Joe the Plumber jumps the shark with this one. He came onstage in the costume of an undecided potential small business owner 'concerned' with Obama's tax plans. And now, he's commenting -- wildly, as he does here -- on all manner of topics.
Yesterday, during an interview on Fox News, he embraced the statement that a vote for Obama is a vote for 'death to Israel'. When pushed by Fox News' Sheppard Smith, Joe the Plumber responded, in effect, "Ignore me. I don't know what I'm talking about at all."
Joe, truer words by you were never spoken.
Quotes and clip, after the jump.
Hat tip to Raw Story
In an earlier clip, Joe the Plumber was at a McCain/GOP rally, and had this to say, in an exchange with a male speaker:
Male speaker: I'm just going to make that one comment: a vote for Obama is a vote for the death to [sic] Israel. I'll guarantee you that.
Joe the Plumber: Well, you know what, I'll go ahead and agree with you on that one. I agree with you, I really think that will be a problem.
Later, Fox News' Sheppard Smith interviewed Joe the Plumber:
Fox News: Why specifically is a vote for Obama a vote for the death of Israel?
Joe the Plumber: Well, I mean, specifically, I suppose I could tell you, I mean, just look at his record, Obama's offered to meet with Israel's enemies with no uncertain terms, in fact he's letting them dictate terms to him, and then look at his past associations, people he's talked to.
FN: Like who?
Joe the Plumber:Well, quite honestly, the gentleman who approached me with that question, I agreed to with what I know. I just want to push it back on your listeners to go out there and figure out why I would agree to something like that.
FN: Trust me, I've gotten the email, there are a lot of people that agree with you, what I can't figure out is why.
...
FN: Joe, do you know Obama's positions on Israel?
Joe the Plumber: Um, you know, I know you really want some answers on this one, I'm just not going to help you.....
Of course, the McCain campaign immediately rejected this ridiculous line. Hah! Not true! In fact, the McCain campaign immediately embraced Joe the Plumber's outrageous and ridiculous statement:
While he's clearly his own man, so far Joe has offered some penetrating and clear analysis that cuts to the core of many of the concerns that people have with Barak Obama's statements and policies. Whether it's Obama's willingness to sit down unconditionally with Mahmoud Ahmadinejad or his plans to redistribute the paychecks of hardworking Americans, there is good reason to question the judgment that Obama would bring to the Oval Office.
-- Jeff Sodosky, McCain/Palin spokesman
To finish up, Joe the Plumber concludes: "Ignore everything I say!"
FN: I guess the fact that he has said he would meet with Ahmadinejad is something you have taken to mean the death of Israel?
JTP: It definitely doesn't help the situation I think, I'm sorry Sheppard, I'm not trying to be dancing around this, I honestly want people to go out and find their own reasons. I tell people not to look for everyone else's opinions, I'm not going to have them start listening to mine, go out and get informed. That's the biggest message I have for people.
And there you have it! Joe the Plumber's 'biggest message' to people, he wants you to know, is: 'I have no idea what I'm talking about -- don't listen to me! You need to figure things out for yourself.'
Joe -- I agree with you. Truer words by you were never spoken.
To his credit, Smith ended with this statement:
Smith: I just want to make this 100% perfectly clear: Barak Obama has said repeatedly and demonstrated repeatedly that Israel will always be a friend of the United States no matter what happens, and once he becomes President of the United States. His words.
Then, turning back to Joe the Plumber:
Smith: The rest of it, man. Some things, it just gets frightening sometimes.
The full clip, with all the quotes: