15:01

Remember that highly esteemed political analyst, Joe the Plumber? You know, that average Joe who wasn't actually a licensed plumber (or named Joe), the guy who signed a manager and looked into doing a talk show and recording a country album immediately after he was all over the cable news?

Yeah, him.

He also signed a quickie deal in order to get a book out in time for Christmas gift giving. Really, the perfect present for the person who has everything. And what says "quality" more than writing (cough, cough) and publishing a book in about a month? He was even doing a lot of publicity for it, including the usual conservative suspects, like Glenn Beck -- and completely trashed John McCain, the man without whom he'd still be doing unlicensed plumbing work, in the process.

Curiosity recently got the better of me, and I checked on the book's status on Amazon. It's still listed as having a December publication date, with this added note: "This book has not yet been released." Hmm. It's Jan. 5. I think we missed Christmas.

And furthermore, though it's available for "pre-order," the tome currently stands at #82,937 on Amazon's best-seller list. For comparison's sake, Will Shortz Presents Ferocious Sudoku: 200 Hard Puzzles (one of perhaps a gazillion sudoku books) is at #6,569.

The clock is ticking, Joe. I have this nagging suspicion you reached your use-by date somewhere around Nov. 4.


UPDATE: The hilarity continues.