Final Debate: Obama Wins in Polls -- But What Does 'Joe the Plumber' Have to Say?

By: Greg Mitchell Four and out? A sweep for the Democrats? It could have followed the same script as the past three encounters: Obama or Biden win on points and demeanor, pundits call it a draw anyway, polls mock the pundits by showing an easy win for the Dem.

But this one at Hofstra was a little different, perhaps because of the seating arrangement, McCain's growing desperation, or due to a more pushy moderator. It was like Muhammad Ali vs. Sonny Liston again -- the glider vs. the puncher -- but without the knockout of Liston.

The big winner: Joe the Plumber.

Joe, can I be your agent? The book and movie deals will be arriving within hours.

Forget Joe Six-Pack. We have a new American icon, who may not need a designated driver on the way home from the soccer game.

The two candidates invoked and evoked Joe the Plumber, even addressed him directly. Obama seemed to be more concerned about speaking to him than remembering why Sarah Palin was a questionable veep candidate. Handed a golden opportunity to confront this -- he wasn't asked at first if she was qualified, just to say why his veep choice was better -- he simply danced around it. Meanwhile, he let McCain sock Biden -- and for that matter, punch all night without much more than a jab in return.

It was rope-a-dope but without the Ali flurry that destroyed George Foreman. Still, because of his answers on abortion and the Supreme Court choices, and some of the economic and medical issues, he managed to come out okay, possibly even on top. One recalls Ali winning many fights even on off-nights for him.

The instant polls from CNN and CBS, as they did in all three previous debates, found voters who watched giving the win to Obama, easily -- by a whopping 53% to 22% among undecided voters in the CBS sample. Once again, most pundits called it even (tonight many awarded it to McCain) and "the people" gave it to the Democrat in a landslide.

David Brooks on Charlie Rose's show continued to insist that McCain had held his own in all three debates -- despite the polls showing he badly lost all three -- and has actually run a good race so far (despite trailing badly in national polls overall).

But forget the instant polls after the debate. The only view anyone will now care about belongs to.... Joe the Plumber. Hey Joe, where ya gonna go?

UPDATE The AP finds him: His name is Joe Wurzelbacher, and he lives near Toledo, Ohio. He did not say who he was voting for, but said he was surprised that he was called "Joe the Plumber" repeatedly. "It's pretty surreal, man, my name being mentioned in a presidential campaign," he said. Later he compared Obama to Sammy Davis Jr.

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