Jon Chait makes the case against the media scrutiny of Joe Wurzelbacher:
Running with thinly-sourced or unconfirmed allegations about Wurzelbacher’s personal life–his financial records, his license situation, his marriage–goes too far. Wurzelbacher doesn’t seem particularly skittish about speaking his mind or getting attention for it. But there’s no way he could be prepared for the kind of scrutiny that comes with being the political world’s most famous talking point.
As a result, writers should allow Wurzelbacher a bit more privacy than they would the typical public figure. And when printing anything that touches on his personal life, even remotely, they should be sure to confirm it first. So far, it seems, writers haven’t always done that.
This, it seems, is especially true given the fact that Wurzelbacher’s fame is entirely of someone else’s making. If John McCain hadn’t mentioned him by name during the debate last week, nobody would know who this guy was. Instead, less than twelve hours after the debate concludes, there are media trucks in front of his home on a 24 hour vigil and he’s being interviewed by everyone from Neil Cavuto to Diane Sawyer.
Is Wurzelbacher enjoying the attention ? Sure he is, and which one of us wouldn’t if given the opportunity ?
That doesn’t mean that he needs or deserves to be the subject of endless media scrutiny or that his personal life should be endlessly talked about on the cable news networks. There are more important issues in this election that whether or not Joe The Plumber has a license that, under Ohio law, he doesn’t even need.
So let’s move on.
H/T: Ross Douthat
It’s not that I want to punish your success; it’s just that while you’re out working hard, we’ve got people … who don’t have any money. Now, if you take 16, and divide it by 32, add 9, and square it by the root of the hypotenuse, ah you’ll pay less with my tax plan. Don’t quote me on that, um you might pay a little more; that is unless of course you divide by 6, add 8, and subtract 3. Now ten years ago, if you’d been enrolled under my plan … is it hot out here?
But thanks for the question. Say, I’ve got to get out of here. I’ve got a debate to prepare for. Hey, I respect what you do. Anyway, how many plumbers do you know who make a quarter-million dollars a year? (My plumber does.) Now if Joe the Plumber’s employer gets overtaxed, Joe might lose his job. But for the job Obama wants, he’s got to do more than tackle the local plumber. And, so far he hasn’t done that. Yea unto the Democrats: the plumbers givith, and the plumbers taketh away, amen. What is past is prologue: http://theseedsof9-11.com
All due respect to Joe. . but he has become the latest distraction in this election. It seems like the closer we get to voting the less people talk about the issues that are important to the future of the country. . .like the economy.
Regardless of who is elected president, the next President has to make the economy his first priority. . I signed this petition to the 44th President. .
http://friendsoftheuschamber.com/email/44_email.html
. . the message is clear — the economy has to come first