Samuel Joseph Wurzelbacher, better known as Joe the Plumber, has turned the election on its ear and has become a symbol of  Sen. John McCain’s base.  By confronting Sen. Barack Obama on his policies in a homegrown way, he’s managed to put a face on undecideds and Obama-detractors. Pundits and pollsters seem to agree: Joe the Plumber has helped the McCain campaign stay relevant, and he could quite possibly win McCain the election.

It doesn’t seem to matter to those folks that since Joe’s rise he’s been exposed as a phony. He’s been faking the funk on so many different levels including the fact that he’s not a business owner, he doesn’t make $250K a year and he’s not even a licensed plumber—just an apprentice. No, what seems to matter most to McCain supporters is that he looks like them, talks like them and displays their same level of political ignorance.

By being unafraid to say he doesn’t trust Obama, he’s become McCain’s side kick, and a movement unto himself, having secured a publicist and possibly even a book deal. There have been talks of the Palin affect and the Obama affect — what about The Plumber affect? Why does everyone seem to think this cat can derail the Obama campaign and solidify a win for McCain?

At this point, is there anything Obama should do about this dude? And if so, what?  Tell us here.

Images courtesy of thage.com

(*The views contained herein are solely the views of their respective authors, and do not express the views of TV One.  TV One does not take responsibility for their content.)

Sen. Barack Obama’s prime time message last night was more than a last-minute, long-form political ad: it was his last opportunity to deal with all the rumors and rhetoric and crystallize his message into a nugget the electorate can take with them into the voting booth. The special was well-done and theatrical at times, emotional and tear-jerking in some places, like the chief battle-ground states, where the polls are reporting a surge of Obama support. He needed this time I think, and smart money would have put Sen. John McCain right after him or a night ahead or behind in the same slot. Instead, the McCain campaign is squeezing sour grapes and trying to figure out how to stop Obama’s momentum. I think last night was Obama’s last chance to make a convincing, emotional closing argument, and he did just that.

Here in the state of Ohio, Jay-Z and Lebron James hosted an event to support Obama, and the audience was rapt at attention, watching the program before Hova gave a free concert. Yes, I think Obama is making a hard press to the hole, as he should, and McCain can’t stop the rush. He is being out-gunned, out-spent, out-thought and out-done at every turn. But the election is not in the bag by a long shot. Stranger things happen than popular candidates losing the race. Obama did a good job of convincing his base to stay the course, all the way into the election booth, and make a difference. What do you think?

How did Obama’s prime-time special affect the race for president?  Tell us here.

Images courtesy of slashfilm.com.
 
(*The views contained herein are solely the views of their respective authors, and do not express the views of TV One.  TV One does not take responsibility for their content.)