The McCain campaign really should shut it down. They are embarrassing the whole process. Today they trotted out that loose cannon Joe the Plumber in an official campaign appearance. It backfired so badly that Fox News had to issue disclaimers.
Ouch.
Why? Why would the Republican candidate for president allow himself and his party to be reduced to this? Anyone reading these words could have foreseen a media tragedy with this guy. He is unhinged, and not afraid to show it. And John McCain uses him, and he comes undone.
Later Tuesday afternoon, Shepard Smith pressed Wurzelbacher on his comments, reminding the woefully misinformed McCain backer that Obama has consistently voiced support for Israel. Pressed several times to explain how he could agree with the conclusion that Obama would lead to the death of the Jewish state, Wurzelbacher was unable to come up with any good reasons aside from Obama's position in favor of negotiating with rogue regimes such as Iran.
"You don't want my opinion on foreign policy," Wurzelbacher said. "I know just enough to kind of be dangerous."
Smith seemed to agree with that assessment, implying that the only source for Wurzelbacher and the supporter's concern was "hateful things spread on the Internet." The host clearly worried that Wurzelbacher's endorsement of such a view might inspire violence against the candidate.
Why, Smith asked, would Wurzelbacher believe Obama was lying when he spoke of the importance of Israel's relationship with the United States.
Wurzelbacher was flummoxed. All he could offer was an appeal for people to "go out and find their own reasons ... go out and get informed."
If only the "plumber" had bothered to take his own advice before jumping onto the national stage. Smith, for his part, made sure to set his audience straight on the facts.
"I just want to make this 100 percent perfectly clear, Barack Obama has said repeatedly and demonstrated repeatedly that Israel will always be a friend of the United States, no matter what happens once he becomes President of the United States, his words," Smith said after the interview ended. "The rest of it, man, it just gets frightening sometimes."
Video can be found here.
Personally, I have always liked Shepard Smith, mostly because he looks like Stu Barnes. Today, I am applauding his courageous integrity. And I am wondering why in the world John McCain would allow things to go this far into truly pathetic territory.
I know, you will say that this is the only thing they have left. Wrong. They could have NOT gotten sucked into the Drudge Triangle. They could have saved some sort of dignity. But they didn't.
Why? Why have they allowed this most excellent election be tarnished by such a sad spectacle?