About that small business loan, Joe...

There was much talk about Joe the Plumber last night, and his desire to buy out his boss's plumbing business. John McCain looked straight into the camera and said "I'll get you that loan, Joe."

The check may not be in the mail.

The name I'd like us all to focus on is not Joe, not John, not Barack, not Bill (as in Ayers).

It's Tom.

Tom the Senator. Tom Coburn (R-OK).

Earlier in this campaign, Senator McCain cited his good friend Tom Coburn when talking about reducing spending on pork-barrel projects. Tom Coburn, who has never met a government program he likes. Tom Coburn, whose own party finds him extreme and impossible to deal with. Tom Coburn has endorsed John McCain.

One of Senator Coburn's pet hates? Government guaranteed small business loans. He's been holding hearings on them for years. He'd like the SBA loan programs, which provide financing for a hundred thousand small businesses per year, to end.

In the current economic meltdown, small businesses CANNOT get conventional loans. The ONLY chance of getting financing for a business acquisition is through an SBA loan.

Tom Coburn wants the SBA loan programs gone.

Tom Coburn endorsed John McCain.

McCain says he wants to clean up wasteful programs, like his great friend Tom Coburn.

No, Joe, John McCain is not going to get you your financing to acquire that small business, unless he personally writes the check.