MSNBC's Hall said "it would be rude to ask Joe [the Plumber] what his income is" -- but it's key issue

Summary: Discussing Sam Joe Wurzelbacher ("Joe the Plumber") on MSNBC Live, Tamron Hall said that "according to the federal government's Bureau of Labor Statistics, the national average for a plumber: $45,000. ... I think it would be rude to ask Joe what his income is." But Wurzelbacher's income -- or expected income -- is the issue in determining the veracity of McCain's charge that Wurzelbacher's taxes would increase under Sen. Barack Obama's tax plan.

On the October 16 edition of MSNBC Live, during a discussion of Sam Joe Wurzelbacher ("Joe the Plumber") -- mentioned by Sen. John McCain numerous times during the October 15 presidential debate as an example of a person whose taxes would increase under Sen. Barack Obama's tax plan -- host Tamron Hall said that "according to the federal government's Bureau of Labor Statistics, the national average for a plumber: $45,000. ... I think it would be rude to ask Joe what his income is." But Wurzelbacher's income -- or expected income -- is the issue in determining the veracity of McCain's charge. Wurzelbacher told ABC's Good Morning America host Diane Sawyer that he does not make $250,000 or more -- and reportedly told ABC News' Chris Bury that if he purchases the plumbing business he intends to purchase, he would still make less than that -- which means that his income would not be subject to a tax increase under Obama's tax proposal.

Obama has proposed cutting taxes for low- and middle-income families and raising taxes only on households earning more than $250,000 per year. In an October 16 post on his blog, ABC News senior national correspondent Jake Tapper wrote that according to ABC News' Chris Bury, Wurzelbacher "acknowledged that he wants to purchase the plumbing business for $250-280,000, not that he would net that much in profits. He would make much less, he said." Tapper also noted that "Wurzelbacher this morning told ABC News' Diane Sawyer that he was talking about, in Diane's words, the prospect, the hope that someday he would make $250,000."

Indeed, during the October 16 edition of Good Morning America, Sawyer asked Wurzelbacher: "[Y]ou're not taking home $250,000 now, am I right?" Wurzelbacher replied: "No. No, not even close." Sawyer then asked: "And you were you asking about the prospect, the hope, that someday you would make $250,000, and you were saying you didn't want that to be taxed?" Wurzelbacher responded: "Well, exactly. Exactly."

Additionally, during an October 15 webcast, Couric asked Wurzelbacher: "Well, [Obama] supposedly will raise taxes only on people who make over $250,000 a year. Would you be in that category?" Wurzelbacher responded: "Not right now at presently, but, you know, question -- so he's going to do that now for people who make $250,000 a year. When's he going to decide that $100,000 is too much? I mean, you know, you're on a slippery slope here. You vote on somebody who decides that $250,000 and you're rich? And $100,000 and you're rich? I mean, where does it end? You know, that's -- people got to ask that question."

From the 11 a.m. ET hour of the October 16 edition of MSNBC Live:

RYAN FOWLER (WNWO reporter): So, Joe has some strong opinions on this year's election. He says he's a conservative, but like you mentioned, he doesn't want to -- kind of give away who he's going to vote for. But after last night, he said McCain won that final debate, so you have to think he might be leaning towards McCain -- Tamron.

HALL: Yeah, you would think that, and we actually got a little bit of data from our friends over at CNBC -- people wanting to know what the average plumber makes. And according to the federal government's Bureau of Labor Statistics, the national average for a plumber: $45,000. Their actual average hourly rate is $22.76. I think it would be rude to ask Joe what his income is. But it's interesting, Ryan, that he has been kind of secretive about who he's voting for, in that, he's been so vocal this morning.

From the October 16 edition of ABC's Good Morning America:

SAWYER: Well, I just want to ask you now about the issue that was raised, because it's been a little confusing to me as I tied -- tried to sort it out here. To get straight here, you're not taking home $250,000 now, am I right?

WURZELBACHER: No. No, not even close.

SAWYER: And you were asking --

WURZELBACHER: No, it's --

SAWYER: -- about the prospect, the hope, that someday you would make $250,000, and you were saying you didn't want that to be taxed?

WURZELBACHER: Well, exactly. Exactly.

—E.H.H.