. . . "It might have worked, perhaps, were it not for the many questions that the Joe the Plumber episode raised in the so-called age of transparency:--Why do brands and political campaigns use characters?--Why we do we -- as consumers, as voters -- ever accept them (we do, sometimes, and yes, there is a reason) --Why do we reject them (we do, sometimes, and yes, there is a reason)Over the next two weeks" . .