Wednesday, October 15, 2008

Joe the plumber

Joe the plumber. Joe the plumber. Joe the plumber.

Or is it Joe the Plumber?

As the son and grandson of tilemen, I note the patronizing way in which a tradesman was just made part of our political discourse. (He must be Joe Six-Pack's cousin.)

[Context: the final presidential debate, underway.]

[Update, October 16: The New York Times reports that Joe's first name is Samuel and that he's not a licensed plumber.]

comments: 6

Slywy said...

As an individualist, I hate the "Joe Sixpack" references, like every working man is an unthinking beer swiller. My dad certainly wasn't.

But I'm not watching the debate.

Crritic! said...

Whenever I hear "Joe Sixpack" I just think of someone who goes to the gym a lot.

Anonymous said...

If McCain wasn't several decades removed from having young children, I suspect he would have slipped up and said Bob the Builder.

Michael Leddy said...

Same here, Slywy. When I see the Michelob commercials about a "lace cathedral" or "cathedral-like lace" or whatever it is on the side of a glass, I have to wonder what's becoming of Joe S.

Sean, I wonder if that's another common use of the term.

Pete, thanks for Bob. I knew there was something familiar about that phrasing, but I didn't realize what it was.

speculator said...

Remember the Comet cleanser spokeswoman, Josephine the Plumber ?

Michael Leddy said...

Now I do! Thanks, Speculator. Maybe Josephine / Jane Withers can endorse Barack Obama.