Obama, Joe the Plumber Discuss Drain Problems in White House Shower

CHICAGO - President-elect Barack Obama met with Joe the Plumber at his Hyde Park residence yesterday to discuss issues of plumbing and national security. The two men chatted behind closed doors for over two hours before meeting with reporters.

Mr. Obama said he needed Joe’s help with a potentially messy trouble spot. “I noticed when President Bush was giving me a tour of the White House last week that the drain in the shower off the Lincoln bedroom appeared to be slow,” said Mr. Obama. “President Bush and I tried to clean out the trap with a wire hanger, but the water still wouldn’t go down. The President suggested I give Joe a call, and I’m sure glad I did.”

For his part, Joe the Plumber was typically gracious. “You know, for a dirty socialist who wants to redistribute our hard-earned money and spread it around to a bunch of do-nothing welfare cheats, Obama’s not a bad guy.”

A White House spokesman said President Bush thought his referral of Joe the Plumber, a divisive figure in the recent election, would be viewed by the public as a magnanimous gesture of reconciliation by the President-elect. Recent polling data shows President Bush was right.

“I told Joe that I want a plan in place to have this matter resolved quickly, so that after taking the oath of office I, or any member of my cabinet can take a shower without worrying about the dangers of standing water in the tub.”

Members of the Obama transition team and Joe the Plumber are expected to work through the weekend selecting the proper tools for the job. The drain is expected to be fully snaked by the end of January.

Nov 20

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