Is the McCain campaign starting to sound condescending?

Before they ignored the middle cl and now... they refer to the middle cl by First Name The Occupation. Do you find it catchy or condescending? Joe the Plumber (whose name isn't Joe by the way...), Ed the Dairyman or whatever, Jane the Engineer... next is Bob the Builder? Dora the Explorer? I find it condescending/more of a last minute ploy, personally.