'Joe the Plumber' Fires Back at CNN Host: 'So This Is TMZ'
In a heated exchange Thursday between CNN’s Zoraida Sambolin and Samuel Wurzelbacher, also known as “Joe the Plumber,” Sambolin dug up comments he made about “gay people” in 2009, causing Wurzelbacher to quip that "this is TMZ. This isn't CNN, is what you're saying."
Sambolin also questioned his qualifications to run for office, and mislabeled his liberal opponent as a "conservative Democrat" while branding Wurzelbacher as a "conservative Republican." [Video below the break.]
CNN deems it necessary to press a conservative candidate on his social positions while, as their liberal bias on LGBT issues suggests, they would hardly question a liberal candidate over his social stances.
Sambolin also labeled Wurzelbacher's Democratic opponent, Rep. Marcy Kaptur, as a "conservative Democrat." Kaptur is clearly a liberal. She owns a 2010 liberal rating of 85 with the group Americans for Democratic Action, while possessing a lifetime rating of under 15 with the American Conservative Union.
Meanwhile, the CNN host questioned if Wurzelbacher can win as a "conservative Republican," saying it was a "challenge."
And Sambolin also questioned Wurzelbacher's prior experience as a plumber and laborer who enjoyed some time in the public spotlight in 2008 educating Americans with his conservative principles. "[H]ow do you think that qualifies you to run for Congress?" the CNN host asked, a question her guest dismissed as "silly."
The full exchange can be found below.
EARLY START
March 8, 2012
6:16 a.m. EST
ZORAIDA SAMBOLIN, CNN anchor: What do you do for a living now?
SAMUEL WURZELBACHER, "Joe the Plumber": Well, for the last four years I've gone around building houses, taking trees down, plumbing, and speaking at different events around the country encouraging Americans to really get informed on who they're going to vote for. Stop voting on 30-second sound bites, and make sure their vote counts and then really exercise their civic responsibility as an American.
SAMBOLIN: And what do you think, or how do you think that qualifies you to run for Congress?
WURZELBACHER: (Laughs) What qualifies me – one, I'm an American citizen. Two, you know, I'm very much involved in the process of what's going on. I guess my question would be, what qualifies the current politicians who are killing our country, Republicans and Democrats alike. I'm sorry, it just seems like a silly question.
(...)
SAMBOLIN: All right. Let's talk about the GOP nomination that you won. It was a really tight margin -- 51 percent of the vote compared to your opponents, 48 percent. And you had a lot of money, six times the amount of your opponent. But now, you have a really strong incumbent to face -- the Democratic Representative Marcy Kaptur. She defeated Kucinich in her primary. She's considered a conservative Democrat. She's defeated every Republican challenger that she has faced since 1982. How do you think you're going to win this?
WURZELBACHER: Well, you know, that's the first time I heard her called a conservative Democrat.
(...)
SAMBOLIN: The challenge for you because you're a conservative Republican. So, it brings up some comments that you said and I want to share them with you. In an interview in 2009 in "Christianity Today," you made comments about gay people. We're going to put them up there for everybody to see.
"Queer means strange and unusual. It's not like a slur, like you would call a white person a honky or something like that." You also said, "I've had some friends that were actually homosexual and I mean, they know where I stand and they know that I wouldn't have them anywhere near my children. But at the same time, they're people and they're going to do their thing."
Have you changed your positions on this at all?
WURZELBACHER: So, this is TMZ. This isn't CNN is what you're saying.
SAMBOLIN: Of course, it's CNN.
These are things you said that I would like to know if you still stand by them or if you have change your positions on them.
WURZELBACHER: No, I want everybody to have a job. Americans, as far as that goes. Republican, Democrat, union, non-union --
SAMBOLIN: What about these comments that you made? Do you stand by these comments?
WURZELBACHER: Listen, in my dictionary and in everyone's dictionary from the 1970s, the word queer didn mean strange and unusual. There was no slur to it. Do you challenge that?
SAMBOLIN: No, I'm just -- I'm questioning whether or not you still stand by these positions on homosexuality --
(CROSSTALK)
WURZELBACHER: I'm trying to get where you're coming from? What context are you using this in?
SAMBOLIN: The context that I'm using --
WURZELBACHER: Come on. You're trying to do a gotcha moment, it's quite obvious.
SAMBOLIN: No, no, it's not a gotcha moment. These are things that you said and I think people who are voting for you should have an opportunity to understand whether or not you have changed your positions on these two issues here.
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Comments
Always a good laugh when an
Submitted by NC Cop on Thu, 03/08/2012 - 3:50pm.
Always a good laugh when an Obama fan questions someone else's qualifications for running for office.
Priceless!!!
Qualifications
Submitted by Galvanic on Thu, 03/08/2012 - 4:02pm.
I always go back to Ross Perot's line from a debate he appeared in with Bush-41 and Clinton.
President George H.W. Bush was exhorting how it takes experience to be President, and that he had substantially more experience than his opponents (Which he certainly did).
When the moderator turned it over to Perot to respond, Ross said, "Well, I admit I don't have any experience running up a four trillion dollar national debt."
One of the greatest comeback lines in American politics.
We call that a
Submitted by NC Cop on Thu, 03/08/2012 - 4:07pm.
We call that a "ZING!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
Did you ever think
Submitted by Me1976 on Thu, 03/08/2012 - 9:03pm.
there would be a time when we could say a $4 trillion dollar nation debt was the "good 'ol days"?
Just sayin
Submitted by BuffNBone on Thu, 03/08/2012 - 4:05pm.
Is he over 35?
We may have a new candidate for the top spot on the ticket.
Well, if Joe thought he was public enemy #1 for dare questioning
Submitted by syvyn11 on Thu, 03/08/2012 - 4:07pm.
Obama. He's ain't seen nothing yet! The Pee Stream media will try to make a example of him.
Keep slapping them Joe and
Submitted by LAM SON 719 on Thu, 03/08/2012 - 4:15pm.
Keep slapping them Joe and you will win.
This is priceless: Joe the Plumber using a Roto-rooter...
Submitted by KyWriter on Thu, 03/08/2012 - 4:21pm.
...on CNN. I think they grossly underestimated the man.
Way to go, Sam! THIS is Media Interaction 101 at its FINEST!
Submitted by gopcongress on Thu, 03/08/2012 - 4:24pm.
While I don't think Sam has a good chance to win his district, he WILL pick up points for the way he is handling the media. He understands the media template for interviewing conservatives is NOT to discuss the real issues, but to try to smear the candidate as much as possible.
It is said that politics is sometimes more an accidental profession than one that is sought. But in Sam's case, it is not about winning Congress as much as it is about explaining conservative values in plain language. Part of that method is refusing to give in to the "gotcha" statements.
ALL conservatives should take note of Sam's interview and to internalize the style he uses in their media interaction. Understand, I didn't say COPY his style; templates are what socialists follow. Rather, internalize the methods in which to convey your true beliefs to get past the media-induced filter to successfully communicate to the voters your intent.
ATTABOY SAM!!
"The news and truth are not the same thing." -Walter Lippmann (1889-1974) FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER
Joe
Submitted by mmilesll on Thu, 03/08/2012 - 4:43pm.
Why would you start your comment by saying you don't think he has a good chance to win? I think he does. Don't forget the '10 election-the Tea Party is a joke, etc. Don't knock him down, help him win.
mmilesll
Submitted by stratman on Thu, 03/08/2012 - 7:10pm.
I am from the area Joe is running in. I have lived in both ends of the district and have a pretty good understanding of the folks in between. While there are Conservatives and Republicans, the overwhelming majority are Democrat voters. Joe has little chance of winning. Kaptur has been elected for thirty years in the Toledo area. Most Dem voters who favored Kucinich will not vote for Joe, even after the brutal savaging Kaptur laid down on Kucinich. The Left in this area are not going to cross over to Joe. To think otherwise is like saying my Congresscritter Marcia Fudge, the imbecile socialist who took over after the worse than useless Stephanie Tubbs Jones, could be defeated by a Republican. The majority of people in these districts are too indoctrinated to know they are frogs drifting off to sleep in a pot of slowly heating water.
That said, I respect Joe for his valiant effort. He's trying to do something to right the mess the Left have created (with some help from feckless Republicans). I would vote for Joe in a heartbeat over Kaptur, who is Sherrod Brown in a wig and pants suit.
Jeez, strat...............I
Submitted by killa37 on Fri, 03/09/2012 - 12:30am.
Jeez, strat...............I need to send you some aloha from Asia!! I mean, I'm reading your post,and I'm looking at those names, and the agendas that go with them, and it's really depressing!!! Kaptur (Capture), Kucinich (Kook-sannich), Fudge (need I say more?), Tubbs Jones ( you'd think with a name like Tubbs, she'd opt for the dull and boring Jones)..............I can just imagine the kind of people that they are by their names!!!
Keep your chin up, my good buddy!!!
Thank you for the
Submitted by stratman on Fri, 03/09/2012 - 1:23am.
Thank you for the encouragement, killa. At least Rob Portman is my Senator. He's a good fiscally responsible Conservative, once the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, and hopefully will be in the Cabinet of the Republican President on January 21, 2013. He's a keeper.
Since Dennis is out of a job soon, he will probably go where his wife is employed - Washington, DC - as she is the director of public affairs for the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine. (Yeah, another Leftist medical group)
I don't think we've heard the last of Kucinich.
The Liberal activists in the MSM need to be challenged
Submitted by c5then on Thu, 03/08/2012 - 4:24pm.
He should have asked her what qualifications for Representative, as laid out in the Constitution, she thought he was missing?
Any conservative needs to assume that if they agree to an interview, they are probably going to be asked some questions to elicit a "gotcha" response.
Madison and Jefferson and Franklin built a Republic - Roberts killed it!
'My Kids R Grown
Submitted by CJohnson on Thu, 03/08/2012 - 4:29pm.
so it's not an issue anymore.'
Joe
Submitted by mmilesll on Thu, 03/08/2012 - 4:40pm.
Rock on Joe. The MSM is out to get you, you know that. Get back in their face like you just did in this "interview". They can't argue the facts-job, economy, gas prices, etc so they will go after you on personal things-they can eat it-forgot to put the sh in front, sorry-and die-another 70's thing. You are going to face a lot of this crap, but you CAN win.
CNN’s Zoraida Sambolin appeared "strange or odd" today.
Submitted by Conservator on Thu, 03/08/2012 - 5:02pm.
BTW, "strange or odd" is the definition of queer. It only refers to gays when used as a slang word. But I'm sure that CNN's conservative host, Zoraida Sambolin, didn't want to pose a gotcha question. She was just trying to help Joe get some positive MSM coverage.
Just amazing. The world is
Submitted by Soldat44 on Thu, 03/08/2012 - 5:02pm.
Just amazing. The world is going to hades. There are very few jobs. National debt is at an all-time high. Middle-East in turmoil. Dogs and cats living together and all this clueless CNN talking head wants to talk about is homosexuality.
Are they all on drugs?
Lord Jesus come now.
Show us the way, Joe.
Submitted by Newsbubba on Thu, 03/08/2012 - 5:07pm.
Republicans need for ALL candidates to challenge these dimwits on the MSM shows, just as Joe is doing.
Here's a great example of how to do it by the editor of Brietbart. He doesn't back down, he doesn't let "Suliman" O'Brian change the subject. He doesn't let her redefine the premise. Quite simply, he kicks her ass, and I seriously doubt if they will ever get him back on.
http://www.breitbart.com/Breitbart-TV/2012/03/08/The%20Vetting%20CNN%20I...
I would have said shes acting queer
Submitted by dmacleo on Thu, 03/08/2012 - 6:51pm.
and I would have allowed her to use either definition.
Sheesh
Submitted by KornKing on Thu, 03/08/2012 - 7:00pm.
That witch has the perfect voice for silent films
TMZ/CNN
Submitted by HudsonRiverGirl on Thu, 03/08/2012 - 7:32pm.
Truth be told I wouldn't let a single journOlist anywhere near my children.
And that goes for most of the slugs like Beckel and Juan on FNC. Geraldo also comes to mind as somone who would be kept far away from my children.
MSM
Submitted by crabman2 on Fri, 03/09/2012 - 1:00pm.
There are very few "journalists" doing news shows now . In fact there are very few "news shows" any more . They are mostly opinion shows . When a reporter states what you should believe ( in their opinion ) they become a commentator . There are few exceptions .
MSM
Submitted by crabman2 on Fri, 03/09/2012 - 1:01pm.
There are very few "journalists" doing news shows now . In fact there are very few "news shows" any more . They are mostly opinion shows . When a reporter states what you should believe ( in their opinion ) they become a commentator . There are few exceptions .
Don't suppose she'd ever....
Submitted by Me1976 on Thu, 03/08/2012 - 9:01pm.
....ask Obama if his position on gay marriage has changed? Last I heard, he thinks marriage should only be between a man and a woman.
Good point!
Submitted by Vandamage2000 on Thu, 03/08/2012 - 9:41pm.
Attack Obama from the Left. Brilliant!
But why do you guys hate it when people find dirt on Republicans? Is it because digging dirt on Politicains is the the job of the right wing? Breitbart's Big Journalism just posted video from twenty years on their blog. But we cant go back a few years with guy?
All this guy has to do is apologize for his comments, say he didnt mean them, and move on. Instead he soldiers on and attacks the media. This guy thinks gays should be kept away from Children. That is Intolerance.
~Yeah
Submitted by Wrathful Brunette on Thu, 03/08/2012 - 9:47pm.
Intolerance for child molestation.
http://www.hli.org/files/relative_frequency_of_child_molestation_by_homo...
Wheres the methodology?
Submitted by Vandamage2000 on Thu, 03/08/2012 - 11:22pm.
Those stats are bogus.
Thats your new claim? All homosexuals are child molesters? Unreal.
To whom are you playing, VD; ---
Submitted by matthewdean on Thu, 03/08/2012 - 11:28pm.
your buds over at Daily KOS?
Pretty damn stupid to attempt lying about what someone "claims" when the post is there for all to see.
That poo-poo caca ain't gonna fly around here.
MD
Actually MD
Submitted by Radical1979 on Thu, 03/08/2012 - 11:32pm.
He's been throwing it all over this site the past day or two. He seems to live in it, like most libs.
That he has, Rad;---
Submitted by matthewdean on Fri, 03/09/2012 - 12:05am.
but ultimately, it is going to stick to him rather than drift around and then he will be living in it up to his eyebrows.
MD
⇒ Good News, VD
Submitted by Cool Arrow on Thu, 03/08/2012 - 11:32pm.
For only $14,000/yr. you can (sort of) protect yourself from contracting HIV.
Given the President's views on expanding the rate of permissive sex, I'm sure he'll pencil in the necessary appropriation to keep you alive long enough to share your gift with many others.
Familiar with the word conviction?
Submitted by SickofLibs on Thu, 03/08/2012 - 9:56pm.
I didn't think so.
I love how she attempted to
Submitted by Tom Paine on Thu, 03/08/2012 - 10:31pm.
I love how she attempted to imply that his victory wasn't convincing by saying he won with only 51% of the vote. Didn't Barry win with only 52% of the vote?
You speak troof, Tom Paine.
Submitted by killa37 on Fri, 03/09/2012 - 12:35am.
You speak troof, Tom Paine. And have you ever heard Bob Dylan's song about Tom Paine on the John Wesley Harding album??
OK, I'll admit that I don't
Submitted by killa37 on Fri, 03/09/2012 - 12:43am.
OK, I'll admit that I don't watch CNN............why would I??? But this nimrod - what's her name??..........Zoraida Sambolin???
Sounds like another 'multi-culteral' hire, like Bashir the Basher, or FockHead Zackariyah, or Long Walk/Short Piers, employed here in the USA from some other country to tell US how we're supposed to think and live our lives, as it relates to their own agenda.
And I don't know how Joe the Plumber will do, other than what I read from stratman, but we ALL know that he busted Boy Barry's tiny little balls before the election.............and had to endure the tidal wave of MSM onslaught (as orchestrated by Boy Barry and his handlers) after actually speaking the troof!!! And she actually asked him what 'qualified' him to run for Congress??? Well, I don't need to elaborate on that, because NB has very educated and smart people...........with the exception of a few temporarily resident trolls.
Hey Joe (sounds like a Leaves/Love/Jimi Hendrix song!!!).............keep bustin' their balls and their chops and their questions!!
I hope you win.............but even if you don't, remember the Alamo!!! Go down in a blaze of glory!!!
Good for Joe
Submitted by GregE on Fri, 03/09/2012 - 12:55am.
He'll probably lose his election being up against the machine, but good for him here.
The media will continue this crap, and everytime, the conservative they are crapping on just needs to turn it on them. EVERY TIME! Let them know it's coming.
He should mention that in gay pride parades, protests, etc................we always hear chanting of ..........."We're here, we're queer." So if someone is calling themselves something, is it a problem when you use the same word they used? Obviously they aren't offended by the word.
How to respond to the Media
Submitted by Longdrycreek on Fri, 03/09/2012 - 9:53am.
Republicans need to keep their comment short and pity. When this news anchor read his comments from CT, and asked if he had changed his mind, Just say, "Why?" Forget her motivation a false fox to chase.
This will throw her off and, as expected, she will ask the question again? [Note the pattern.] "Explain why I should change my mind?" Again this will throw her.
She will repeat what the script calls for. "Big problem for you, isn't? Take this back to the Democratic National Committee to get some new questions."
Just keep the pressure on the interviewer.
Last Sunday on the NBC program, the interviewer asked "Newt some irrelevant question?" I notice he interviewer had a script. He kept to the script and repeated the question 3 times.
Newt should have said, "David, obviously you do not understand what I am saying. Tell me what you understand?" Put the pressure back . . . accept nothing at face value. It is not.
Short and pity? Make me look bad and correct your...
Submitted by jawebster1 on Fri, 03/09/2012 - 1:22pm.
error.
It's a message board
Submitted by Blonde on Fri, 03/09/2012 - 1:25pm.
We all make typos (I know, I made a beauty last week, and was crucified *ahem* for it). So what? I read it, saw it, and understood immediately, typo and all.
His point stands, and is an excellent one.
Handy Reference Guide to Obama's Gaffes and Goofs ~ Currently Numbering 200 (and Counting)
I know. I tried to add to my comment by saying, otherwise...
Submitted by jawebster1 on Fri, 03/09/2012 - 1:37pm.
good advise, but your comment denied me access. He also left off the"t" in "the interviewer". Speaking for myself, I always try to proof read my comments to check for errors, thereby avoiding some of them.
My daughter sent me an e-mail recently and said, like O'Reilly she was going to be short and piffy. I debated whether or not to correct her. I guess I am braver when it comes to correcting people I don't know.
Piffy, Pity, what's the diff?
Submitted by Blonde on Fri, 03/09/2012 - 1:40pm.
Short and piffy, that's funny.
I usually only play the grammar/spelling police card on the trolls, friendlies generally get a pass (although I was crucified by a pal for misspelling crucifixion, LOL).
Handy Reference Guide to Obama's Gaffes and Goofs ~ Currently Numbering 200 (and Counting)
~My ears are burning!
Submitted by Wrathful Brunette on Fri, 03/09/2012 - 1:44pm.
When you're making a comment about someone's typos..and you make one..that's just too humorous an opening to pass up.
What can I say, I'm weak.
I usually try to avoid mistrakes when I type my comments.
Submitted by jawebster1 on Fri, 03/09/2012 - 2:00pm.
I can't help but wonder if the original comment writer realizes the word is not spelled without the letter "h".
My sweet daughter would have really burned my ears if she had spelled "piffy" with two esses.
good advise
Submitted by Boudin on Fri, 03/09/2012 - 9:51pm.
or advice?
~:-p
Submitted by Wrathful Brunette on Fri, 03/09/2012 - 1:43pm.
One of my favorite interactions with JasonC was when he referred to one of my comments as 'pithy', in a slightly snotty tone...and I asked him when he was going to get that lisp fixed.
That's too good, Bru
Submitted by Blonde on Fri, 03/09/2012 - 2:14pm.
I can just see his startled face as he read it, too. And the deflation of the ego balloon. Actually, Jason was one of my favorite liberal posters around these parts, but we did go at it occasionally. Guess he's too busy to pester us MOLs & MODs these days. A baby will do that, eh?
Handy Reference Guide to Obama's Gaffes and Goofs ~ Currently Numbering 200 (and Counting)
~Yeah, especially the first
Submitted by Wrathful Brunette on Fri, 03/09/2012 - 2:48pm.
By the time you've had two or three you're such an old hand you can feed the baby, shop for groceries, and keep track of the older siblings all at the same time.
I'm surprised we didn't see Jason when Prop 8 got overturned again, since that sort of thing is his pet cause.
One thing is a given. If "Joe the Plumber" wins office...
Submitted by jawebster1 on Fri, 03/09/2012 - 1:20pm.
there will be one more Conservative vote in Congress and one less Liberal vote.
That should be enough right there.
According to the media the
Submitted by Rusty Shackleford on Fri, 03/09/2012 - 1:34pm.
According to the media the most important issue facing Americans today is whether or not gay Americans should be provided legislation to force everyone else to respect and acknowledge their relationships. More Republicans need to stand up to these gotcha questions on irrelevant issues.
The media loves homosexuality because homosexuals is the only voting group that not only votes Democrat, but believes in their issues with a great deal of intensity. For example, you'll find a lot of intellectual diversity among black Americans even though nearly all will vote Democrat on election day. You don't see this with homosexuals. Homosexuals share the same opinions on the issues with such regularity that you can literally ask any random homosexual for their opinion on some political issue and have confidence in knowing that's the exact same answer any other homosexual will give. They are the political equivalent of The Borg: hard core collectivists that share the same thoughts on everything.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chris Matthews: The Joy Behar of MSNBC.
Bill Maher: The Joy Behar of HBO.
Paul Krugman: The Joy Behar of The New York Times.
Newt has shown the way. The best way to tame these...
Submitted by jawebster1 on Fri, 03/09/2012 - 1:44pm.
liberal anchors and interviewers is to come right back at them and ask them what do they mean by asking such foolish questions.
Instead of always trying to be nice to people who don't like you, challenge them. Afterall, if you are a condidate for high office, you should be much smarter and quicker on your feet than they are.