Plumbing The Truth

I don’t think I could add any better visual analysis to Jim Young’s photo than the comments of Joe Wurzelbacher himself.

Joe the (unlicensed) plumber’s two money quotes to the NYT include:

“You know, I’ve always wanted to ask one of these guys a question and really corner them and get them to answer a question….”

“I’m kind of like Britney Spears having a headache.”

By the way, the extended quote on the first comment helps flesh out and inform Joe’s expression in the photo — squinty Joe in the white light and the earnest Obama literally in the dark.  From The Times:

“You know, I’ve always wanted to ask one of these guys a question and really corner them and get them to answer a question … for once instead of tap dancing around it. And unfortunately I asked the question, but I still got a tap dance.”

He added, “Almost as good as Sammy Davis Jr.”

Shades of Mark Halperin’s post back in March, Wurzelbacher’s intent to “corner” the celebrity tap dancer was motivated by racism.  If the McCain campaign had done it’s homework before tossing this guy into the national spotlight — and whether they did or they didn’t is a bit concerning either way — you’d think the chip on Wurzelbacher’s shoulder would have been pretty easy to flush out.

Joe in the Spotlight (NYT/The Caucus)

(image: Jim Young/Reuters. Toledo, Ohio, October 2008)