EDHS Contemporary World Affairs

Danika · Veteran Member

psychedelic- You ARE Joe the Plumber!

cstair23 · Senior Member

i think this whole joe the plumber thing has gotten a bit out of hand
and if either candidate chooses to reference him i think it would polite (politically correct) for them to ask for joes consent

LauraHernandez17 · Senior Member

oh McCain, really? REALLY? oh dear goot. oh and becca says hes not even a real life plumber!
so take that McCain

KirstenHarms · Veteran Member

i think they should ask his permission. and yes i think they are using joe to portray the average american;but i'm not sure if this is the example that we really want.

JeremyNeff · Veteran Member

To me it just seems like "Joe the Plumber" is the new and improved "Joe Six Pack". A bit more personal and more politically correct because instead of having a case of brewskies he has a profession attached to his name. About his name: First, it would be different if they used his birth name and secondly "Joe the Plumber", we're told, isn't so much referring to this one man as much as to a whole class of people (namely, the middle). It's taken on a life of it's own. The legendary Mr. Bill Cosby might even say "J-O-E T-H-E P-L-U-M-B-E-R... it's alive!"

Codenamelivi · Veteran Member

if they ask to use his name, then yeah, but if not id think it'd get pretty annoying.

stuart denton

Janell · Veteran Member

I do think that Joe is being used to protray the average american but I don't think it is totally accurate. I think both candidates should move and not mention it anymore. Most people seem annoyed

nicholeoli · Veteran Member

yes, i think they should ask joe for permission because they talk about him soooo much. its only common courtesy.

drewtekulve · Senior Member

How many plumbers in the United States do you think are named Joe?

Although it was a specific individual that both Obama and McCain are mentioning, the point I am trying to make is that Joe is a VERY COMMON name. And that by not specifying his last name would make it alright without his consent.

Yeah yeah, it's specifying that he is a plumber, but then again, there are many plumbers in the U.S. than just Joe...

-- Edited by drewtekulve at 19:00, 2008-10-24

MrsCavalluzzi · Guru

Did anyone see Stephen Colbert talking about this very subject earlier this week? Discussing the campaigns' use of Joe the Plumber, Wendy the Teacher, Jane the Engineer, Bob the Builder...very, very entertaining TV...you can check it out here:

http://www.comedycentral.com/colbertreport/full-episodes/index.jhtml?episodeId=189050

but, shield your eyes and ears from any late-night basic-cable uses of audio and video that might be in poor taste!! :) biggrin

KSF{Kodies} · Senior Member

LauraHernandez17 wrote:

oh McCain, really? REALLY? oh dear goot. oh and becca says hes not even a real life plumber!
so take that McCain

To respond to this i would like to say that he isnt a licensed plumber, but he works for a company who has a license therefore he an legally work as one. and he is also in the process for his masters in that field. not that this is relavent to the point for which McCain uses it. McCain isnt using him to point of him being a plumber, but he uses him because his is middle class person who actually got Obama to admit that his tax plan would potentially hurt his "American Dream" which would be his buying of the plumbing company he works for. Small businesses would be in the percentile that obama wants to raise taxes on, therefore hurting that companies income, forcing them to lay off workers, because of this lack of income. A vast majority of employment is with small businesses and Obama openly admitted that his tax plan could hurt these companies. McCain has every right to use this, and as for Joe, he is out there telling his story so he evidently isnt very bothered by the media attention.

p.s. i would just like to know how this poor guy who went to a politician asked him a simple question, got an honest answer which revealed the truth of Obamas issue with his tax ideas,and some how he is the bad guy. One more point is the whole issue i have is irrelevant to this story, but what is up with the liberal media infatuation with Sarah Palin and the clothes she wears, it doesnt make sense that she is the only one of the 4 major party candidates who isnt a Millionaire and yet she is ridiculed for shopping in high end stores, how ridiculous of a story is that?!?!?

cstair23 · Senior Member

yeah kody!

krea · Senior Member

they are simply using him as a perfect example.

Beccawicks · Senior Member

Kody, Joe has come out and said that he's over this ridiculous media frenzy. I don't think he's an accurate portrayal of a typical American, because what is a typical American? We live in arguably the most diverse country in the world. McCain is using this tactic and over simplifying something. Because "Joe the plumber" is no more average than any of us. Average is in the eye of the beholder.

MrsCavalluzzi · Guru

KSF{Kodies} wrote:

what is up with the liberal media infatuation with Sarah Palin and the clothes she wears, it doesnt make sense that she is the only one of the 4 major party candidates who isnt a Millionaire and yet she is ridiculed for shopping in high end stores, how ridiculous of a story is that?!?!?

there also was tons of buzz about her glasses (http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/story?id=5744939 )...frankly, I think that EVERYONE in the media from both sides of the political spectrum is just so excited to see a politician that is fashion fabulous that it becomes a story :)

And, most female candidates/elected officials face fashion critiques...Hillary Clinton's pantsuits spent their fair share of time in the news, too:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/12/08/AR2007120801502.html

http://rawstory.com/news/2008/Fox__Friends_reports_on_Hillarys_0225.html

Is it really a gender issue rather than a political issue? Or is everything about a candidate fair game?

:)Cav the Teacher

-- Edited by MrsCavalluzzi at 19:05, 2008-10-24

drewtekulve · Senior Member

KSF{Kodies} wrote:

LauraHernandez17 wrote:

oh McCain, really? REALLY? oh dear goot. oh and becca says hes not even a real life plumber!
so take that McCain

To respond to this i would like to say that he isnt a licensed plumber, but he works for a company who has a license therefore he an legally work as one. and he is also in the process for his masters in that field. not that this is relavent to the point for which McCain uses it. McCain isnt using him to point of him being a plumber, but he uses him because his is middle class person who actually got Obama to admit that his tax plan would potentially hurt his "American Dream" which would be his buying of the plumbing company he works for. Small businesses would be in the percentile that obama wants to raise taxes on, therefore hurting that companies income, forcing them to lay off workers, because of this lack of income. A vast majority of employment is with small businesses and Obama openly admitted that his tax plan could hurt these companies. McCain has every right to use this, and as for Joe, he is out there telling his story so he evidently isnt very bothered by the media attention.

p.s. i would just like to know how this poor guy who went to a politician asked him a simple question, got an honest answer which revealed the truth of Obamas issue with his tax ideas,and some how he is the bad guy. One more point is the whole issue i have is irrelevant to this story, but what is up with the liberal media infatuation with Sarah Palin and the clothes she wears, it doesnt make sense that she is the only one of the 4 major party candidates who isnt a Millionaire and yet she is ridiculed for shopping in high end stores, how ridiculous of a story is that?!?!?

That deserves a [WHIP CRACK!]

Beccawicks · Senior Member

I think everything about a candidate is fair game. Republicans accuse Democrats of being gender bias and Democrats accuse Republicans of being racially biased. Frankly, if you are a fixture in the political limelight, then you are fair game. Do I think its ridiculous? Yes, but with our citizens generally not interested in the issues and the 24 hour news cycle, people need a story.

KSF{Kodies} · Senior Member

your right he said that he doesnt appreciate the media camped outside his home, and the back checking of his life, he isnt running for office, he has shown discontent toward the LIBERAL media, and the ridiculous negative attention he has gotten for asking a question. He has since appeared for many interviews and those are the times when he has spoken out against being stalked for the most part. And if he doesnt represent the average american, and that is in the "eye of the beholder" than how is obama running a campaign saying he will help the AVERAGE/Middle Class american. The truth is that there are many others out there that are like "joe" and this was a major problem that obama admitted to. And your right Joe isnt any more average than any of us, which is my point it would have been the same if Susan from Placentia, or Mike from Yorba Linda, or anyone else who is average and middle classes, would have asked the same sort of question.

alliestoom · Senior Member

uh, excuse me? i'm allie the astronaut.

kb · Senior Member

Please stop talking about joe the plumber! but they should ask, even though i doubt he minds

patrickisoverrated · Senior Member

How do the Republicans exploit the Democrats for being gender-biased when Hillary Clinton was one of the top 2 primary candidate?
God knows that if Hillary had become the nominee and Republicans picked on her for having expensive outfits, they would be both racist AND gender-biased.

Zach_V · Senior Member

I don't think the candidates need to ask for his permission. But I think they should stop using his name, it's gotten really old really fast.

LauraHernandez17 · Senior Member

KSF{Kodies} wrote:

LauraHernandez17 wrote:

oh McCain, really? REALLY? oh dear goot. oh and becca says hes not even a real life plumber!
so take that McCain

To respond to this i would like to say that he isnt a licensed plumber, but he works for a company who has a license therefore he an legally work as one. and he is also in the process for his masters in that field. not that this is relavent to the point for which McCain uses it. McCain isnt using him to point of him being a plumber, but he uses him because his is middle class person who actually got Obama to admit that his tax plan would potentially hurt his "American Dream" which would be his buying of the plumbing company he works for. Small businesses would be in the percentile that obama wants to raise taxes on, therefore hurting that companies income, forcing them to lay off workers, because of this lack of income. A vast majority of employment is with small businesses and Obama openly admitted that his tax plan could hurt these companies. McCain has every right to use this, and as for Joe, he is out there telling his story so he evidently isnt very bothered by the media attention.

p.s. i would just like to know how this poor guy who went to a politician asked him a simple question, got an honest answer which revealed the truth of Obamas issue with his tax ideas,and some how he is the bad guy. One more point is the whole issue i have is irrelevant to this story, but what is up with the liberal media infatuation with Sarah Palin and the clothes she wears, it doesnt make sense that she is the only one of the 4 major party candidates who isnt a Millionaire and yet she is ridiculed for shopping in high end stores, how ridiculous of a story is that?!?!?

i understand what your saying but the reply i posted was not very serious and i think most people got that. But as far as Sarah Palin getting critisized for having over 150,00 dollars worth of designer clothing and other stuff, but how many "hockey moms" have that? think about it.

KSF{Kodies} · Senior Member

"i understand what your saying but the reply i posted was not very serious and i think most people got that. But as far as Sarah Palin getting critisized for having over 150,00 dollars worth of designer clothing and other stuff, but how many "hockey moms" have that? think about it." LauraHernandez17

Even if you werent being serious, you were minimizing the issue at hand. and to your statement about Palin and her spendatures, how is that at all relevant to the campaign? the only arguement that you could have is that she is trying to connect with the "middle class/average american" and spending that much on clothing isnt close to the middle class. In the campaign they have people working for them who buy their clothes, and btw i dont see anyone barking over the fact that Michelle Obama wears designer clothing... biased much? But Sarah Palin does it and all of the sudden the sky is falling...

this leads me to think of other issues that have occured on the left that have gotten little to no media coverage, whether it be the UNKNOWN ties between Obama and Ayers, Rev. Wright, ACORN, or Tony Rezco. Michelle Obama stating that "America is a down right mean country in 2008" are these not relavent? And how much Sarah Palin spends on clothes is???

Somethingelse is scaring me with the Far Left Media, and thats the fact that if Obama is elected, we have a Democratic Congress, Democractic President, And A Liberal Media. Where will the checks and balances be? Will Obama show his true far left self and walk all over everyone because nobody will stop him. Just a scary thought i think. By the way Obama is the most Liberal Senator in the Senate according to his voting record.

-- Edited by KSF{Kodies} at 02:26, 2008-10-25

coolkidchaney · Veteran Member

There is no need to ask for permission if he not a liscensed plumber. The fact too is that it has gotten old really fast