McCain throws plumber at Obama in final debate

"So, look, nobody likes taxes," Obama said. "I would prefer that none of us had to pay taxes, including myself. But ultimately, we've got to pay for the core investments that make this economy strong and somebody's got to do it."

McCain then challenged Obama saying, "Nobody likes taxes. Let's not raise anybody's taxes. OK?"

Obama didn't take the bait responding with, "Well, I don't mind paying a little more."

Joe's health care

Joe the plumber would not go away. On Joe the plumber and health care, McCain charged under Obama's plan if Joe didn't "adopt the health care plan that Senator Obama mandates, he's going to fine you."

Not so, said Obama.

"I exempt small businesses from the requirement for large businesses that can afford to provide health care to their employees, but are not doing it.

"I exempt small businesses from having to pay into a kitty. But large businesses that can afford it, we've got a choice. Either they provide health insurance to their employees or somebody has to."

A sarcastic McCain replied, "Now, Joe, you're rich, congratulations, and you will then fall into the category where you'll have to pay a fine if you don't provide health insurance that Senator Obama mandates, not the kind that you think is best for your family, your children, your employees, but the kind that he mandates for you."

Morning Joe

What's Joe the plumber think? He toured the morning shows today just like a candidate.

Although he won't say who he's voting for, you just might be able to guess after discussing Obama's tax plan with ABC's Diane Sawyer.

"Just because you work a little harder, to have more money taken from you -- that's scary," Wurzelbacher said. "Why should they be penalized for being successful? ... That's wrong. ... Obama wants to take that basic right and penalize me for it. That's a very socialistic view."

Katie's back

How did this unknown plumber from Ohio get to be the centerpiece of the debate anyway?  He discussed the whole thing with Katie Couric last night.  You can read the whole transcript here.  In a nutshell, he thought his neighbors were too soft on the Democratic nominee.

"Obama came to my neighborhood and my son and I were outside tossing the football, and all of a sudden he showed up, and there went our football tossing for a while. And, you know, neighbors were outside asking him questions, and I didn't think they were asking him tough enough questions, so I thought, you know, I'll go over there. You know, I've always wanted to ask one of these guys a question and really corner them and get them to answer a question of -- for once instead of tap dancing around it. And unfortunately I asked the question but I still got a tap dance ... almost as good as Sammy Davis Jr."

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