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MONDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2009
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 OPINION 
10

As a Reporter, Joe the Plumber's a Good Plumber

Would-be journo mainly full of crap

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(Newser) – In our YouTube world, "anyone and everyone can play journalist," but not everyone should, writes James Rainey in the LA Times. Case in point: Joe “the Plumber” Wurzelbacher. In his work for conservative Pajamas Media, "Wurzelbacher looks about as capable with a microphone and a tough news story as I do with a wrench and a bathroom mess," writes the veteran media reporter.

Though Wurzelbacher says he's “not a Republican mouthpiece,” his populism is shtick. Bashing the stimulus as tax relief for the “Hollywood elite,” he asked, “How many people does Hollywood put to work?” The answer is 250,000, which Wurzelbacher might have found out, writes Rainey, "if he had been doing more than throwing a hackneyed populist dart.”

Samuel Wurzelbacher, aka Joe the Plumber, in a house damaged by rockets fired by Palestinian militants from inside the Gaza Strip, in the southern Israeli city of Sderot, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2009.
Samuel Wurzelbacher, aka Joe the Plumber, in a house damaged by rockets fired by Palestinian militants from inside the Gaza Strip, in the southern Israeli city of Sderot, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2009.   (AP Photo/Moshe Milner, Government Press Office, handout)
Samuel Wurzelbacher, aka Joe the Plumber, backdropped by smoke billowing from fires caused by Israeli military attacks from inside the Gaza Strip, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2009.
Samuel Wurzelbacher, aka Joe the Plumber, backdropped by smoke billowing from fires caused by Israeli military attacks from inside the Gaza Strip, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2009.   (AP Photo/Moshe Milner, Government Press Office, handout)
Republican presidential candidate Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., listens to Samuel
Republican presidential candidate Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., listens to Samuel "Joe The Plumber" Wurzelbacher speak at a rally at Mentor High School in Mentor, Ohio, Thursday, Oct. 30, 2008.   (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
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Joe the Plumber plies his new trade in Israel, Jan. 11, 2009. The AP reports.   (AssociatedPress)

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He got his talking points from the Heritage Foundation, Cato Institute and Club for Growth and then had the audacity (or was it naivete?) to call those rock-ribbed conservatives and libertarians "bipartisan" and "neutral." - James Rainey

He fawned over a couple of GOP lawmakers who explained how the Democrats just love big government. He assured viewers that there's "absolutely no pork" in a Republican stimulus proposal. - James Rainey

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10 comments
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Caps
Feb 11, 09 10:16 AM CST
He had had his hour of fame, now go pay your taxes. Reply
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nick
Feb 11, 09 10:16 AM CST
Stop this man. The Republican Party should pay him to just go away. Reply
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sache
Feb 11, 09 10:57 AM CST
Someone has deep pockets to keep him hanging around. I don't know how many people Hollywood puts to work but we definitely have another actor on our hands. Meet Joe the Plumber acting as journalist. Reply
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IN RESPONSE:
Mr.C
Feb 11, 09 6:00 PM CST
:-)
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Shannonals
Feb 11, 09 3:22 PM CST
If I was ajournalist I woul be ahsmaed to have this hack running around Reply
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