McCain releases 'Joe the Plumber' ad

WASHINGTON, Oct. 23 (UPI) -- Republican presidential nominee John McCain released an online ad Thursday made from home video that plays on the popularity of Ohio voter "Joe the Plumber."

The McCain campaign said in a statement that the Internet ad, entitled "I am Joe," features Americans who submitted home video to the campaign telling their stories and how they are like "Joe the Plumber" -- the name given to Joe Wurzelbacher of Holland, Ohio, who was thrust into the spotlight after he encountered Democratic nominee Barack Obama during a campaign stop.

Wurzelbacher subsequently became something of an emblem for working class voters in the presidential campaign.

"Like Joe in Ohio, people from across the country do not want to see their taxes increase as Barack Obama proposes," the statement said. "They don't want a president who will 'spread the wealth around' instead of creating new wealth and new opportunity."