Real plumbers oppose appearance by Joe the Plumber

[Omaha Steve]

Source: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

By James O'Toole

Joe the Plumber was on his way to Pittsburgh today and union plumbers aren't happy about it.

Joe Wurzelbacher, the Toledo man who became a conservative icon when Sen. John S. McCain made him the offstage star of the final presidential debate last year, was to appear at the Green Tree Radisson Hotel at an evening rally in opposition to the Employee Free Choice Act, known to its detractors as card check. In a preemptive rebuttal, union officials gathered this afternoon at the headquarters of Plumbers Local 27 in Coraopolis, denouncing Mr. Wurzelbacher and calling for the enactment of the measure, which is designed to make it easier for unions to organize.

The dueling bouts of political theater were puzzling, however, as many analysts saw the bill as dead for this session of Congress after Sen. Arlen Specter's announcement earlier this month that he would oppose the bill. Mr. Specter's vote was regarded as essential for supporters to reach the 60-vote threshold needed in the Senate to overcome an anticipated filibuster against the hotly contested legislation.

snip: "The only organization that can rebuild the middle class in this country is labor," he said during the brief press conference. "We believe, this session, it will be passed and will be signed by the president."

Read more: http://www.postgazette.com/pg/09089/959354-100.stm

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Lets hear it for the REAL plumbers!

[sasquatch]

1. He's such a douchebag I can't even believe it

[TerribleLarryDingle]

2. Joe Who? The What?

Samuel the media whore non-plumber. What ever happened to Sam's connection to Keating?

[Ernesto]

3. I have couple of Union Plumber friends named Joe

I assure you that they think the idiot scab sucks!

[Kerrytravelers]

4. Isn't Joe - the - idiotic - pretend - plumber's 15 minutes over yet?

I thought the five people book signing would have been a clue.

[AndyTiedye]

7. The Repiglickin' Media Keeps This Going

When we're all sick to death of "Joe the Plumber" they will be satisfied that they have catapulted the propaganda to saturation levels as ordered.

[SpiralHawk]

5. Joe the typical republicon homelander

Lies about his name.
Lies about his career.
Misrepresents the issues.
Tries to exploit people to advance himself.

Why do republicon homelanders want America to fail...

[TheCowsCameHome]

6. Joe the one-size-fits-all.

And master of nothing.

[cliffordu]

8. We need to have a general strike nationwide to get this legislation passes.

[sandnsea]

9. Joe The Hardly Handy Man

We need to stop calling this guy a plumber when he isn't licensed or union.

[fascisthunter]

10. another fraud taking the name and credit for something it doesn't merit

well, it's not like the market sells much of anything but shit. He's one dingle-berry out of a bunch.

[ogneopasno]

11. Oh, Joe the SCAB! I was confused for a minute when the hed called him a plumber. Cuz he's not.

[we can do it]

12. Real Plumbers & Tradespersons Rock

FU sam the scab - hey PA you can keep him!

[Blandocyte]

13. Or as Maddow referred to him

Joe, who's not really named Joe, the Plumber, who's not really a plumber...

Hmmm... Joe The Symbol For Fake Populism? Joe The Liar?

Hasn't he bought that plumbing business he talked about yet? Oh, wait, he'd need to be a real plumber before he could do that, or so I've heard.

[No Elephants]

14. Not Joe, not plumber, sit down and shut up.

[RamboLiberal]

15. He got razzed in Pittsburgh

As Mr. Wurzelbacher characterized the labor measure as a threat to democracy, many members of the crowd of more than 100 cheered enthusiastically. But their approbation competed with calls of "liar," "pay your taxes," and a few more colorful words from the sizable union contingent that had migrated from a demonstration outside to infiltrate the audience in the Green Tree Radisson.

Mr. Wurzelbacher appeared unperturbed by the catcalls as the impromptu debates within the audience grew heated, though never violent, under the gaze of several Green Tree police officers.

Earlier, in a pre-emptive news conference denouncing the event, Thomas Bigley, the business manager of Pittsburgh Plumbers Local 27, said he was angered by the post-debate notoriety conferred on Mr. Wurzelbacher.

"It's definitely a slap in the face to every real plumber out there," he said, arguing that the he should be regarded as "Joe the imposter," as he is not a licensed plumber.

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/09090/959468-85.stm