Presidential Debate // Current

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8 months ago

so you think you can be president?

the real debate

donkeyfly69
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Theresa Gutierrez discusses immigration reform and activism

This is another excerpt clip from the rally and protests at Hofstra University in Long Island during the 3rd Presidential debates... more

rvmedia
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The Week in Media

Palin porn, VH1's new show, Paul Krugman nude, and the final debate in 30 seconds. infoMania is a half-hour satirical news... more

infoMania
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Watch Letterman-McCain Interview

One of the best moments has to be when Dave asks McCain about Sarah Palin's competence to be president in a... more

eleanorayoulateagain
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McColombia

Forrest Hylton: Neither McCain nor Obama really know what 's happening in South America. In the third and last... more

Vierotchka
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Poll: Enthusiasm Fading for McCain

People's regard for the Republican presidential nominee has deteriorated across-the-board since September, an Associated... more

eleanorayoulateagain
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John McCain Discovers Joe the Plumber No Ordinary Joe

John McCain just hung his entire presidential debate on an Ohio plumber his campaign never even vetted. And while we're on... more

eleanorayoulateagain
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Joe the Plumber is a Fraud!

Now, tell me again how a guy who made $40K last year, and has a tax lien, AND, has no plumber's license, is going to buy a... more

eleanorayoulateagain
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"Joe the plumber" likely wouldn't be affected by Obama's tax plan - msnbc.com

“Joe the plumber,” the new face of middle-class America after Sen. John McCain made him famous in Wednesday night’s presidential debate, isn’t technically a plumber, and he probably wouldn’t be adversely affected by Sen. Barack Obama’s tax plan. But the issues he raises are important and worth examining for their impact on small businesses.

Joe the plumber — Samuel Joseph Wurzelbacher, 34, of suburban Toledo, Ohio — is the first to say that he’s not the story and that no one should listen to him when it comes to tax policy.

“I just hope I’m not making too much of a fool of myself and can get some type of message out there as far as, you know, really watch actions and learn for yourself,” Wurzelbacher said Thursday outside his home. “Don’t take other people’s opinions.”

Wurzelbacher first came to attention over the weekend, when he engaged Obama, the Democratic presidential nominee, in a six-minute discussion of tax policy at a rally in Holland, Ohio. He told Obama that he was a plumber and was hoping to buy his boss’s business, which he said made $250,000 to $280,000 a year. He was concerned, he said, that Obama’s economic proposals would mean he’d be kicked into a higher tax bracket.

Wednesday night, McCain adopted Wurzelbacher as the representative of struggling middle-class Americans, addressing many of his comments directly to “Joe the plumber,” whom he misidentified as “Joe Wurzelburger.”

“The real winner last night was Joe the plumber. Joe’s the man,” McCain said Thursday at a campaign rally in Downington, Pa. “He won, and small businesses won across America. They won because Americans are not going to let Senator Obama raise taxes in a tough economy.”

Legally speaking, Wurzelbacher isn’t a plumber, because he isn’t licensed by Toledo, Lucas County or the state of Ohio. A representative of the Toledo Building Inspection Division said a plumber must be registered with the state and only then can apply for a city plumbing contractor’s license.

Wurzelbacher said he worked under the license held by his boss, Al Newell of Newell Plumbing and Heating Co. of Toledo. Newell is a licensed plumbing contractor in Toledo, records show. But anyone working under Newell should have a journeyman’s plumbing license or an apprenticeship license, officials said.

Building Inspection officials said Newell was responsible for making sure that anyone working under him was licensed. The Toledo Plumbing Board of Control may consider sanctions against Wurzelbacher or Newell, officials told NBC affiliate WNWO of Toledo.

“There’s a lot I’ve got to learn” about the plumbing business, Wurzelbacher said Thursday.

Wurzelbacher also acknowledged that he had no specific plans for buying Newell’s business, saying he and Newell had simply talked about the idea from time to time. He might have difficulty making the purchase: Court records from his divorce show that Wurzelbacher made $40,000 in 2006.

Even if he did buy Newell Plumbing and Heating, Obama’s tax plan wouldn’t affect him. While Wurzelbacher told Obama that he would be taxed at a higher rate because the company grossed more than $250,000 a year, Ohio business records show the company’s estimated total annual revenue as only $100,000. Actual taxable income would be even less than that.

In any event, Obama’s tax plan specifies that the higher rate would apply only to income above the $250,000 threshold. Assuming Wurzelbacher’s income as owner somehow hit $280,000 — the top end of his supposition of the company’s revenue — only the extra $30,000 would be taxed at a higher rate. “Joe the plumber,” the new face of middle-class America after Sen. John McCain made him famous in Wednesday... more

khaosworks
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12 responses

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9 months ago

John McCain: How to Look Presidential

It seems picking the embarrassment known as Sarah Palin for his running mate and throwing his party under the bus in the process,... more

eleanorayoulateagain
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1 response

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9 months ago

McCain fails to grab his big chance to catch Obama...

... as anti-war protesters scuffle with police during final TV debate An agitated and angry John McCain threw everything he had... more

Vierotchka
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32 responses

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9 months ago

Game over?

For independent voters, Barack Obama won all three debates with John McCain. Senator John McCain needed a game changer in the... more

Vierotchka
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26 responses

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9 months ago

ANP: No Debate: Hempstead is struggling

All eyes and ears are on the debate, but what about people hit hard by US crises at home and abroad? Today a horde of... more

Vierotchka
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5 responses

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9 months ago

McCain fails, Obama is not rattled - Roger Simon - Politico.com

Debates should not be confused with trips to Lourdes: Few miracles are dispensed. John McCain needed a miracle in his final... more

khaosworks
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0 responses

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9 months ago

United Association of Plumbers endorses Obama

The United Association became the first International Union to endorse Senator Barack Obama as its candidate for the Democratic nomination for President of the United States. This endorsement was discussed with the General Executive Board and they concurred.

Barack Obama is the choice of the UA because he has always fought for working people throughout his career and will do the best job of bringing badly-needed change to Washington. Obama will help us keep existing jobs and work to develop new, higher paying jobs here in America, reform our health care system, fix our ailing schools and make sure that the pensions of our retirees are safe.

I have had a long-standing, working relationship with Barack. The UA was one of the first unions in Illinois to endorse him as a candidate for the U.S. Senate. Barack Obama has personally reached out to the UA to request our support for his presidential candidacy, and he has solicited our views on the issues that are important to our union and its members. No other candidate, of either party, has requested our support or solicited our views!

One of the keys to our endorsement was that Senator Obama backs a strong energy and industrial construction policy, which is very important to the future of our union. He is in favor of nuclear power, the construction of new refineries, fossil fuel power plants and chemical plants. He has also endorsed innovative energy initiatives, including ethanol plants, coal gasification and biodiesel production. He also clearly recognizes the need to upgrade all of our current industrial plants to comply with clean air and water standards. Barack realizes we have to become less reliant on foreign oil and gas and develop an energy program that we self-sustain here in the United States.

To meet the challenges of clean water, he recognizes the need to replace and/or upgrade our water treatment and wastewater systems. His support of our position on all of these issues more than justifies our endorsement. We need to support Barack Obama because he provides more than lip service to our concerns.

We remain a bi-partisan organization. However, our best hope for clear direction and responsible change in our national government calls for our support of Barack Obama. The economic indicators show a weakening national economy and we need someone to both invigorate our economy and provide hope for our country.

Fraternally yours,

William P. Hite
General PresidentThe United Association became the first International Union to endorse Senator Barack Obama as its candidate for the Democratic... more