McCain blasts 'Joe the Plumber' attacks

ALBUQUERQUE, Oct. 26 (UPI) -- Republican presidential nominee John McCain Sunday denounced attacks on "Joe the Plumber," the Ohio man frequently mentioned on the campaign trail.

The Arizona senator introduced voters to the plight of Samuel Joseph Wurzelbacher this month at the final presidential debate and has since referred to him often, The Columbus (Ohio) Dispatch reported.

Since Wurzelbacher gained prominence, his driver's license and vehicle registration information was accessed. Ohio officials are investigating how his confidential information was released.

McCain said the release was a politically motivated invasion of privacy.

"By the way, did you see the way Joe the Plumber was attacked? Isn't that remarkable? We saw this morning where they've accessed into his -- into his background. Remarkable," McCain said at a rally in Albuquerque, N.M.

After the Oct. 15 debate with Democrat Barack Obama, Wurzelbacher's name was run three times on Bureau of Motor Vehicles computers, the Dispatch reported Saturday.

The newspaper reported the information was accessed through accounts assigned to the office of Ohio's attorney general, the Cuyahoga County Child Support Enforcement Agency in Cleveland and the Toledo Police Department.