John McCain & Joe the Plumber

John McCain has adopted a fellow that they call "Joe the Plumber" in an attempt to create a brand that white, male, blue-collar voters will identify with. As I contemplate this move, it occurs to me that the strategy was sound, it was simply their choice of would be icon that was flawed. Let me explain further.

The McCain campaign has accused Barack Obama of consorting with terrorists while their very own Vice Presidential candidate's husband was a member of the AIP, a secessionist party which was created by a man who has made such quotes as:

"I'm an Alaskan, not an American. I've got no use for America or her damned institutions."

"The fires of hell are frozen glaciers compared to my hatred for the American government. And I won't be buried under their damn flag. I'll be buried in Dawson. And when Alaska is an independent nation they can bring my bones home."

The McCain campaign has criticized Sen. Obama as a "Celebrity" and an "Elitist". At the same time, they have sold Gov. Palin as a "Hockey Mom" ... as "Wal-Mart Mom" and as the champion of "Joe Six Pack", while they spent $150,000 to dress her for her public appearances.

Sen. McCain has used funding for the study of the DNA of bears as an example of the shameful waste being perpetrated in the federal government. He neglects to mention however, that he never proposed cutting the bear study and voted for the final bill containing it.

Sen. McCain rails against Sen. Obama for being "Pro-tax" while proposing a health care program that would tax your employee health care benefits as though they were income. For those who are comprehensionally challenged, that means he wants to raise your taxes.

Sen. McCain has criticized Sen. Obama for some supposed nefarious connection to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, two failed housing giants that are a huge part of the financial crisis imperiling the economy. At the risk of being accused of making age an issue, I suggest that it might have slipped McCain's 72 year-old mind that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac paid a former campaign aide to John McCain $30,000 a month for five years after the senator's failed bid in 2000 for the presidency; and the recipient of most of the funds? McCain's current campaign manager, Rick Davis.

I suggest, Sen. McCain, that you change your campaign's pseudo icon from "Joe the Plumber" to Doc Holliday. Blue-collar white men idolize the likes of Doc Holliday and as I recall, in the movie 'Tombstone' it was Doc Holliday who said:

"It appears that my hypocrisy knows no bounds!"