Colin Powell versus Joe the Plumber. Who's more powerful?

When a reporter defended coverage of Wurzelbacher, Munoz argued that the plumber has received more attention from the mainstream press than Weather Underground founder Bill Ayers, a past supporter of Obama's.

“How come that’s not in the news all the time?” Munoz said. “How come Joe the Plumber is every second? I’m talking about NBC, MSNBC, CBS, ABC, and CNN.”

Plumber over Powell

How powerful is Wurzelbacher?

Who knows. He comes across as a likable guy. He's not afraid of the cameras. He seems well-poised despite the national spotlight. And, as detractors note, he's given more interviews than Palin.

He just may be more significant than Powell, says GOP political strategist Ed Rollins.

"Powell's endorsement may make the Washington establishment pause and reflect, but the message of McCain and Joe the Plumber may force ordinary voters to ask some questions:

"How can people who don't pay taxes get tax refunds while those that do, get tax increases?

"Is an Obama presidency a giant step towards liberal socialism and military weakness?

"In this time of severe crisis do we want experience or inexperience?

"Obama is the obvious favorite, but with a major assist from his plumber friend, John McCain may get voters to take another look at him. After a problematic and mistake-prone McCain campaign, that's all anyone can ask."

I'll take Plumber for $500, Wink

Ed Morrissey, at the conservative Hot Air blog takes it a step further, arguing that a Powell endorsement would have had more weight in August with the Russian invasion of Georgia. The public just isn't tuned in to foreign affairs now.

"[Voters are] more interested in economic issues, and I think Joe the Plumber has more resonance than Colin Powell at this point in the election," Morrissey writes.

Not so

It isn't a sweep. Ask 100 people the same thing and you can get 100 different answers. Although GOP political strategist Mike Murphy didn't reference Joe the Plumber, he says Powell's endorsement delivers a "sledgehammer blow" to the McCain candidacy.

"Powell's remarks were an across the board indictment of the McCain campaign," Murphy writes. "He threw a subtly delivered but perfectly targeted series of chops at each of the the major fractures of the shaky McCain campaign; the Palin choice, the dark tone of the campaign, the Helter Skelter antics at the onset of the economic crisis."

Plumber power

With just over two weeks to go before Election Day, it is likely we'll see more of Joe the Plumber than Colin Powell. Powell has said he doesn't want to go out on the campaign trail. Whether a week-old newbie to the national scene can preempt someone with the stature of the former Secretary of State seems unlikely at face value.

But as Rollins writes, "The establishment and the elites don't care about Joe or what he thinks. But many working Americans might, because he reflects their thinking."

Weirder things have happened. Get ready for an interesting two weeks.

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