McCain's New Speechwriter: Studs Terkel

The Arizona Senator seems to have channeled the spirit of that great American essayist and chronicler of working people from Detroit to Duluth. In college I had a bit part in the musical "Working," an adaptation of Terkel's book with the same name. The musical features songs with titles like, "Millwork," "Just a Housewife," "The Mason," "Brother Trucker," and "Cleanin' Women." Check out this video of Patti LaBelle in the film adaptation:



I make this comparison after reading a story on The LA Times' website about McCain's efforts to win Missouri. After exposing Joe the Plumber to the country in last week's debate, he's now throwing out references to workers of every stripe at a Terkel-esque speed:

McCain portrays Joe Wurzelbacher as a symbol for all Americans struggling to get by. Among them, to hear McCain tell it, are Phil the Bricklayer, Wendy the Waitress and Rose the Teacher. On Monday, he added Ed the Dairyman.

Seriously. Who writes this stuff?