Think Progress

Joe the War Correspondent.

By Faiz Shakir on Jan 7th, 2009 at 1:42 pm

Joe the War Correspondent.

Samuel Joseph Wurzelbacher, aka “Joe the Plumber,” is taking on a new job as a war correspondent. He is heading to Israel to cover the war for the conservative site PJTV.com. Wurzelbacher said his 10-day journey will help explain why Israeli forces are mounting attacks against Hamas:

I get to go over there and let their “Average Joes” share their story, what they think, how they feel — especially with, you know, world opinion. Maybe get a real story out there.

Watch it:

Last October, Wurzelbacher claimed that Obama’s victory would mean “death to Israel,” leading Fox News reporter Shep Smith to call him “frightening.” Wurzelbacher also questioned Obama’s loyalty to the U.S., and has justified the invasion and occupation of Iraq by claiming “it’s like someone coming to Jesus and becoming saved.”



130 Responses to “Joe the War Correspondent.”

  1. stewarjt says:

    Hey Joe, remember to duck!


  2. stateofthedivision says:

    You are kidding me. Please, don’t let the journalism bar fall any further. He already turned book publishing into a joke.


  3. Hemlock for Gadflies says:

    Apart from the fact that this guy’s an idiot, this just goes to show how far we have come from traditional understandings of what journalism was and wasn’t.

    Time was, you had to know something to be a reporter. You got a job, you worked a beat, you met the people, you knew the names.

    Now — thanks to the Malkinite Right — anyone can pose as a reporter and be virtually guaranteed that her/his ravings will become “part of the conversation.” All you need is an outlet, and the righttards are more than happy to provide an outlet.

    God what I wouldn’t give for Walter Cronkite, only 3 networks and no internet right now.


  4. rocknerd says:

    How many jobs is he going to get because of his celebrity before he is not longer considered “average”?


  5. McWars says:

  6. dbadass says:

    Stone Cold is the most bizarre phenom I has seen in a long time. The theater of the absurd is my favorite. SamJoe the plumber’s gopher is gonna represent the regular joes? Will he be wearing one of his classy t-shirts while reporting or might they actually dress him up this time? This shit is magical…


  7. Bozo The Neoclown says:

    if he were so concerned why doesn’t he sign up to be “joe member of the israeli army”.
    Something tells me this clown is destined to come home in a box.


  8. tom says:

    What’s the deal here?

    Did Ollie North and Geraldo have “previous commitments”? Did Billy O’Reilly and Seanie Insanity have yellow streaks too wide running down their backs? Did Rush Limpballs refuse to go if he couldn’t bring his Viagra and oxycontin?


  9. Max-1 says:

    .

    Average Joe going to interview average Joe Israelis as to why this whole conflict is terrible to the average Joe Palestinians without a political filter…
    … MY A$$!!!

    Is this average Joe even going to interview one Palestinian?

    WHAT NON-POLITICAL FILTER KEEPS OUT OPPOSING VIEWS?

    .


  10. dbadass says:

    Ihope he gets paid enough to atleast stop being a tax delinquent average Joe loser…


  11. margerine says:

    Well, I have to give him some credit. He’s managed this 15 minutes of fame far better than a lot of people lol.


  12. Xisithrus says:

    Hey, I unstopped many commodes, can I be a tabloidalist, um err I mean reporter?


  13. LiberalVoter says:

    Joe the war correspondent? What a load of crap! (Sorry, couldn’t resist)


  14. Bozo The Neoclown says:

    I wonder if anyone has bothered to tell this clown that every israeli is required to serve time in the military thus, his “reporting” will be biased?


  15. Uncle Ho says:

    5 will get you 10 that this chickenshit will be shitting purple bricks in his pants with the 1st incomming rounds.


  16. LibertyLover says:

    ocknerd Says:
    How many jobs is he going to get because of his celebrity before he is not longer considered “average”?

    —–

    Joe will ALWAYS be considered “Average” in my book. Maybe even a little below average.


  17. Nevar says:

    Once tax dodgers leave the country, are they allowed back in?


  18. ElBruce says:

    I’m sure his journalistic credentials will serve him well. But who will take over the licensed plumbing business he owns while he’s gone?


  19. shoeless says:

    The fake plumber is now a fake war correspondent for a fake news site. I can’t wait to see his fake interviews of fake Israeli “Average Joes”. I’m sure PJTV.com will pay him with Monopoly money.


  20. Jess Wonderin says:

    Just what “journalism” needs ANOTHER doofus standing on a mountain top over looking Gaza, telling us how well the Israeli invasion is going . . . .
    Guess Gannon was pissed he missed this “journalistic assignment” of a lifetime . . . .


  21. ucsbclassics53 says:

    Wait, what was it that wingnuts said about affirmative action?


  22. flex says:

    Gawd, another wingnut lunatic extremist is born. The GOP ticket for 2012 is shaping up pretty good, Palin/JoeBlow , complete with porn movies.


  23. dbadass says:

    Why do I imagine all the people who went to highschool with this meathead either scratching their heads or laughing their asses off as we speak?


  24. shoeless says:

    Jess Wonderin Says:
    ——————————————————————————–
    Guess Gannon was pissed he missed this “journalistic assignment” of a lifetime . . . .

    Is Jeff Gannon still a fake journalist? I thought he took a job as Karl Rove’s pool boy.


  25. A Patriot Acting says:

    I just Googled PJTV to see what they’re all about. The second hit on the list was Michelle Malkin,s website touting the station. Nuff said. Now I’ve got to clean my computer.


  26. Buckie Boy says:

    Oh yeah, Joe is real qualified for this job….remember to duck when you hear a rocket, Joe and I am sure you will be much loved over there.


  27. Bozo The Neoclown says:

    Just what this country needs. Two weeks before we embark down the path of change, the stereotypical “ugly americun” gets sent abroad to “report”


  28. Max-1 says:

    .

    I guess Joe just joined the ranks of the average Pajama blogger…

    .


  29. stateofthedivision says:

    Joe will be treated like the rest of the media. He won’t get anywhere near the fighting and be personally escorted to every Hamas rocket landing site in Israel. He’ll get interviews with Israeli’s being treated for shock.


  30. Xisithrus says:

    Jesus was the prince of peace not war, Joe ‘Sam’ and you dont get saved thru them.


  31. dbadass says:

    Did he just say “Israelis peoples”? What the hell is that? Am I to believe that average Joes also have little commend of language. Why do some want to continue to suggest that in the US idiots are average? Is this some sort of race to the bottom?


  32. rmwarnick says:

    If Sam (aka Joe) ever gets near the action, he’ll wish he never went. I remember the look on Tucker Carlson’s face after he visited an Israeli artillery battery during the 2006 invasion of Lebanon. Chickenhawks can’t handle loud noises.


  33. Bozo The Neoclown says:

    While in Israel, he’ll be a short hop from Iraq. If he’s such a strong supporter of the bush doctrine and repukelican values he’d board the plane and fight the good fight in Iraq.


  34. dbadass says:

  35. mary says:

    Well, with the pro-Palestinian bias shown on the major news outlets and all that! Someone’s gotta balance that out!

    (snark out)


  36. sacopenapa says:

    I sincerely hope this imbecil gets hit by a rocket!


  37. katy says:

    this is what really scares me – from “viewer comments”:

    Mainstream media is determined to “spike” the truth. …

    we both – the left and right – have the same argument… and yet, we are sooo far apart…

    how can this be? how did “we” get here?

    one example: i’m guessing that joe won’t be talking to the ‘average joes’ who are imprisoned in gaza…


  38. Jackie says:

    Only American and the Republican can a non licensed plummer, with a no sale book, failed music career now become a Journalist for World News. Looks like Fox News has a new employee to go along with the bartender, metally insane and alcoholic drug addict then now call Journalist. Where’s Joe’s best friend John McCain and bimbo Sarah. No wonder the Republican Party is all messed up as Sarah/John brought out the wing nuts to join the Republican Party.


  39. shoeless says:

    Bozo The Neoclown Says:
    ——————————————————————————–

    While in Israel, he’ll be a short hop from Iraq. If he’s such a strong supporter of the bush doctrine and repukelican values he’d board the plane and fight the good fight in Iraq.

    That’s a great idea! I wonder why Joe hasn’t thought of being a fake soldier.


  40. ElBruce says:

    Well, I suppose that as long as wingnuts continue to praise a complete lack of competence, information, credentials, intelligence or professionalism, that’s a good thing for us, the country and the world. They’re actually still getting stupider.

    But this still really breaks my brain.


  41. Oval12345678 aka James K. Sayre says:

    Joe the Idiot. The Israelis are nazi scum with their twin genocides in Lebanon (cluster bombs supplied by the Bush gangster regime) and in Gaza Strip (bombs and bullets supplied by the Bush gangster regime). We need to stop sending military weapons to Israel. Arab blood is on our hands.


  42. krazeeinjun says:

    Edward R. Murrow is not only turning over in his grave, he’s puking his guts out at the thought of this misinformed cretin Joe the plumber plying his once proud trade.

    Just saying . . .


  43. dbadass says:

    Now the only thing that would really put this stupid shit over the top is if some of the whackjobs arrive to support this whole zany premise. I hope it is someone funny though and not lame like the Iceman or John Kerry….


  44. hussein toasterhead says:

    Hemlock for Gadflies Says:

    Apart from the fact that this guy’s an idiot, this just goes to show how far we have come from traditional understandings of what journalism was and wasn’t.

    Time was, you had to know something to be a reporter. You got a job, you worked a beat, you met the people, you knew the names.

    God what I wouldn’t give for Walter Cronkite, only 3 networks and no internet right now.

    January 7th, 2009 at 1:46 pm
    _________

    That’s a sentiment I’m afraid I can’t share.

    Yes, the Internet has allowed the rantings of deranged right-wingers such as Malkin and Coulter and Plumber to gain more widespread attention, but it also brings worldwide attention to those who DO deserve it – beseiged families in Iraq, imprisoned bloggers in Egypt, embattled monks in Burma, and many others. Citizen journalism, as unprofessional, irreverent, and untraditional as it may be, can still provide an important voice for the voiceless.

    Is it a system that’s ripe for abuse? Sure. Do we as consumers need to be vigilant about monitoring where this new media news comes from, who’s paying for it, and whose interests it’s serving? You bet. But that doesn’t mean the entire system is flawed.

    And as for the “traditional understandings of journalism,” it’s worth noting that this really IS a very traditional style of American journalism, circa the early 18th Century. Traditional newspapering used to be a one-man affair, reflecting the voice and opinions and perspectives of whoever owned the printing press. There was no firewall between hard news and opinion – it was all opinion, with some hearsay and the occasional fact sprinked in there. It wasn’t until the mid 19th Century or so that publishers realized they could double their circulations by printing both sides of each story, thus giving birth to the concept of “journalistic objectivity.”


  45. ElBruce says:

    Oval12345678 aka James K. Sayre Says:

    Joe the Idiot. The Israelis are nazi scum…

    Yeesh, you aren’t going to make your case very persuasivly with rhetoric like that. Fact is, you’re engaging in the same kind of thing the wingnuts do – treating populations as if they were individuals, taking a side and demonizing the other. It doesn’t work that way when the “sides” are not single people but rather societies.


  46. dbadass says:

    Does anyone have a direct line to the wonder llama? These comic stylings are right up ralph’s alley…


  47. hussein toasterhead says:

    katy Says:

    this is what really scares me – from “viewer comments”:

    Mainstream media is determined to “spike” the truth. …

    we both – the left and right – have the same argument… and yet, we are sooo far apart…

    January 7th, 2009 at 2:06 pm
    ___________

    Cause Republicans have adopted the meme of “liberal bias” in the media, and we’ve adopted the meme of “conservative bias” in the media. It’s a well-planned ruse to keep us from seeing the actual corporatist bias that ACTUALLY keeps the truth from the airwaves.

    It’s amazing, but thoroughly unsurprising, that the only person I’ve seen in mainstream media criticizing Israel has been Jon Stewart.


  48. Max-1 says:

    .

    Joe the Plumber… NOT!
    Joe the tax paying citizen… NOT!
    Joe the war correspondent… NOT!

    Hell, Joe isn’t even a Joe, he’s a Sam.

    Why isn’t he Joe the soldier yet?

    .


  49. lefty says:

    Thank god someone is telling Israel’s side of this.

    Joe The Fluffer in 09!


  50. dixie blood says:

    What’s the difference between Joe the Bummer and most of the other MSM idiots covering the national/world news front?

    Ummm…not much….uh….?


  51. Keith says:

    We’ve liberated Iraq from the leader we installed and strongly supported for decades?!? Don’t you see something wrong with this line of thinking, Joe? Wouldn’t it have been better not to have installed Saddam and supported him in the first place? And please explain why the majority of Iraqis approve of attacks on our troops. And what happened to those WMDs and links to 9/11 and terrorists. And the yellowcake from Africa and the aluminum tubes?


  52. Zooey says:

    Why all this negativity? Can’t you people see that Joe is a PATRIOT!!!??? He’s trying to serve his country and God, and all you libs do is name calling. I think your scared of him!! God Bless You, Joe!

    Ow. Channeling stupid-assed trolls really hurts…


  53. Marie says:

    OMG
    This isn’t even funny – it’s pathetic!


  54. grover nerdkissed says:

    there’s not much difference between JOE THE PLUMBER & JEFF GANNON.


  55. dbadass says:

    “OMG
    This isn’t even funny – it’s pathetic!”

    With all respects. I disagree. This is f ucking hilarious…


  56. katy says:

    hussein toasterhead Says: …
    It’s amazing, but thoroughly unsurprising, that the only person I’ve seen in mainstream media criticizing Israel has been Jon Stewart.

    that was something… he is mostly a realist, isn’t he?
    and he’s always been that way about israel’s government…

    i thought gregory was gonna choke when jon said ‘you’re the tallest jew ever!’ … stretch looked like he wished that hadn’t been said…


  57. Keith says:

    grover,
    Jeff Gannon’s “training” was as a gym teacher. I think he liked to watch the boys in the shower.


  58. Leftside Annie says:

    Jesus H. Roosevelt Christ.

    On a cracker. :oO


  59. dbadass says:

    Zooey,
    Despite the pain that was some quality JK


  60. woodguy says:

    Perhaps after enlightening us about the deep implications of the Gaza conflict, not Joe could make a quick stop in Iraq and repair all the faulty plumbing that KBR installed; you remember, the plumbing that is electrocuting our soldiers as they shower.

    What’s that you say? His plumbing skills are no better that his reporting skills?

    Never mind.


  61. Wayne says:

    oh, no, not not-Joe the not-Plumber, the not-country singer again trying to now be a not-journalist.

    This guy is way past the point of absurd….


  62. Tired Of Fighting says:

    People are watching this conflict as if it were a movie, that people will wake up after the cameras are gone and live their lives normally. But what is normal about the West Bank and Gaza. Before some of you get on your emotional high because we’re talking about Israel, wrong is wrong, and why now? The PEOPLE elected Hamas. You CAN NOT go against the will of the people no matter what you believe. Sure Hamas has an evil base, but so does Israel does it not? This is a made for TV war straight outta the producers room and directed by FOX. And now you have Joe “the plumber” going over there as a correspondent? This isnt a movie, people are dying, INNOCENT people, but I know whats going on, I know that for every 1 1000 OTHERS must die. How in the world do you justify that ratio without being labeled a something that you claim your not. This allowing Israel to do whatever they want under the lie that it is fighting for its exsistence (which it is doing fine BTW with my tax dollars, and American weapons) has to come to an end.

    And all this talk about how come the people dont take power from Hamas and why Muslims dont uproot the extremist is like me asking how come certain people didnt stand up to the Klan in its heyday, how do you justify going from a baptism to a lynching, a church (black) bombing, a murder, a rape, oh I know, “thats just how it was back then”, or “they’re negros who cares”.

    Now we’re watching war on tv as if it was the Monday night movie of the week, and noone cares because its people who: bombed the towers (really I thought they were all dead), ragheads, muslims, sand-negros, non-whites, non-jews, non-christians (how do you know, how can you tell).

    War is not something that should be celebrated, and its always cheered on by those who dont have to go, never been, never lost someone to it, have a vested interest, or just dont give an eff about their fellow man, woman, and child.

    What a country we have become.

    RIP
    SGT Stephen R. Sherman
    C CO 1-5 IN (STRYKER)
    KIA 3 Feb 2005
    Mosul, Iraq


  63. hussein toasterhead says:

    katy Says:

    i thought gregory was gonna choke when jon said ‘you’re the tallest jew ever!’ … stretch looked like he wished that hadn’t been said…

    January 7th, 2009 at 2:29 pm
    _________

    Yeah, that was classic. I especially liked how he completely dodged the question about how the media and pundits were absolutely refusing to air the Palestinian side by saying “well, uh, Hamas is the bad guys.”


  64. Zooey says:

    dbadass Says:

    Zooey,
    Despite the pain that was some quality JK
    January 7th, 2009 at 2:30 pm

    IS THAT ALL YOU’VE GOT!!!??? YOU LIBS ARE PATHETIC!!

    Heh.


  65. mausium says:

    If Sam (aka Joe) ever gets near the action, he’ll wish he never went. I remember the look on Tucker Carlson’s face after he visited an Israeli artillery battery during the 2006 invasion of Lebanon. Chickenhawks can’t handle loud noises.

    Pffffft. All he knows is tits and explosions. I’d be shocked if “shit blowing up” and “towelheads dying” didn’t give him a boner right then and there.


  66. Keith says:

    LTdan, the average person doesn’t make a good reporter. It should be someone with above average skills and training. The average person doesn’t make a good NFL coach or NASCAR driver, either. Get what I’m saying?


  67. dbadass says:

    LTdan:
    Might you make the case as to how this buffoon is remotely representative of “Average America”?
    Is average america under employed low skilled tax delinquent glorified tradesman gophers when they are in their 40’s?
    Thanks…


  68. Shayne says:

    Joe the Underachiever didn’t have enough ambition to become a licensed plumber. Of course he’d think he could ignore all the basics of journalism and become a foreign correspondent. He can strum a couple of chords on an electric guitar and thinks he can be a music star. It’s good to be so stupid you don’t know what you don’t know. Just ask Sarah Palin.


  69. Uncle Ho says:

    Walter Cronkite is hanging his head down in shame.


  70. Shayne says:

    LTdan Says:

    More proof that the left hates BELOW average Americans. Bunch of eletists I tell ya.

    There, fixed it for you. I let you keep your “eletists” though because I figured that was some form of creativity you were exhibiting by making up a new word.


  71. dbadass says:

    Damn Zooey has got it goin’ on!


  72. Keith says:

    LT,
    I don’t want a reporter that lies a lot—like saying he hopes to soon buy a business that makes over $250,000 net profit a year—-when he ain’t got two nickels to rub together.


  73. MapleStreet says:

    really, really dumb questions:

    What knowledge does Joe “the deadbeat Plumber” have about War, the MidEast, etc. that makes us think that he will give a salient review (other than the fact that he is conservative with a big mouth and no facts ) ?

    He is gonna be there for a 10 day tour. Is that long enough to come to an understanding ?


  74. Shayne says:

    Be careful Zooey. Trolling, even mock trolling, kills brain cells.


  75. Keith says:

    I should have said “the average person doesn’t make a good president”—-that would have been an excellent example.


  76. hussein toasterhead says:

    Tired Of Fighting Says:

    Now we’re watching war on tv as if it was the Monday night movie of the week, and noone cares because its people who: bombed the towers (really I thought they were all dead), ragheads, muslims, sand-negros, non-whites, non-jews, non-christians (how do you know, how can you tell).

    War is not something that should be celebrated, and its always cheered on by those who dont have to go, never been, never lost someone to it, have a vested interest, or just dont give an eff about their fellow man, woman, and child.

    January 7th, 2009 at 2:33 pm
    __________

    This isn’t a recent development, either. I’d say it dates back to the first Gulf War, which we watched like a first-person bomber video game. We celebrate war because we don’t know war. It’s not real. It’s something that happens elsewhere, to other people. Not here, not to us, not to anyone we care about.

    We never see the wounded mothers or the maimed fathers or the broken children that result from war. We never feel the agony and trauma of disrupted lives and livelihoods. We can’t possibly understand that – media and government have been complicit agents over the past two decades in thoroughly sanitizing conflict for our protection.

    And don’t think for a minute that the number of combat-themed video games on the market is merely a coincidence. We start recruiting the next generation of combatants at a very early age.


  77. slappy magoo says:

    grover nerdkissed Says:

    there’s not much difference between JOE THE PLUMBER & JEFF GANNON.
    January 7th, 2009 at 2:26 pm Add Karma Recommend (0) | Report Abuse
    ________

    Yeah, they both like to lay pipe and pump s***

    Ba-dum bump (tss!)

    Sorry, channeling my inner Dice Clay there. But seriously, 2 things come to mind

    1: On the one hand, this could be SamJoe the Nottaplumber’s attempt to be respectable. I mean, he is by and large a national laughingstock. No matter how any of us may try to pretend we don’t care what others think of us, we may change our tune if the nation, nay, THE WORLD thinks we’re an idiot. Doing something brave, even if it’s for self-glory, might make the cat sleep a little better each night than being a mascot for the most laughable Presidential ticket since the likes of Pat Paulsen and Spuds Mackenzie used to run.

    2: On the other hand, sand is sand, and a cynical soul may see SamJoe the Nottaplumber standing in a vast sretch of sand, talking to someone who’s dressed like a soldier and wonder if maybe he’s not just in the Cali or Nevada desert. Shades of Capricorn One, I know, but I don’t put anything past these liars. If he actually goes and risks his neck to let soldiers tell their stories, more power to him. But if it’s all just another neocon staged photo op, then let the devil take em all back to hell.

    And while I’m acting all macho from behind a keyboard, if SamJoe the Nottaplumber really DOES go, here’s hoping he lets ANY soldier voice their opinions and feeling, and not just cherrypick those who are toeing the neocon line. While I’m at it, may as well wish for a pony.


  78. SP Biloxi says:

    “Joe the War Correspondent”

    Please… This is real sad. A unlicensed plumberwith debt who grabs on 15 minutes of fame from the McCain campaign to write a book which will be at the 99 cent store soon to now a war correspondent? Is Jeff Gannon going to team up with Joe? Joe might as well apply at Fox News because if Fox News can hire Sean Hannity, the former bartender, then they can hire Samuel Joseph Wurzelbacher.


  79. DavidHart says:

    Leak Freak is at 19 minutes – four minutes of OT. Why oh why TP do you bother to even mention this nitwit?


  80. liberalinaredstate says:

    Seriously, let’s not get our knickers in a twist. It was only a matter of time before Joe the Plumber was tapped by the likes of Malkin, I’m surprised it took them so long. Objective Journalism is dead. The internet is a powerful tool and should be treated as such. Perhaps they think Joe/Sam is expendable, he is, and should he ride into Gaza on a cluster bomb, he should, then Malkin can do a tribute to him on her obviously insane website….Joe/Sam we remember when! He’s a circus!


  81. Tired Of Fighting says:

    hussein toasterhead Says:

    This isn’t a recent development, either. I’d say it dates back to the first Gulf War, which we watched like a first-person bomber video game. We celebrate war because we don’t know war. It’s not real. It’s something that happens elsewhere, to other people. Not here, not to us, not to anyone we care about.

    Excellent point about it starting with the first Gulf War, another conflict I was a part of. People should be familiar with the “Highway of Death” the (war) was easy and quick from the “couch cam” but massive amounts of munitions were dropped (Depleted Uranium anyone) that is STILL effecting those of us of were there and those who still live there.

    But I agree with everything you wrote.

    RIP
    SGT Stephen R. Sherman
    C CO 1-5 IN (STRYKER)
    KIA 3 Feb 2005
    Mosul, Iraq


  82. mausium says:

    Objective Journalism is dead.

    Yep. Laugh it up, but you’ll have self-made brands like Paris Hilton and JTP doing the reporting “for us” in a few years. Journalism in general is dead.


  83. dbadass says:

    what the heck happended to LTdan. Assume this thickneck SamJoe fellow actually represents some sort of real segment of society, should some of those multitudes be ready to stand up and defend this goofball?


  84. Luis M says:

    hussein toasterhead Says:
    This isn’t a recent development, either. I’d say it dates back to the first Gulf War, which we watched like a first-person bomber video game. We celebrate war because we don’t know war. It’s not real. It’s something that happens elsewhere, to other people. Not here, not to us, not to anyone we care about.

    Paraphrasing Roger Waters… “You play the game with the bravery of being out of range”.


  85. dbadass says:

    “assuming”
    “shouldn’t”

    damn it!


  86. hussein toasterhead says:

    Luis M Says:

    Paraphrasing Roger Waters… “You play the game with the bravery of being out of range”.

    January 7th, 2009 at 2:52 pm
    _________

    Whoa… You mean I’m not the only person on the planet who bought that album?


  87. liberalinaredstate says:

    I think the lack of journalistic integrity, esp in the USA , is so very sad. The narratives created are mind numbing. On the one hand we can blame the consolidation of the MSM by corp ownership, but something much deeper is going here. Not only should we demand more from politicians who say they represent us, but a higher standard should be held to Journalists.
    Watch the BBC, they seem to have a handle on things, lets’ not forget Jon Stewart….he is that good!


  88. Luis M says:

    hussein toasterhead Says:
    Whoa… You mean I’m not the only person on the planet who bought that album?

    Apparently not.

    And through the range finder over the hill
    I saw the front line boys popping their pills
    Sick of the mess they find on their desert stage
    And the bravery of being out of range

    The scary thing is, he wrote this between ‘88 and ‘92. And 16 years later, things remain the same.


  89. hussein toasterhead says:

    mausium Says:

    Journalism in general is dead.

    January 7th, 2009 at 2:51 pm
    __________

    Call me a crazy optimist, but I don’t believe this is the case. I think it’s just pupating right now, and will emerge once again, albeit in a different form. We’ll see…


  90. Shayne says:

    You go to war with the plumber you have, not the journalists you want.


  91. curious says:

    American journalism is already cotton candy. So what difference does this make? I get almost all of my news outside the USA.
    We might as well make Sarah Palin a war correspondent.

    The fact that this man has the IQ of the nearest rock does not make a difference. Since trivia is all the press covers. Does he need experience or credentials? No. Give him a pad, pencil and a list of questions to ask. He does not need a license for this and no license when he claimed to be a plumber.


  92. dbadass says:

    Amusing Shayne but let us not forget that meatball isn’t even a plumber…


  93. hussein toasterhead says:

    Luis M Says:

    The scary thing is, he wrote this between ‘88 and ‘92. And 16 years later, things remain the same.

    January 7th, 2009 at 3:00 pm
    _________

    If anything, reality has conformed to his lyrics quite unnervingly. In much the same way the news media has echoed the movie Network.


  94. Leftside Annie says:

    Gad. The profession of “war correspondent” used to be a high and honorable. Men and women risked their lives in war zones to report real news.

    The Repukes have reduced this once honorable profession to the level of slapstick.

    But hell, that shouldn’t surprise anyone – they did the same to the office of PRESIDENT of the United States…


  95. ucsbclassics53 says:

    LTdan Says:
    More proof that the left hates average Americans. Bunch of eletists I tell ya.

    In contrast to the GOP who pretends to cater to their religious beliefs, but laughs at them secretly along with their buddies in the corporate world whom they enrich? LOL…


  96. jb says:

    I can’t wait for Joe to take a run at the turkey chute….his chubby little legs kicking as the spinning blade peel into his shaved empty head.


  97. jb says:

    By the way, I’d say that the average Joe is a heck of a lot smarter than this spotlight hog.


  98. Keith says:

    LTdan Says:
    More proof that the left hates average Americans. Bunch of eletists I tell ya.

    And to prove he wasn’t an elitist, he misspelt the world “elitist”.


  99. tarazan says:

    Look how much Journalism advanced in American ,it went from Walter Cronkite covering Viet Nam war 40 years ago to Joe The Plumber today covering Israel/Hamas war.!!


  100. IgnoranceIsNotBliss says:

    I’m wondering what Lara Logan and Michael Ware have to say about this.


  101. katy says:

    Shayne Says: …
    It’s good to be so stupid you don’t know what you don’t know. Just ask Sarah Palin.

    yea, but, winky herself said this, quite seriously:

    “I know that i know that i know.”

    so, now you know…


  102. mausium says:

    Call me a crazy optimist, but I don’t believe this is the case. I think it’s just pupating right now, and will emerge once again, albeit in a different form. We’ll see

    I’ll grant you, it’s in a coma right now, fighting for its life, waiting for television and newpaper congloms to die out or somehow stop smothering it with a pillow.


  103. Uncle Ho says:

    tarazan; which is exactly why Walter Cronkite is hanging his head in shame, for what his profession has devolved into.


  104. pete says:

    Hmmmm. I’m guessing that the demand for unlicensed unplumbers has dried up. Or perhaps, for the good of the GOP, Bible Spice gave Samjoe’s unplumbing job to her second grandchild’s alleged daddy? I hear his electrical apprenticeship didn’t pan out.


  105. Bozo The Neoclown says:

    Are you serious? has anyone clicked on pjtv’s link? It’s name is pajamas television.com. C’mon.


  106. drew3rd says:

    PJTV is going to wish they hadn’t hired this guy. What on earth does he know about reporting? I know reporters in America rank just above lawyers on the truth scale but this guy is a new low.


  107. pete says:

    Can you imagine what’s going through Dan Rather’s head? Granted, pjtv bears no resemblance to the CBS evening news, but has Samjoe ever made a public statement that turned out to be true and accurate?


  108. shoeless says:

    LTdan Says:
    ——————————————————————————–
    More proof that the left hates average Americans.

    Interesting. I didn’t know that average Americans are tax scofflaws, who are put up by right-wing radio talkers to pose as fake plumbers interested in buying mythical businesses in order to spread misinformation about the tax proposals of Democratic presidential candidates.


  109. DallasNE says:

    It looks like Joe the Plummer is not exactly up to speed on the politics of the Middle East. Certainly not Iraq. Look what their PM just said about Israel.

    http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/249330,iraqs-prime-minister-calls-on-arab-states-to-cut-ties.html

    Now those are some harsh words. One has to wonder how closely tied Iraq is to Iran in this matter. Maybe Joe knows.


  110. ElBruce says:

    LTdan Says:

    More proof that the left hates average Americans.

    I like average Americans just fine. Some of ‘em are even friends of mine. What I hate is when people set up below-average Americans to try to do above-average jobs, therefore degrading the profession overall (see also: Journalist, President).

    .

    Nettles Says:

    ElBruce should practice what he preaches. He demonizes societies(Repubs)and pigeon-holes all of them into one convienient vat of negativity “Republicans are homophobes”, “Republicans are war mongers”, “Repulicans are racists”…

    Being a Republican is a lifestyle choice.


  111. Leftside Annie says:

    Nettles Says:

    “Republicans are homophobes”, “Republicans are war mongers”, “Repulicans are racists”,

    So, Nettie, DO tell us what ElBruce said that wasn’t true, eh?


  112. Renel C says:

    Fellow progressives,

    I’m at it again, raising hell at a Konservative blog. I just thought I’d share this little adventure of mine with you as I am loving every minute of it, awoooooooooooooooo! Hehehe

    http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=30161&page=4&viewID=685085

    Enjoy!


  113. ElBruce says:

    DallasNE Says:

    It looks like Joe the Plummer is not exactly up to speed on the politics of the Middle East.

    Joe Plummer is the drummer for Modest Mouse.


  114. Yankeluh says:

    Does his correspondent’s jacket have a series of concentric circles drawn on the back?


  115. DRxJ says:

    Dammit! I’m too late to the party.
    But if I may add, Pink Floyd’s (or should I say Roger Waters) “Final Cut” was one of my favorite albums when I was a freshman in college. Remember, this was a time of uncertainty regarding nuclear war (1984).
    I just bought the digitally remasterd CD recently, and it’s as powerful, if not more so, today!
    “The Fletcher Memorial, home for intolerable tyrants, and waste”
    Classic.


  116. jb says:

    Joe the Plumber will join “ranks” with Jeff Gannon.


  117. jb says:

    GOP worked hard the last 30 or so years to create divides in this country. Now that the country is falling apart, its up to them to build some bridges and I don’t see it. They are still stuck in their “cut taxes, privatize, deregulate” blindness. Just keep digging wing nuts.


  118. shoeless says:

    ElBruce Says:

    Being a Republican is a lifestyle choice.

    There you go painting with a broad brush again.

    Being a Republican is not always a lifestyle choice. Sometimes it is the result of brain damage or an unfortunate gene pool.


  119. shoeless says:

    Nettles Says:
    ——————————————————————————–
    Well, Annie- I voted for W in 2004. If you think that qualifies me as a warmonger, so be it (though I disagree). Does it make me a racist or a homophobe?

    It does make you an idiot.


  120. jb says:

    If Republicans aren’t racists, homophobes and warmongers, why do they support policies that are racist, homphobic and lead to illegal wars?


  121. dbadass says:

    I realize that Daryll’s porn stuff is super enticing but let us not forget how surreally moronic SamJoe the plumber’s gopher is and the whole concept that he might represent something let alone the bizarre notion that he is a journalist. This thread has real potential…


  122. coskibum says:

    I think Joe the Plumber – err sorry Joe the Reporter should cut his teeth with the porn bailout… No pun intended… This guy is an idiot all the way!


  123. sacopenapa says:

    Check TheRealNews it has a news report on Amnesia in Gaza!

    Israel/UK/USA=War Criminals


  124. Game of Life says:

    Another typical repug…the most serious of situations repugs manage to make it a joke.

    repugs can’t change


  125. LoraS says:

    You’re using the future tense. How do you know that “Joe” (a.k.a. “Sam”) and “Jeff” (a.k.a. “James”) haven’t already joined ranks?

    jb Says:
    Joe the Plumber will join “ranks” with Jeff Gannon


  126. jb says:

    How many other phoney reporters does the GOP have in service? We found out about Jeff Gannon and they seem quite proud of Joe the phoney plumber turned phoney reporter. Is there anything the Republicans do straight up, besides their willful ignorance?


  127. delafield says:

    I hope that Joe the Plumber gets hit by Israeli gunfire. It would serve him right.


  128. Baculus says:

    I just do not understand why this guy is a hero to the Right. He lied about his intentions when he talked with Obama – that he was going to buy a business – and has demonstrated a problem with his honesty.

    Oh, he lies: THAT is why the Right likes him! Now I understand!

    I guess if criminal Oliver North can become a journalist, the Joe the “not named Joe” the Plumber can as well. He seems as brilliant as the folks for which he’ll be reporting.


  129. wiley says:

    Think of him as a Cinderella story for unlettered Republican men. He kissed McCain’s ass and a faux-ey godfather made him a war correspondent.


  130. Spooning_leads24kin says:

    Joe’s an American, he’s free to do what he wants, right? Well, good luck anyway Joe, er, Sam.



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