Joe the Plumber will unclog journalism next

Posted at 12:26 PM on January 8, 2009 by Sanden Totten (2 Comments)

Call it a sign of the economic times, but even Joe the Plumber is taking on a new job. The ubiquitous Ohio native with the shaved head is trading in fixing pipes for breaking news. World, meet Joe the Middle East Reporter.

Photo by J.D. Pooley/Getty Images)

Writing about the conflict in Gaza for the website Pajamas TV, Joe will be heading to Israel to: "go over there and let their 'Average Joes' share their story, what they think, how they feel . . . maybe get a real story out there," as Joe Sam Wurzelbacher put it to WNWO-TV in Toledo.

Of course, this announcement has led to some snark on the web. But Roger Simon of Pajamas Media said the mainstream media is just being "snotty" out of fear because maybe deep in side they feel "threatened that a common man can be a reporter simply by asking common sense questions - no Columbia J-school degree required."

Not one for gathering the usual degrees or licenses for a job is he?

But getting "average Joes" to cover the news is nothing new in the world of YouTube, Indymedia and iReports. And taking on a subject as thorny and complex as the conflict in Gaza isn't exactly a walk in the park. Many seasoned journalists have taken mountains of criticism for their coverage in this area. Will Joe do a better job?

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Comments (2)

Joe has all of the qualification to be a reporter for Fox. He has no experience, he cannot determine the difference between reporting and commentary, he owes back taxes that he does not want to pay, he has an ego is larger than his intelligence, he is willing to be a pawn for the neo-cons, etc.

Posted by Larry Linn | January 8, 2009 3:23 PM

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At least Joe the "guy who owes back taxes" is not a choice for Obama's cabinet and in charge of the treasury,you idiot.

Posted by Dave | January 20, 2009 8:29 AM

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