"Joe the Plumber" -- Joe Wurzelbacher of Toledo, Ohio -- was the surprise star of the third and final presidential debate, getting no less than 13 mentions.

Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama met Wurzelbacher on the campaign trail in Holland, Ohio.

"Joe the Plumber" asked Obama about his tax plan, saying he is about to buy a company that makes a little over $250,000 a year, and under Obama's proposal, that would put him into a higher tax bracket. Obama told Joe that he wasn't trying to punish his success, only to "spread the wealth around."

McCain criticised Obama's proposal to raise taxes on those who make more than $250,000 a year, saying it would hurt small business owners like "Joe the Plumber." Obama responded that "Joe the Plumber" needed a tax cut five years ago, and he wants to "make sure that the plumber, the nurse, the firefighter, the teacher, the young entrepreneur who doesn't yet have money, I want to give them a tax break now."