Ever since John McCain discovered "Joe the Plumber," he has exalted "small business" owners -- inviting them to announce their professions on signs at rallies -- as the country's only virtuous economic movers.
But now McCain has begun to define the term upward, leaving no mogul or tycoon behind.
On Thursday in Sarasota, Governor Charlie Crist introduced J. Robert Long, the CEO of Marine Concepts as a "small businessman." The man McCain dubbed "Bob the Boat Builder" spent, as Crist noted, most of his career at Wellcraft Marine, which reported revenues of $67 million last year, according to Yahoo! Finance.
At another campaign stop, McCain proxy Lindsay Graham described Cindy McCain as a "small businesswoman," even though Hensley & Co. -- the third largest beer distributorship in the country, is worth some $200 million.
What's next? Bill Gates, the tech guy? Donald Trump, the real estate agent? Jack Welch, the electrician? Rupert Murdoch, the newsboy?
