“Joe The Plumber” Taken By Cancer

Joe the Plumber has passed away.

"Joe the Plumber" is a nickname that gained prominence during the 2008 United States presidential election. The nickname refers to Joe Wurzelbacher, a plumber from Ohio who became a briefly famous political figure during that time.

The story of Joe the Plumber started during a campaign event in October 2008, when then-candidate Barack Obama was on the campaign trail. Wurzelbacher approached Obama and asked him about his tax plan, expressing concerns about potential tax increases for small business owners like himself. Obama's response included the phrase, "I think when you spread the wealth around, it's good for everybody."

The exchange was captured by the media and quickly became a focal point in the campaign. Republican candidate John McCain seized on the moment during the third presidential debate and referred to Wurzelbacher as "Joe the Plumber," using him as an example of someone who would be negatively impacted by Obama's tax plan.

The incident turned Joe Wurzelbacher into a symbol of small business owners and their concerns about taxation and economic policy. He became a talking point in discussions about economic policy, taxes, and the role of government in the economy. Wurzelbacher himself gained a degree of fame and made media appearances to discuss his views.

It's worth noting that while the nickname and the exchange garnered significant attention at the time, Joe Wurzelbacher's prominence in the national political discourse was relatively short-lived. He eventually went on to run for Ohio's 9th congressional seat, where he lost to incumbent Marcy Kaptur.

Wurzelbacher died yesterday, Sunday August 29^th at the age of 49 from pancreatic cancer.