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The Note: Plumber Can’t Unclog Race for McCain

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October 23, 2008 8:50 AM

ABC News' Rick Klein reports in Thursday's Note:

As the great battle of Joe the Overexposed Plumber vs. Barack the Overspending Campaigner rages on (with Sarah the Overdressed Hockey Mom as sideshow), there’s another game playing out, just over their heads.

Sen. Barack Obama is now in the enviable position of seeking to become president by looking presidential.

Sen. John McCain, meanwhile, knows that he can only become president by making his rival look un-presidential. (Two Joes -- the Plumber and the Senator -- are being enlisted to help.)

It may be a subtle distinction, but it matters for the home stretch. McCain is throwing it all at him now -- taxes and spending and flip-flops and plumbers and terrorism (and terrorists).

A closing argument (at last) comes together: McCain is portraying Obama as too risky to be president.

Read the rest of The Note -- and get all the latest on the 2008 election, Congress, the White House and the wide world of politics every day -- from Rick Klein by bookmarking this link.


“He’ll say anything to get elected,” McCain said of Obama Wednesday night, per ABC’s Bret Hovell. 

A line that says just as much about where Obama stands: “I feel like we got a righteous wind at our backs here,” Obama said Wednesday in Leesburg, Va., ABC’s Jake Tapper and Sunlen Miller report. 

Regardless of the source of that breeze, Obama is in a stage of his campaign where he can ease perceptions of risk just by showing up. (Or not showing up: He’s set to drop off the electoral map for 48 hours, to visit his grandmother in Hawaii after a Thursday morning campaign event in Indianapolis.)

It’s 54-43 in the latest ABC News/Washington Post tracking poll -- and the portrait of a president begins to emerge.

“Barack Obama has shored up his experience rating to the point where it now surpasses George W. Bush's in 2000 and matches Bill Clinton's in 1992, addressing what has been Obama's greatest vulnerability in the presidential election,” ABC Polling Director Gary Langer writes. “Fifty-six percent of likely voters now say Obama has the experience it takes to serve effectively as president, up from 48 percent after the Republican convention. That's now better than George W. Bush's rating just in advance of the 2000 election.” 

“Former secretary of state Colin Powell's endorsement provides a new boost for Obama, who has made significant progress with voters as a leader in international affairs,” per The Washington Post’s Jon Cohen. “But Obama also continues to be lifted by more fundamental advantages, including a 2 to 1 advantage on ‘helping the middle-class.’ ”

Continue reading today's Note by clicking HERE.

ABC News' Hope Ditto contributed to this report.

October 23, 2008 in Ballotwatch, Biden, Joe, Giuliani, Rudy, McCain, John, Obama, Barack, Palin, Sarah, Vote 2008: Democrats, Vote 2008: Republicans, Washington, White House | Permalink | User Comments (232)

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pride comes before the fall

Looks like Joe the plumber and Joe the biden are sinking Obama's ship

don't believe the polls

while Obama is busy building his stage and charing his media friends for better camera angles, McCain is telling the people about Big O's tax plans and it's resonating big time

McCain takes nearly all the Bush red states and Pennsylvania
286+ to victory

Posted by: tom | Oct 23, 2008 8:58:40 AM

McCain is such a whiner. His economic adviser was spot on except he should have said the GOP has become a party of whiners.

I was at the rally when he said that. There was a slight breeze at our backs. He meant it literally folks.

It was a beautiful afternoon. Everyone was PUMPED.

Virginia is going Blue Baby

Blue Baby Blue.

Posted by: Omentum | Oct 23, 2008 9:03:38 AM

He also said that all he see are Virginians. Not real Virginians or fake Virginians. Not Pro or Anti Americans

McCain has yet to denounce those remarks from his VP and his spokesperson Pfoten(how ever you spell it)

DENOUNCE THOSE REMARKS MCCAIN!!!!!

A Northern Virginan.

Posted by: Omentum | Oct 23, 2008 9:06:50 AM

tom

So you are saying I should not believe the polls (scientific studies) and believe you (a complete idiot)

thanks but no thanks.

Posted by: Omentum | Oct 23, 2008 9:08:36 AM

Omentum,

Hey the polls say Obama is leading I will give you that.But the only one that will count will be Nov 4th

Posted by: reddog0216 | Oct 23, 2008 9:11:32 AM

"Sen. John McCain, meanwhile, knows that he can only become president by making his rival look un-presidential. (Two Joes -- the Plumber and the Senator -- are being enlisted to help.)"

Please JAke like Sarah Palin ahs done a whole lot to help McCain.

Posted by: Jenny Rome Ga | Oct 23, 2008 9:17:34 AM

"Sen. John McCain, meanwhile, knows that he can only become president by making his rival look un-presidential. (Two Joes -- the Plumber and the Senator -- are being enlisted to help.)"

Please JAke like Sarah Palin ahs done a whole lot to help McCain.

Posted by: Jenny Rome Ga | Oct 23, 2008 9:17:34 AM

reddog0216

I commend you for your great wisdom.

That why I am tirelessly working the ground for Obama for the next twelve days.

Literally driving folks to the polls RIGHT NOW to vote. Organizing and making calls, knocking on doors.

I am taking nothing for granted and I suggest ALL Obama supporter out there to do the same. TAKE NOTHING FOR GRANTED

Remember New Hampshire
Remember Florida 2000
Remember Ohio 2004

Remember 9/11
Remember the thousands of jobs gone
Remember we had to add an extra digit to the American Deficit
Remember some as inept as Bush reigned for two terms and McCain wants to make it three.

NO WAY
NO HOW
NO MORE BUSH
NO MORE MCCAIN

OBAMA 08

Posted by: Omentum | Oct 23, 2008 9:20:27 AM

John McCain channeling Jim Morrison:

This is the end
My beautiful friends
This is the end
My all too few friends, the end

Of our elaborate plans, the end
Of everything that stands, the end
No safety or October surprise, the end
I'll never look into your eyes, Obama...again

I smell victory.

Posted by: AnotherBuckeye | Oct 23, 2008 9:20:35 AM

McCain = DISHONORABLE; Palin = SCARY!!!

Posted by: Howard Gallas | Oct 23, 2008 9:24:49 AM

in myn opinion, the media will try to get its earliest guage on who the winner will be on nov. 4. thus it will hurt voting in the west and possibly dishearten would be voters out there. I dont think any results should be given until all the polls are closed. I dont blame the media for trying to "break the news", but it has become a spectacle and not journalism.

Posted by: will it end | Oct 23, 2008 9:25:10 AM

My husband (an anal retentive nerd and I say that lovingly!) actually printed out MCCain and Obama's plans from their web sites. Being a parttime H and R block employee, he worked Joe's 250.00 business (which of course we all now was a lie)as if it were a tax return. I told you the man is an anal retentive ner Guess what Ole Joe comes outahead by something like 1500.00 under Obama's plan. He comes out about 500.00 ahead under McCain's. It is not a scientific survey but when he did our taxes the same way we came out about 1000.00 ahead under Obama and about 400.00 ahead under McCain. SOLD!Obama/Biden 08

Posted by: Jenny Rome Ga | Oct 23, 2008 9:25:13 AM

Right on RedDog. So everyone get out and vote. I don't care who your candidate is or what your position is. Be an American and show that you appreciate the sacrifice that so many have made to give you the right to vote. On November 5th, no matter who you and I voted for we all elected the guy who is President, and he is our President whether we like it or not.

Posted by: BooMan | Oct 23, 2008 9:26:19 AM

What's the difference between Joe the Plumber and John McCain?

None. They are both given to pipe dreams.

Posted by: rogerthomas | Oct 23, 2008 9:27:03 AM

How can PARIS PALIN, DADDY WARBUCKS,claim they understand the Middleclass and The Economy? When Paris Palin goes on a 160,000 dollar clothes shopping spree, and Daddy Warbucks owns 7 houses 13 cars and is worth about 100 Million Dollars. They dont sound like Joe the Plumbers to me, Does anyone Know of any Joe the Plumbers wife going on a 160,000 dollar Clothes shopping spree if so do tell My Husband will change Careers!

Posted by: Angie | Oct 23, 2008 9:27:41 AM

So tell me all of those McCain supporters whose hair is on fire about 'REDISTRIBUTION OF WEALTH'

How do you define this 700 billion dollar bailout?

How do explain that McCain was against the Bush tax cuts calling them irresponsible?

How do explain some family losing their home and someone who is a multi-millionaire buying up those homes for less than half the price?

How do you explain the greed and corruption in corprations and the ultra-rich and also asking us to trust that they will treat their workers fairly (HASNT HAPPENED YET)

How do you explain AIG taking elaborate boondoggles after being infused with your tax dollars and you have the nerve to start bellyaching about pieces of pie.

please please please explain.

Posted by: Omentum | Oct 23, 2008 9:33:55 AM

McCain breaks his own laws he has passed.?.?

The 2002 campaign finance law that bears McCain's name specifically barred any funds that "are donated for the purpose of supporting the activities of a federal or state office holder" from being used for personal expenses including clothing.

Posted by: Paige | Oct 23, 2008 9:34:34 AM

I wonder if the red states are just playing Obama. That is, are they fudging the polls in order to make him spend money in their states? With the economy as it is, I wouldn't be surprised. Why not let him "spread his fundraising wealth around?" And then, on election day, remain red. It will be interesting to see if this is the case.

Posted by: KMB | Oct 23, 2008 9:35:02 AM

how is it that all of our politicians make a ceratin figure and when they get out of office that they have accumulated wealth 100 times over??? its kind of funny how money isnt tangeable to either side. its just a number and dont have a clue on what the value of a single doolar is. look at how much is wasted by ALL of them. They are all corrupt. thats the bottom line. soo, everyone go ahead and claim your guy is the only choice and keep beating your heads into the wall, because nothing will change and we will always blame the other side for our troubles.

Posted by: will it end | Oct 23, 2008 9:35:36 AM

KMB - I don't think so. I am surrounded by countless disenfranchised Republicans.

Posted by: Paige | Oct 23, 2008 9:36:36 AM

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