Joe the Republican

Ericka Andersen | February 04, 2009 1:19 PM

There was a bit of an uproar when "Joe the Plumber" (aka Samuel Wurzelbacher) became a short-term war correspondent for Pajamas Media last month. Journalists were offended and liberals were amused. While the stint didn't generate any monumental news coverage, Pajamas stood by their guy and he apparently impressed Republican members of Congress.

Joe joined members of the Conservative Working Group yesterday morning for a closed door meeting of Republican Congressional aides. From reporter to political strategist without an ounce of experience in either field -- is this really a good idea? It isn't something to make a habit of but Joe's "regular guy" opinion injected into influential Washington circles may be a breath of fresh air for those suffocating in Beltway talking points.

“I don’t believe there’s two sides to every story. It’s black and white...There’s right and wrong,” Joe said recently.

His antecdotes are often simple but emanate the common sense kind of thinking often loss in policy debates and confusing legislation so removed from the American people.

The NY Daily News wonders if a run for political office is in Joe's future while the Huffington Post blares the following quote: "I don't know if the American public deserves me." That could be easily misconstrued. Either way, Joe represents the people for now -- without the stigma of political promises to keep -- and it doesn't hurt anyone to listen. Here he is on Pajamas TV.