I knew Joe the Plumber was another McCain stunt. It was stealthily done, but it is starting to be obvious.
So let's all stay on top of this so this doesn't catch fire - and let it show the GOP for the liars that they are. They are itching for soundbites to use and they think they have one now.
But this should not and must not work. Not this time.
You all know that Obama talked about the audacity of John McCain acting like he is fighting for Joe the Plumber when he is all for giving tax breaks for the super rich at a rally yesterday. Basically, how laughable it was to act like the "average Joe" made $250,000 or more.
So Hannity led off his show today jumping on Obama for this with the dreaded out-of-context soundbite. The spin is now, Obama is mocking plumbers.
"A plumber is the guy he's fighting for."
(crowd then laughs)
"How many plumbers you know make a quarter million dollars a year?"
Sounds bad right? I mean, Obama mocking the average hard working American?? Terrorist!!
Except of course, no surprise here, Hannity took it all out of context. Essentially, lying. Again.
What really happened (he is talking about McCain):
"The fact of the matter is is that he is blowing a hole through the budget, on tax breaks that are the exact same kinds of tax cuts that George Bush offers. Same argument, same philosophy, that if we give more and more to millionaires and billionaires, that they prosperity is going to all trickle down to us somehow.
(crowd boos)
"And then he's trying to suggest that a plumber is the guy he's fighting for."
(crowd then laughs)
"How many plumbers you know make a quarter million dollars a year?"
Despicable - which is consistent with how the Republicans have run this presidential campaign. They twist, lie, spin things to make Obama sound evil, that he is the one who is elitist and it is McCain who is going to be giving the "average Joe" the breaks.
But again, this shouldn't work this year. Not this time.
But it might gain traction. And it is our job to stop it.
Already on CNN, they have an article quoting Obama out of context:
Since Wurzelbacher's rapid rise on the national stage, both Barack Obama and Biden have questioned his "average Joe credentials," noting most plumbers do not make salaries well into the six figures.
"That a plumber is the guy he's fighting for..." Obama said to laughter at a rally in New Hampshire Thursday. "How many plumbers you know making a quarter million dollars a year?"
Obviously, Obama's campaign is far from John Kerry's campaign in 2004. If this does manage to start catching fire, I fully expect Obama's campaign to put an end to it immediately. Keith and Rachel will be on it. This is not your older brother's Democratic campaign.
Still, if there is anything we can do to help to not just be on the defensive on this, but go on offense to throw this back in the GOP's faces as more of the same dirty politics that we can't afford, which could lead us to four more years of the same, let's do it.
Quit lying, Hannity. This is one independent you have completely pushed to the left because of your tactics. You and your ilk should quit trying to tell your audience that it is Obama's campaign that is in trouble when you resort to cheap tactics such as these.
Not. This. F@#*ing. Time.