Obama, McCain spar over pigs and lipstick
By Jimmy Orr | 09.09.08
The theme song for Day 55 on the campaign trail is Mockingbird (we’d prefer, incidentally, the Jim Carrey and Jeff Daniels version please).
Why? Well, there’s a lot of mockery going on today. Of course standard fare during campaigns. Candidates make fun of their opponents for comedic effect, clarification, to make a point and to provide sound bites that the disliked media will undoubtedly report on.
Processed pork
The point Barack Obama was making today is that John McCain is not about change. Rather he and running mate Sarah Palin are about more of the same - no matter how they package it.
“You can put lipstick on a pig, but it’s still a pig,” Obama said. “You can wrap an old fish in a piece of paper called ‘change,’ it’s still going to stink.”
Foul ball
The McCain team is saying that’s mockery gone too far. They say Obama called Palin a pig - drawing a parallel to Palin’s well-used remark that the difference between a hockey mom and a pit bull is lipstick.
“It’s clear to me — as I’m sure it will be to fair-minded Republicans, Democrats and independents across the country — that Senator Obama owes Governor Palin an apology,” said former Massachusetts Governor Jane Swift, the chair of the newly formed “Palin truth squad.”
Not so says the Obama folks. It is a well-used phrase they say.
Everyone says it
In fact, you can Google it. Exhibit number one comes from Vice President Dick Cheney four years ago - also on the campaign trail.
”As we say in Wyoming, you can put lipstick on a pig, but it’s still a pig,” quipped Vice President Dick Cheney in a stump speech yesterday, with reference to John Kerry’s claims he would be a credible war president.
Exhibit number two comes special delivery from the Obama campaign pointing out that Senator McCain himself used this phrase almost a year ago describing Hillary Clinton’s health care plan.
“I think they put some lipstick on a pig, but it’s still a pig,” he said of her proposal.
And exhibit number three comes from the always-reliable Marc Ambinder over at The Atlantic. Obama has used this phrase before as well.
‘I think that both General Petraeus and Ambassador Crocker are capable people who have been given an impossible assignment,’ Sen. Barack Obama said yesterday in a telephone interview. ‘George Bush has given a mission to General Petraeus, and he has done his best to try to figure out how to put lipstick on a pig.
It’s unlikely that “lipstick-pig-gate” will get much traction (although it would be fun to continue to say lipstick-pig-gate), but the battle over who is the true “agent-of-change” will undoubtedly continue.
<< Obama not concerned with polls or Palin-o-mania | MainComments
2. Paul Stewart | 09.09.08
In terms of your concluding comment. It is very clear who is the true agent of change. Obama. To suggest that there is a battle is refusing to see the lipstick.
3. gopgonewild | 09.09.08
I doubt seriously if anything can get more stupid than the republican spinners. The truth is not in them. Religion is a game they play, a tool to move pawns, because they certainly hold to none of its tenants. There’s not a commandment they don’t break regularly, but their favorite one to trash is “Thou shalt not bear false witness.”
5. IRFAN | 09.09.08
Appreciate your very educated arguments! We do not need to talk about pit bulls and pigs. We need to talk about real substance. Did anyone hear that 84,000 American brothers and sisters lost their jobs? No one cares. People care about lipstick and pit bulls.
7. Omidal | 09.09.08
I swear to God if Obama tries to explain himself or apologize that will be the end of it for him. He will not get my vote.
As for the Republican senators asking for Rangel to resign, they should also ask Ted Stevens and the gay guy to resign as well.
8. Jason | 09.09.08
I cry white male card for having to read such spurious BS on the internet. What was supposed to be in the implied slight that Biden made? Palin looks like a pig? Yes, I’m sure he was giving subtle voice to what a large chunk of biased America was thinking. . .Palin is unattractive.
I’ll take these sorts of charges more seriously when they come from an UNBIASED source. I think John Stewart captures it best:
http://www.thedailyshow.com/video/index.jhtml?videoId=184086&title=sarah-palin-gender-card
9. Cliffyworld | 09.09.08
For additional information on candidate qualifications, please read the link @ http://www.cliffyworld.com/blogs
10. blip | 09.09.08
McCain is ridiculous.
He hits Obama with an lie today saying that Obama wants to teach your kindergartners to have sex.
And then he complains if Obama uses a well-known saying, that McCain himself uses.
Maybe McCain is the pig that Obama was referring to.
11. Writing from Alaska | 09.09.08
For an article entitled
Does Sarah Palin understand Diversity?
see http://freerangewriting.blogspot.com
This is a researched piece, not empty allegations.
Thanks
13. Webwatch | 09.09.08
Republicans are becoming more and more irrelevant. Its really sad that they are now trying to create contraversies where there are none.
14. Ben | 09.09.08
Obama is the most disgusting and unpresidential political candidate that I have ever witnessed. It’s becoming very easy to believe that Obama and Larry Sinclair may have a lot in common.
15. Boris Divis MD | 09.09.08
I SEE THAT SENATOR OBAMA STATED THAT YOU CAN PUT LIPSTICK ON A PIG BUT NOWHERE DID I SEE GOVERNOR PALINS BEING IDENTIFIED AS SUCH!
16. Evan | 09.09.08
Tomorrow, Joe Biden will say he’ll beat Sarah Palin during the vice-presidential debates. The day after, the Republican spin machine will claim Biden is for domestic violence.
Strap yourself in, it’s going to be a stupid two months.
17. Raul | 09.09.08
You know Dumbo alias {nobama}what a low class remark, Sarah is a high class lady , Nobama in my opinion is not an elitist but a low class black,
18. Jerry | 09.09.08
Dear God, if McCain keeps up this incessant whining, Obama will not be able to say ANYTHING without hurting the sensitive Sarah Palin’s feelings. Listen, idiot (I’m talking to YOU, governor Palin), if you think it’s cute to slam distinguished statesmen, then hide from the press, you deserve a **** of a lot more than verbal insult.
You, madame, are insulting me and the rest of the electorate by your spoiled brat demeanor and queen bee attitude. You are applying for an office to which WE hold the keys, and you will either impress us or leave us cold.
At this moment, there is a distinct chill in the air, and it ain’t no Wasilla breeze. Got it?
19. Luke | 09.09.08
This is absolutely ridiculous. I have plenty of qualms about Obama, but Senator McCain has done an excellent job of making sure I remain solidly in the “D” category come November.
20. Dennis Soper | 09.09.08
I would hope Obama would never dream of calling Sarah Palin a pig. I mean, I would never insult a pig like that.
21. TJ | 09.09.08
Oy vey! They really think we are stupid.
“This campaign is not about issues. It is about personalities.”
and ridiculousness. I am so insulted by this campaign. The Republicans refuse to discuss the issues of today.
Lipstick, slapstick. Slapstick comedy. If it were not so dangerous at this moment in time, I would be laughing.
Time out for Republicans to reform and rehabilitate themselves on their own dime and their own time. Simply cannot afford this buffonery.
All we know for now, with 50 days left to go is that Palin has as much experience as G W Bush had when he ran in 2000 and she shares the same ideology and dependence on others around her to advise her should she ascend to the presidency. It is Bush/Chaney, reversed positions, a no brainer.
I don’t know how anyone can expect anything different from the last 8 years.
24. Paul | 09.10.08
Guess whoooo!
God in heaven talking to his deciples…”Hey I got bored last night so I told Pat Robertson to run for president..Haaaahaaaahaaaaooohoohoooohoo
25. yarrrr | 09.10.08
“You can put lipstick on a pig,” he said as the crowd cheered. “It’s still a pig.” “You can wrap an old fish in a piece of paper called change. It’s still gonna stink.”
Does anyone actually believe this wasn’t planned in advanced? It was made specifically to generate faux outrage… Obama’s passive aggressive attitude is nauseating…
26. brit | 09.10.08
I wonder if Obama is as blase about sayings like “Pot calling the Kettle Black”?
28. Kelley | 09.10.08
Obama isn’t just toast…the toaster is on fire and he’s in it.
There are about 100 million women in the US. You can be sure that one or two of them will not forgive him for his mean spirited comments.
It doesn’t matter if you choose to interpret his snide remarks as being “nothing.” Million of women will not see it your way. Period.
This election is over. Would someone please turn out the lights?
29. Tonygny | 09.10.08
I don’t understand why the McCain camp. is getting overly sensitive and taking everything so personal. If they listened to Obama, at that point in the speech, he was not referring to Palin. He used the lipstick metaphor to describe McCain’s sudden transformation as an agent of change. It was a brilliant strategy to take Palin’s remembered comments at the RNC and challenge McCain with it. It seems to me that they are worried that when the buzz and glitz over the selection of Palin subsides, the public will realize that Palin’s thin resume may come back to haunt McCain and the public will question his judgment. We’ll have to wait and see.
30. Gina | 09.10.08
Obama’s lip stick / pig remark … and, Biden’s unsavory children with special needs remarks show us what a couple of creeps these two candidates are. In lieu of Sarah Palin’s comment about hockey moms, pit bulls and lip stick, Obama’s lip stick/ pig remark was extremely demeaning. Even though I am not an Obama supporter, at least I thought he had some degree of class and sophistication. He can try to cover his tracks by saying that the lip stick remark was not directed towards Governor Palin, but anyone with half a brain knows that’s exactly what he meant. I think Obama knows his campaign is in real trouble, and that’s why he’s stooping to such desperate, insulting and distasteful attacks. Obama is definitely not Presidential material.
31. Samantha | 09.10.08
Let’s call a “spade a spade” (another old saying) Of course he meant it as a jibe towards Palin. I can not vote for someone this “unaware” and “unpresidential”. This poor choice of words will cost Obama millions of women’s votes over the next few days. Hillary should start warming up for 2012. I was for Hillary in the primary but I’m switching to PALIN/mccain after this stupid comment!
32. JudiNV | 09.10.08
I agree that fair is fair. The problem with McCain is he can’t understand or tolerate intelligent insults. All of his are in the mud.
33. james | 09.10.08
somebody needs to address the falsehoods of the repubs…. stop just sayin spin…. im so sick of the lies i can scream.. they have nothing to throw at obama so they lie…and i was for hillary!but enough is enough
34. becky | 09.10.08
“Lipstick on a pig” definition per the Urban Dictionary is:
“A term used by many, generally in reference to someone who may be trying to make something or someone look appealing or attractive when it quite clearly will not work, or will only deceive the dumbest of people.
Car salesmen are generally good at “putting lipstick on a pig” because they are always selling unroadworthy buckets of **** and try and hide their ****fulness by tarting them up.”
for more see the link below:
http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=lipstick%20on%20a%20pig
My definition: McCain is outta touch with the current world and Obama is uber cool!!!
35. Lynn60 | 09.10.08
Pig nothing! These days McCain is looking more and more like Jabba The Hut as his jowels seem to keep expanding. Palin seems quite content to play the lithe Princess Leia dancing at his feet.
Good lord in heaven - save us!
36. Carrie | 09.10.08
Palin and women
As mayor of Wasilla, Sara Palin charged victims of rape for the forensic testing and collection of evidence, rape kit. The troopers and most muni agencys covered the cost. Not the city of Wasilla, the police dept charged for the rape kit. Governor Tony Knowles an man put a stop to this in 2000. Sara appointed police Chief f Charlie Fannon he disagreed with the law. “The law will require the city and communities to come up with more funds to cover the costs of the forensic exams.” Knowles signs sexual assault bill frontiersman 5/23/2000
http://www.frontiersman.com/articles/2000/05/23/news.txt
Recently she replaced the police commissioner with Chuck Kopp. He has a prior work record of sexual harassment that he was reprimanded for. Sara is obviously for abstinence only education, No abortion even in the case of rape, and incest Alaska is 1 in the country for rape and incest.
While its great she went back to work 3 days after having her child, what message does that send to bonding families healing mothers and employers not happy with maternity leave. Sara has signed up with a man who has consistently voted against equal pay for women. Is she really a woman or is she a man trapped in a woman body with lipstick.
37. jp | 09.10.08
No one can deny that if Governor Palin were a man, she would never have been picked.
Say what you will about Obama’s experience, but he has been vetted over and over through the primary season by voters and the media. He won the nomination fairly after campaigning in every state and got millions of votes.
One man made the Palin decision on very little information. One man decided that the free world could be ruled by someone with no foreign policy experience and little exposure to much of America and the world.
With no real clue on how Gov. Palin might engage China, Russia, Iran, or other rogue states, McCain gambled all of our futures.
Would you entrust the safety of your children to someone you’ve only seriously talked to once? Especially when you knew they were at serious risk from the outside?
Isn’t that the definition of “Being willing to lose a war to win an election?”
Even if the Palin gamble works flawlessly, gamblers eventually lose and lose big. America can’t afford that type of decision making style after 8 long years of it.
38. JEFO | 09.10.08
If the trough fits, where it Ms. Palin oink oink.
Get serious cry baby Republicans, if your candidate cannot handle political sparring how is she suppose to be ready for 2nd in command for commander and chief.
40. Trutheriser | 09.10.08
Everyone is missing the point. Obama was saying that Palin is the lipstick and McCain is the pig - Palin is the newspaper and McCain is the fish. So infact he complimented Palin and insulted McCain. It is a very accurate analogy that clearly illustrates the trick republicans are trying to pull on the America people to get their pig elected. That pig being John McCain. But lipstick smears and wears off quickly. It needs to be re-applied, which is why McCain keeps Palin so close on the campaign trail. Without Palin to make McCain look good everyone will see him for what he really is.
Also not enough attention is being paid to the fact that Palin is an unknown quantity who is turning out to be quite deceptive, vindictive and extreme and alot of her attraction to voters come down to her looks, compared to Obama and McCain. So even if the analogy is applied to her it is very accurate and highlights how her looks are bing used to manipulate voters. She looks good but she is a pig of a politician. The lip-stick on a pig analogy is also an accurate discription of McCains lies about being an agent of change and a maverick.
All three interpretations of the lipstick/pig analogy clearly describes how the America people are being deceived by the McCain Palin ticket. A vote for Palin and McCain truly is a vote for lipstick on a pig, whichever way you look at it. After two weeks of republican hype and hoopla Obama has very accurately described the republican ticket in a way that everyone can easily understand.
41. soldier | 09.10.08
well, it’s great to come back from a tour and see that mccain has decided to trust our lives to some backwater ***** with the arrogance of a holyroller and with zip experience with foreign matters.
i don’t like obama’s style much, but the guy’s got honest written all over him. we watch the news, too, and i have yet to see him take things to the level that mccain has. talk about lowlife. i remember mccain back in the 90’s and this ain’t the same guy. this guy’s a sell-out to the fools who put my life in harms way for no reason. he’s not willing to lose a war to win an election, but he’s willing to lose his dignity and honor for it.
and don’t think i’m the only guy thinking this. i can count a hundred or more back in iraq who look at bush as a joke and mccain as a puppet for rove. so, let’s all cut the bull about the fake issues of pigs and lipstick.
fact is, obama is the one who should be running the country and not mccain, and definitely not that trailer trash nobody who’s so ambitious she’d use her own family to get elected.
i don’t like obama’s style but i like his demeanor and candor. i’m going for obama. and americans supporting the troops should to.
42. Jack | 09.10.08
If the empty suit did not pause for effect during his “lipstick on a pig” insult of Governor Palin and the audience did not react as he intended then the apologists for the terrorist would be believable.
43. Paul | 09.10.08
Kelly #28,
Unfortunatly too many woman in America think they can go around insulting men
and not have to be accountable. Most men overlook it simply because we know women love to argue over petty stuff. But when you open your “Pie Hole” like that in a political arena, then hide…it only reminds men of all the **** we have had to endure simply because women are sitting on the cookie jar.
44. Gabrielle | 09.10.08
I am solidly in the McCain-Palin camp but good grief…Americans seem to be more and more willing and happy express outrage and play the victim in the last 20 years or so and this goes for BOTH sides of the aisle (one can all think of many examples of the Dems behaving this way, as well, if one is intellectually honest), as well as transcending politics and infiltrating religion and everyday life. It is boring, stupid, and a waste of time and I am getting flashbacks to junior high. Enough already.
45. Don Stevens | 09.10.08
The McCain campaign is just trying to make political hay. They’re so bi-polar, going from using an iron fist to shut down reporters from asking Sarah Palin any questions, to crying like babies over the lipstick remark. Maybe the McCain campaign takes the pig remark personally because Palin is the queen of pork, having kept the money that was going to be used for the Bridge to Nowhere.
McCain and Palin would set America and women back. Vote Obama and Biden for a strong defense, an invigorated economy, and to return America to its greatness at home and in the eyes of people around the world. Americans historically have courage to look ahead to the future, and Obama and Biden will help lead the way.
46. Dave | 09.10.08
I’m a Republican, but I don’t think Obama was referring to Gov. Palin with his pig comment. It’s a common cliche.
I do think it reflects his lack of experience that he and his writers (yes, he has his speeches written by others; Gov. Palin isn’t alone in that) didn’t foresee a firestorm coming from “lipstick” being to easy to link to Gov. Palin’s significant joke in her acceptance speech.
I also find it interesting the number of Democrats on here acting like Republicans are the only ones who have ever jumped all over a gaffe by their opponent. How many houses does McCain own, what does he consider “rich” … Obama turned these gaffes into major stumping points. Both sides play the game. Quit feigning indignation.
47. Kel | 09.10.08
I didn’t realize that “unpresidential” was a word. Obama also said “Michelle and me” in reference to they only have two kids and Palin has five. Makes me wonder if he really has an education or if he is delivering his speech to target the less educated?
48. Jack A | 09.10.08
Perhaps if you listen to the audio you will undestand Obama was calling Palin a pig. Here
http://player.play.it/player/player.html?v=3.11.87&id=90&onestat=wins
In the AP story Obama is quoted on Palin “Look, she’s new, she hasn’t been on the scene, she’s got five kids. And my hat goes off to anybody whose looking after five. I’ve got two and they tire Michelle and me out,” he said.
OK, his 7 & 10 year old girls tire his wife and him out, however he will have the energy for the duties of POTUS.
Has Palin complained of the demands her children make on her? And has McCain?
AP story here:
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/O/OBAMA_LIPSTICK?SITE=1010WINS&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT
50. Steve | 09.10.08
Hmmmm, I guess in its best light Obama was likening the McCain campaign to the pig and that would make the “change” branding as the lipstick. So that would make McCain, the pig, and Palin, the lipstick, still kind of sexist.
52. Alan Gunderson | 09.10.08
I’ll call this whole distracting issue what it really is, horse s***. And now I will be called a “horseist.” Maybe I’ll win the word of the year like Stephen Colbert did for truthiness.
This country is doomed if we keep going down this increasingly nasty and negative path. The thing I find most appealing about Obama is when he takes the high road and says we can change and do things differently. Can this article and commentary make this any more clear. Stay up there Barack! You won’t win playing Russian roulette with pathological liars.
53. Kevin | 09.10.08
Nice try, republicans. Obama was referring to the McCain campaign as a whole. You can put lipstick on the pig (try to appear mavericks, offer “real” change) but it’s still a pig (they’re still bush clones and liars).
54. Herm of Cali & NV | 09.10.08
“Lipstick on a Pig” is an old “Broiler Room” statement when referring to “trying to sell some B.S. to anyone. Contrary to the Republican Party, they don’t own the rights to any lipstick remark!
Come on people, we have to stop using the kids’ gloves on this party/person. They picked her so if she was going to be attacked, people would feel as if she was being “picked on.” Well she claims herself as being like a “pit bull”, so she should be able to take it. Besides, she could possibly be the acting President if something was to happen to McCain; so let’s see what she is really made of!
By the way, McCain used the phrase back in the primaries on Hillary; how quickly we forget. Besides it is a “METAPHOR” people; i.e. “ term used by many, generally in reference to someone who may be trying to make something appealing when it quite clearly will not work, or will only deceive the dumbest of people”, e.g. McCain’s policy and chant of change! Again, it’s a METAPHOR, dumb a_ _ es wake-up!
55. Chris | 09.10.08
Don’t you just love the culture of victimhood abroad in the land? Now apparently it is to be an equal opportunity tactic, used by both parties.
56. media kingdom | 09.11.08
McCain has become quite the politician since he got his party’s nomination… he has proven time and again that his strategy for winning is based on personal attacks and distracting people from the main issues
57. Janet Crain | 09.12.08
>We need to talk about real substance. Did anyone hear that 84,000 American brothers and sisters lost their jobs? No one cares. People care about lipstick and pit bulls.
I heard about one American whose brother lives on $12. a year. What a disgrace. You’d think *someone* would help him.
58. Ruth | 09.13.08
Four days before the infamous “lipstick on a pig” remark by Sen. Obama, Gov. Sarah Palin was depicted as the lipstick-wearing porcine embodiment of “Federal Budget Earmarks” in a St. Louis Post-Dispatch cartoon.
http://www.caglepost.com/cartoon/RJ+Matson/55007/Lipstick-COLOR.html
Did the Obama campaign see this political satire and work into Obama’s speech? Of course they did.
59. Howard | 09.19.08
OBAMA = BETRAYAL
Obama supporters are foolish to think that he will never betray them.
Obama was a close friend of Pastor Wright for TWENTY YEARS.
Obama threw Wright under the bus for personal ambition.
McCain would not betray his country even after 5 years of torture.
You can put lipstick on a traitor, but he’s still a traitor.
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Jimmy Orr has worked in politics for the majority of his professional career working for two U.S. Senators, two Governors and one President. Most recently, Orr served as White House Spokesman and Internet Director for President George W. Bush and Special Advisor to Governor Schwarzenegger for Internet Communications.
David Cook is Washington bureau chief of The Christian Science Monitor and host of the Monitor's newsmaker breakfasts. He was the Monitor's editor from 1994 to 2001. Cook is a graduate of Principia College, served in the U.S. Army, was a Bagehot Fellow at Columbia University, and is a member of the Gridiron Club, Washington's oldest journalistic organization.
1. Jeff | 09.09.08
McCain cannot be serious, can he?
This election is getting more absurd by the minute.
Next McCain will claim that he is offended by the fact that Obama was offended by McCain’s most recent falsehood, ad that Obama supported sex-ed for kindergartners. This is so blatantly false that the Kansas City paper, among others, called this a “deliberately misleading accusation.”
Out of bounds: McCain ad misstates Obama sex-ed record
http://www.kansascity.com/445/story/789668.html
“the legislation allowed local school boards to teach “age-appropriate” sex education, not comprehensive lessons to kindergartners, and it gave schools the ability to warn young children about inappropriate touching and sexual predators.
Republican Alan Keyes tried to use Obama’s vote against him in the 2004 U.S. Senate race. At the time, Obama spoke about wanting to protect young children from abuse. He made clear then that he was not supporting teaching kindergartners about explicit details of sex.”