slowly learning that Americans don't care about him nearly as much as John McCain thought they did.

Joe, who needless to say, has a book out, is on a nationwide promotion tour (one that arguably began back in October). And how's the turnout, you might ask? Well let's just say we think Joe would give his right plunger for the crowds Jim Gilmore or Tom Vilsack drew to their presidential rallies two years ago.

Here's an account from Joe's recent stop at a Border's in Washington, DC...

Joe the Plumber (no longer a plumber; first name actually Samuel) popped into our town yesterday evening to sell his new book and to remind people that he's still a plain and simple guy. Mission accomplished, on at least one of his missions.

About 11 people wandered into the rows of seats set up hopefully in the basement of a downtown Border's bookstore to hear Joe speak. Joe addressed them from behind a lectern and with a microphone, but that seemed unnecessarily formal...

Wurzelbacher was scheduled to speak and sign books for three hours, but the Joe Show was over in 55 minutes. Total copies of "Joe the Plumber" sold: five.

If the Washington turnout is any indication (and it is-- Joe's book is currently #29,753 on the Amazon sales chart), we're looking at man who's on his way back to plumbing.

Unless of course he manages to sell enough "freedom memberships" on his website where, for $19.95, users get the privilege of blogging with Joe on Joe the Blogger (site coming soon!), chatting with Joe on Joe the Forum, and receiving a 10% discount on all Joe the Plumber merchandise, such as this festive mini-plunger with Joe's signature on it!

Dear God this is depressing.

But we can still take heart. At least we haven't yet reached the point where a "freedom membership" grants users access to naked photos of Joe...

We emphasize the word "yet."