Barack Obama on the Sarah Palin 'lipstick' brouhaha: 'phony outrage'

Barack Obama today forcefully scoffed at the bid by the John McCain camp to make political hay out of his now-notorious "lipstick on a pig" comment, dismissing as "phony outrage" the flap over what he called an "innocent remark."

He also called it "the latest made-up controversy" and "catnip for the news media" that serves to distract attention from the serious issues of the day (he gets credit for not referring to the dust-up as, dare we say it, a pig in a poke).

Appearing in Norfolk, Va., Obama prefaced a speech on education policy to confront the umbrage taken by the McCain forces over the crack he made Tuesday in another part of Virginia (he also noted that the Republicans had been quick to produce what he termed an "outrageous" Web ad that calls him to task on the matter).

[UDDATE: The ad, while still available on the McCain web site, has vanished from YouTube, due to a copyright claim. See below for more detail.]

Given the proximity of Obama's "lipstick" imagery to Sarah Palin -- in her speech that swept the GOP off its feet last week, referring to herself as a pit bull with lipstick -- McCain aides and other Republicans were quick to trash him for what one called a "schoolyard insult."

They also, of course, demanded an apology. But Obama, not surprisingly, would have none of that. This is how he explained what he said: "I’m talking about John McCain’s economic policies. I say this is more of the same. You can put lipstick on a pig, but it’s still a pig. And suddenly they say, 'Oh, you must be talking about the governor of Alaska.'"

Not so, he said. Indeed, he called the insistence that he was none-too-charitably referring to Palin part of the "lies and phony outrage and 'Swift boat' politics" that mark Republican campaign tactics.

Coincidentally, Palin and McCain headlined a rally in northern Virginia just minutes after the Obama appearance in the southern part of the state. Palin, in introducing McCain, made no reference to the lipstick cause celebre.

We doubt, however, that this will be the end of it.

-- Don Frederick

[UPDATE: The ad, after juxtaposing Palin's pit bull/lipstick joke with Obama's lipstick/pig comment, flashed to CBS anchorwoman Katie Couric decrying sexism -- a snippet from a high-profile commentary she delivered months ago about media coverage of Hillary Clinton! Without making that clear, that ad's narrator says of Obama: "Ready To Lead? No. Ready To Smear? Yes." YouTube yanked the spot because CBS claimed a copyright violation. The McCain folks, The Times' Maeve Reston reports, dispute that, arguing the Couric clip is not covered by a copyright protection. 

Comments

[Mitchell in NY]

The Palin business is amazing. It's time that the truth about Palin and McCain became known. And it turns out to be pretty funny.

“Palin, The Latest Revelation (with an audio that will knock your socks off)”
http://msa4.wordpress.com/

[Orn R. Critter]

The GOP releases a press notice that Palin's daughter is pregnant and then accuses the media of bias when they flock to it.
Palin uses the "lipstick" metaphor in a nationally-televised speech and then her flock gets upset when Obama puts some spin on it -- after she demeaned his efforts in the public interest by being a community organizer with comparison to her "real responsibility" as a mayor of a small town (pop. est. from 6K to 9K) in Alaska.
Then the GOP press secty insists that Palin will only be interviewed when the interviewer shows proper "deference".
There's nothing surprising in this. This is the same party that required the media covering the battles in Afghanistan and Iraq to be "embedded" within the troops -- while stories of abuses in the Iraq prison, rape and killing of an Iraqi girl, and other "collateral damage" were being unreported by even the most "Seymour Hersh" of the journalists.
The fear in the leaders of this "democracy" is that the truth will leak out (as w/ Valerie Plame).

[Marks]

Nonsense reporting won't end it. Lipstick on a pig, this supposed conundrum hides the truths about political pork .

Can the blog dig into substance like the chronicling of Mayor Palin's access to corrupt Alaskan Ted Stevens D.C. office?

Gov. Palin is running around acting like she's never been to D.C. or waded in it's swamp. Senator McCain wasn't ever deep in the muck, taking on his own party 70% to 90% of the time since Bush has been President.

[Democrats 08]

This one of the many good reasons why I am 110% in Obama’s corner. The Republicans have destroyed America as we once knew our great country. We are now trillions in debt to foreigners, where we once had a huge surplus under Clinton. John McCain will be the death of us all if Americans are stupid enough to elect him based on these distractions and personal pot shots like people foolishly once listened to and voted for Bush when he campaigned on lies and smears like this. McCain is a two faced liar, he vowed not to run his campaign like this and here he is every day smearing away and ignoring the real issues we all now face because of McCain’s buddy Bush. In his very OWN words McCain voted OVER NINETY PER CENT of the time with Bush, what does that tell you people? are you McCain supporters really that dumb? seriously? you should all have the word SUCKER tattooed on your heads. Barack Obama is very intelligent and more than qualified to be President as he continues to prove every day with the way he handles these attacks. He has shown maturity, intelligence, toughness, love for country and that he actually seriously cares about the future of the American people and our needs in these unbearable economic times. Obama offers many solutions to our problems, McCain offers lies and attacks just like Bush did and still does. I have seen John McCain go from the maverick he once was years ago to just another lying, empty headed Neo Con just like the rest and Palin is no better. If anyone actually thinks these two money grabbing Neo Cons will bring healthy and prosperous change to the American people, to the working and middle class, they need their heads examined. Look at what they have to offer, it’s not at all what we need, not at all the kind of real solutions we need at a time when we are kicked and down after eight straight long and seriously damaging years of Republican corruption.. The Republican party lead by Bush is more responsible than anyone for the weakened and decimated state America is now in, rewarding them with four more years to do more damage would be like sticking the knife in our own backs. Remember this, Bush and Cheney are the same as McCain and Palin. John McCain recently in his own words on his close ties and relationship with Bush during the disastrous Bush years, John McCain — “The President has lead with great clarity and I think he’s done a great job leading the country don’t you all?” John McCain — “The President and I agree on most issues, there was a recent study that showed I voted with the President over 90% of the time, higher than even most of my Republican colleagues” You will regret your vote if you make the mistake of voting for the two liars McCain and Palin that claim to put ‘Country First’ instead of the American PEOPLE.

Obama / Biden All the Way!!

[BJ]

Obama cannot win this one. Clearly this has gotten to him, and he needs to get back on message.

The only problem is... now he's getting surrogates to say: "Jesus was a community organizer". Ummm, are we back to the messiah complex?

[steve rodriguez]

Sarah Palin is a breath of political fresh air! I am sick and tired of hearing Obama and his assoc. have a big problem with the race issue! The always like to play the race card, this morning the Gov. of NY said that calling Obama a "community organizer" has racial over tones. PLus listen to Obama's former pastor Rev. Wright and his hate racist speech targeted at America. We don't need 4 years of race baiting, we've already gone past that issue long, long ago! We don't need a president for Black America, we need a president for all America!

[waynew]

My new ad:

Creepy looking guy w/molester mustache lurks near school playground. ....

[voiceover]John McCain doesn't think this guy's a threat. He doesn't want to stop child molesting.

John McCain is against teach your children about the dangers of sex offenders; about inappropriate touching. He thinks your children should be left to "figure it out on their own."

John McCain: He's "Yes" on child molesting ... and "No" on education and keeping our kids safe.

[waynew]

2 jokes:

What's the difference between Sarah Palin and George Bush?

Lipstick.

ba-du-dum

What's the difference between Sarah Palin and a pig?

Not much -- both feed at a trough, just that Palin's is fortified w/federal government earmarks.

ba-du-dum

Another way of saying: She actually does deserve a pig reference.

[roseann]

After Obama's offensive and insulting remarks and getting approval by his 'so called faithfuls' . THE rest of us not forgetting the world are now thinking the standards or if any the DEMocrats has . Since they on a roll in abusing animals - what's next HORSE S###?

[roseann]

why is the Dem. are so terrified of Palin? Cause she is twice sharper, experience savvy . Calling her offensive and insulting names SHE WON'T GO AWAY! "Sticks and stones may break my bones but words may never hurt me"

[Tsk Tsk Tsk]

Sarah Palin said lipstick on an animal makes that animal a person. Barak Obama said lipstick on an animal does not make that animal a person. They both used very common phrases. Big Deal.

[Karl in Burbank]

Why is Obama protesting something that his own mouth formed?

[Peter G.]

Obama has been hanging out with those rappers from the 'hood a bit too much. It now turns out, most women do not like to be called PIGS, with or without lipstick. Pig is just not a nice word - you do not need Sensitivity 101 to know it. Obama thinks women should have a thicker skin. He is now accusing the Republicans of playing the gender card. How ironic; during the primary he was accusing Bill Clinton of making racist statements and most of us knew how preposterous that was. Yet Obama played the race card like Itzhak Perlman plays the violin. With great gusto. Now the shoe is on the other foot, very appropriately.

[Bullwinkle J. Moose]

Now if Senator Obama had said " A Barracuda with lipstick," I guess the Rethuglicans would have said, "right on.-" since they love the song so much.

John McCain used the same expression when referring to Hillary Clinton's health care plan. No one called him out on it. Guess his Alzeimer's is finally catching up to the old curmudgeon.

Enough. The issues are being ignored by McSame and the moose killer. He needs to get back to his lies about how "we are winning the war in Iraq." Anyone look at www.bodycount.com lately?Nothing is being "won" in Iraq, except by Iran.

Not this time.

[Mike]

So, Obama's lipstick on a pig comment has sparked outrage among "decent Americans." I seem to remember than in 2004 John Kerry outraged "decent Americans" again when he accurately referred to Cheney's daughter, Mary, as a lesbian. Karl Rove wants you to know that Democrats are evil people. I think I know who the evil people really are.

[Alessandro Machi]

Bad move by Obama on the lipstick comment. What made it worse was how he went on and on trying to build up the joke, it was as if he practiced it in front of his mirror for an hour or two and really wanted to get his money's worth.

[Janet]

It is unbelievable how people are reacting to McCain/Palins ridiculous accusations that Palin was the subject of a much used (byMcCain) phrase in politics. Please wake up and realize the head games McCain is playing and choosing Sarah Palin was one of them.
I believe that both parties should be made to announce their vp choice on the same day at the same time. This would make them choose from their heart, and not play head games as McCain did. I don't think it shows McCain as a" big man who can pick a woman and let her waltz him into the whitehouse", it shows him as a user. He has no belief or faith in Sarah. He is using her to attract attention, and she will be a do-nothing VP. He wants it that way, so he has total control. McCain feels he is indestructable and since his longevity is a good probability, it will be interesting to see (if he wins) how he puts Sarah on the back shelf, and does things his way.
Republicans are being silly buying into this. I lost respect for McCain when he pulled this stunt. I thought he would do what he believed in against all odds. I see he is just another politician who wants the White House so badly he will grab at any straw, or skirt to get him in.

[Almost Angeleno]

Republicans (or rather, the Evil Brain Karl Rove) are masters at repeating-a-lie-until-it-becomes-commonly-accepted-fact. Their flying monkey minions then fan out acorss the Internet posting these lies anywhere and everywhere.

[So Mysoginist]

Senator Obama, we need you to stop playing in the mud with the pigs.

You are NEVER going to persuade the fear mongering racist retards of America to vote for you. Never.

There are still millions of Americans who don't vote because they're sick of this crap. You inspired many of them to register and you lead them to the polls to vote for your nomination.

The change people want is not a 10 point plan (right Hillary?) it's an end to this kind of idiocy - pure and simple.
And if you say "Swift Boat" again, I swear I'm going to write in John Kerry.

The more you look like the same old thing, the worse it's going to get. Bring the voters to the polls and you win. That's the change we need.

[Anonymous]

"Never get into a wrestling match with a pig. You both get dirty, and the pig likes it." - McCain on Mitt Romney.

McCain also said Clinton's health care proposal was “eerily” similar to the ill-fated plan she devised in 1993. "I think they put some lipstick on a pig but it’s still a pig.”

I have come to the conclusion that the so called war hero, the guy who crashed his plane six times and no wonder got caught by the Vietnamese, the guy who they kept not because he asked to be kept, but because his dady was an important admiral and detaining him meant something, the guy who cheated on the wife that waited for him while he was imprisoned and married the adulteress, IS a pig.

[Madeline Campbell]

Obama is the pig. Even lipstick won't help.

[oaklynne]

Republican phony outrage and smears - that's all they offer the American public. They are a bunch of whining losers and vicious liars who don't care about our rights, our environment, our economy, our standing in the world, or our children's future. They want to bring our country down even further than George Bush has already done. McBush/Palin are liars and between them don't have the brains, or ideals, or values to help this country. vote Obama/Biden 08 or watch our country slide even further downhill.

[Tim McGarry]

I agree that this controversy is phony and contrived by McCain's handlers. Still, perhaps a candidate who writes as well as Sen. Obama could help himself more by staying away from hackneyed phrases and coming up with fresher imagery.

[John R.]

This election race has become absurd! Enough with all these distractions! We need to focus on the important issues ... like taxes!

According to the Tax Policy Center reviews of both candidates tax policies, here's a tax breakdown from CNNMoney.com on how McCain and Obama's tax proposals would affect our taxes in 2009.

So according to this breakdown, if you will be making over $161K or more next year, then you'll be helped more by McCain's tax proposals. If you will be making between $66K to $161K next year, both proposals are pretty close on how much break you will receive. If you will be making below $66K, then Obama's proposal is a lot more advantageous to you.

*******************************MCCAIN********OBAMA
Income**********************Avg. tax bill****Avg. tax bill
Over $2.9M**************** -$269,364*** +$701,885
$603K and up************* -$45,361 *** +$115,974
$227K-$603K************* -$7,871 ***** +$12
$161K-$227K************* -$4,380 ***** -$2,789
$112K-$161K ************ -$2,614 ***** -$2,204
$66K-$112K ************** -$1,009 ***** -$1,290
$38K-$66K **************** -$319 ******* -$1,042
$19K-$38K **************** -$113 ******* -$892
Under $19K *************** -$19 ******** -$567

[Tom Bell]

You can put lipstick on a pig but it still can't join the N.R.A.