Joe the Plumber: 'I asked the question but still got a tap dance... as good as Sammy Davis Jr,'

[ProgressiveEconomist]

How did I miss that bit of blatantly racist stereotyping of the Democratic candidate for President?

Now that Joe the Plumber apparently is considering running for Congress, and now that Duncan Hunter has complimented Obama on his stereotypically "white teeth" (Hardball this evening), is this little tidbit worth a second look? What do you make of it? Did you pick up on it the first time you heard it?

WHAT'S YOUR OPINION?

From http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/us_elections_2008/7673170.stm :

"Profile: Joe Wurzelbacher 17 October 2008

... After the debate, Mr Wurzelbacher told CBS News that being mentioned in the campaign was "surreal" but that Mr Obama's answer to his question had left him feeling uneasy.

"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... Almost as good as Sammy Davis Jr," he said."

[Bucky]

1. Wow. Not even close to subtle. Plus, Fred Astair was better.

Racism is like a security blanket with these people. Just stunning.

[ProgressiveEconomist]

6. But Fred Astaire's autobiography was not entitled, "Yes I Can".

[Bucky]

8. Was Sammy's?

PS - had he lived, Sammy would have been another Republican for Obama.

[book_worm]

9. Sammy was mostly a democrat the only time he really broke ranks was for Nixon in '72

primarily because Sinatra urged him to.

[ProgressiveEconomist]

10. Yes. Don't you watch 'Weeds'? Shane found nudie photos of Mom between the pages of

an old copy this season.

http://lccn.loc.gov/90082664 is the book's webpage at the Library of Congress.

[book_worm]

2. Joe the tax dodging unlicensed plumber strikes again.

[Soup Bean]

3. WOW! Unreal. Unmasked. n/t

[RoyGBiv]

4. Aren't his 15 minutes up?

I mean, really.

Isn't he complaining about all the attention he's getting ... and he's considering running for Congress?

All these idiots have dog whistles, and sure, that probably is one.

[The Wielding Truth]

5. God save us from the stupidity of bigotry. It's a narrow view that

promotes unbridled moneymaking over freedom and precious productivity of diversity and working for the common good.

[MadMaddie]

7. Nah Joe you just didn't understand the answer!

[rebel with a cause]

26. I understood Obama's answer.

But when Obama talked all Joe heard was "Wawawawawa" much like Charlie Brown heard when his parents or teachers speaks. Joe reminds me of a grown up Charlie Brown, bald head and all. He wants so much, has so little, and is taken for a sucker by Lucy (mccain).

[parasim]

11. What did you expect from a Freeper?

I wonder what his screenname is over there...

[riverwalker]

12. the "white teeth" raised my hackles

Duncan Hunter is an asshole.

[ProgressiveEconomist]

14. Sammy Davis Jr played to that white racist stereotype too.

[mitchum]

16. But he also had to endure racist stereotypes....

I never thought I would see the day that I would be defending that master of show biz hokum, but I was thinking about Davis earlier today and how ultimately he was a rather tragic figure

[ProgressiveEconomist]

17. "A rather tragic figure"--YES! Unlike James Brown, he did not change with the times

He remained an old-fashioned minstrel. I'm sure Duncan Hunter was a BIG fan.

[mscuedawg]

13. Instead, from McCain, he's been getting a lap dance...eom

[silverojo]

15. My opinion? He's a racist muthafuKKKer. n/t

[krkaufman]

18. Even granting Wurzelbacher the best of intentions re: "tap dancing" ...

... and putting aside the fact that he appears, in the video, to be satisfied with Obama's interraction with him at the end, based on his nodding and body language... ... he's full of s**t.

Obama spent SIX MINUTES with the guy, detailing his tax plan's workings, fighting through an initial interruption. The fact that Wurzelbacher doesn't like Obama's answer, that he doesn't agree with Obama's approach, does not equate to Obama being evasive -- or in Joe's suspect wording, "tap dancing."

Show me *ANY* time that McCain has put himself out there like Obama did, spending that much time with any one voter, let alone one in opposition to his positions.

LA Times: Plumber Joe Wurzelbacher's entire video chat with Barack Obama

(excerpts)

... Joe Wurzelbacher ... He's the balded plumber in the tight Toledo T-shirt who engaged Barack Obama in a six-minute conversation Sunday about the freshman senator's small-business tax that would hit Joe's about-to-be-business harder. Obama patiently explained how Joe might end up paying more on what he made over $250,000 but that was to help the people who weren't making that much.

Since Joe just came up from that lower income area, he did not seem fully convinced.

Joe kept talking about being a foreman and chasing the American dream, but he didn't really get the higher tax part because it seemed to penalize his hard work the more successful he became.

The entire polite conversation between Obama and Wurzelbacher was caught on tape by ABC News. It is actually rather unusual for a presidential candidate, whose most precious commodity is each day's 1,440 minutes, to spend six of them on one possible voter, even with a network camera obviously rolling nearby.

Since American political protocol says a candidate shouldn't be the one to break off a conversation with a voter, usually one campaign aide is assigned the duty to politely end such chats after one or two minutes by interrupting with a "We really must be going, sir." But not this time.

What baffles me is... Where the hell is the praise for Obama for having spent that time talking to a voter so obviously opposed to his policy? And where's the outrage over McCain and Palin failing to make themselves more available to the press, let alone the public?

[ProgressiveEconomist]

20. Exceleent, informative post. Thank you. Didn't realize Obama spent 6 whole minutes

with JTP, or that all of the exchange had been captured on tape and transcripted.

[krkaufman]

24. Re; ~Thx for Joe info~ ... You're very welcome. I'd heard Obama was impressive ...

.... but all we hear about it "spread the wealth" and "joe the plumber."

[rebel with a cause]

27. He was impressive!

and anyone with half a brain would have understood what he told Joe the liar. If anyone watches the tape, watch the man standing to the left of Joe (Joe's right) and you will have to laugh. The look of total disbelief he is giving joe is hilarious. He might as well be saying WTF.

What is also funny is that mccain has said that Joe got an answer out of Barack. It is said in a dig, but he still said it.

[Realityhack]

28. Is he going WTF you aren't rich...

or is he going OMG WTF that presidential candidate just said something intelligent and respectful... and it would HELP ME!!!

[rebel with a cause]

29. It was WTF you aren't rich

or telling the truth about anything you are saying. And Why TF are you being so disrespectful to this great man. Well, that great man part is my interpretation. But if you watch the tape, you can see if you agree with me. He did seem very impressed, I believe, with what Obama was saying also.

The group just seemed more on Barack's side than on Joe the liar's. To me, he just didn't seem to be the favorite guy in the neighborhood, but that is just the impression I got and I could be wrong.

[yardwork]

19. That's absolutely disgusting. What a despicable thing to say.

It's a lie, too. Obama responded thoroughly to the man's question. I guess Joe the Plumber was too stupid and racist to listen.

[Political Heretic]

21. It was the most complete, concrete answer I've ever heard from any politician.

The deal is, "Joe" didn't LIKE the answer. Which is not the same has having the candidate "tap dance" around it.

Yeah, I know you were talking about the racism, but I wanted to point that out too.

Have you heard Obama's full response to "Joe?" I did just the other day - Randi Rhodes played it. It was amazing. He responded to "Joe" for about five minutes.

Any candidate that tells a potential voter that they should pay more taxes to help invest in a strong society and economy is not tap-dancing around ANYTHING. A lot of people would call that "political suicide" but Obama makes the truth work.

[krkaufman]

22. Chuckle. Exact same thing I said/posted one hour ago ...

... just two posts above yours.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=7595653&mesg_id=7596914

[Clio the Leo]

23. I've heard a lot of vile, racist things in my day.....

.... and I'm sorry, but that doesn't even register on the scale.

If he had said, "Just like a typical black dude, he tapped danced around the issue" I'd agree with you.

But no ....... I think you're stretching it a bit.

I believe racism in it's true form has to be recognized and rebuked ..... hyperbole doesn't get us anywhere.

[ProgressiveEconomist]

35. Had JTP said, "tap dance just like Fred Astaire" I might agree with you. But he said

"tap dance just like Sammy Davis Jr".

[Born_A_Truman]

25. He's a bald face (and headed) LIAR!

Barack practically did his *ing taxes for him (based on his BS lying about "about ready to buy a business") and spent several minutes answering him. KO played the whole exchange the other night.

[ibegurpard]

30. I thought Joe the Plumber

was tired of the spotlight?

[krkaufman]

32. re: "thought Joe was tired of spotlight"... Yes, so much so that ...

... he's considering running for Congress.

http://briefingroom.thehill.com/2008/10/24/joe-the-plumber-says-hes-mulling-run-for-congress

[TheKentuckian]

31. Whats worse is

he only didn't like Obama's answer because either he can't pay attention that long or he's stupid. If Sammi Jo The Stooge ever wants to save enough money to make his dream (delusion, I sez) then he would be best served by getting on board with a tax plan that will give him some extra money NOW and that sure isn't forthcoming from McHoover.

[truthisfreedom]

33. Worthless piece of racist shit. FINALLY we have proof... he's just a racist asshole.

[secondwind]

34. typical ignorant redneck remark.............Barack took 4 minutes out of h is busy life

to explain his tax plan to the moron,

and since he DIDN'T UNDERSTAND PLAINSPEAK, he calls it a "tap dance"


:puke:

Racist Pig!!