'Joe the Plumber,' the small business aspirant and overnight media sensation, endorsed John McCain's presidential campaign Tuesday and said Barack Obama would make America a socialist nation.
Problematic Endorsement
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The Ohio plumber, whose real name is Samuel Wurzelbacher, also agreed with a McCain supporter who asked him if he believed "a vote for Obama is a vote for the death of Israel."
"I'll go ahead and agree with you on that," Wurzelbacher told the man, retired Florida lawyer Stan Chapman who was visiting Ohio. He didn't elaborate on how Obama would be caustic for Israel.
Wurzelbacher was joined at the rally by Rob Portman, a former Ohio congressman and budget director under President Bush, who said he disagreed with Chapman's assessment of Obama's foreign policy.
Wurzelbacher became famous after he was referred to constantly in the final presidential debate. McCain has been portraying the plumber as emblematic of people with concerns about Obama's tax plans.
Portman said an Obama administration would mean increased taxes on Social Security, dividends and small businesses.
"In the tough economic times that we're in, we shouldn't be raising taxes on anybody," said Portman, a McCain adviser.
'Out of Marx's mouth'
Wurzelbacher's first trip to the podium was without notes. He often apologized to reporters gathered in a flag store for talking from his gut. "I'm honestly scared for America," Wurzelbacher said.
He later said Obama would end the democracy that the US military had defended during wars. "I love America. I hope it remains a democracy, not a socialist society. ... If you look at spreading the wealth, that's honestly right out of Karl Marx's mouth," Wurzelbacher said.
"No one can debate that. That's not my opinion. That's fact."
Wurzelbacher also said he had spoken with a lawyer about news reports that his state records had been accessed, perhaps illegally. The Ohio inspector general is investigating who or why accounts assigned to Attorney General Nancy Rogers' office, the Cuyahoga County Child Support Enforcement Agency and the Toledo Police Department were used.
Wurzelbacher was scheduled to make stops in Dayton, Middletown, Milford and Cincinnati. The bus tour included guests billed as Mary the Flag Lady, Mike the Painter and Linda the Fitness Trainer.
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