Suddenly, McCain/Obama battle over lipstick -- Porky's or Palin's

Oh, boy! Or girl! For a presidential race where three of the four major candidates are of the male persuasion, they're spending an awful lot of time talking about lipstick.

Another measure perhaps of how the addition of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin to the political mix in the Republican's No. 2 spot has shaken things up on both sides in just 12 days.

New polls out Monday revealed a 20-point swing in support of white women away from the Barack Obama-Joe Biden Democratic ticket over toward the John McCain-Palin package, attributed largely to the blast of fresh air and down-to-earthness brought by the surprise presence of the 44-year-old reform governor and mother of five.

Today, Obama walked into some Republican machine-gun fire when he appeared to echo Palin's lipstick line from her widely viewed and quoted convention speech last week.

The self-described hockey mom ad libbed a joke in response to audience cheers from Alaska women: "You know what the difference is between a hockey mom and a pit bull?" she asked, pausing perfectly. "Lipstick!"

It was one of the best-received lines of the night and widely quoted and replayed for days afterward.

Today, campaigning in Lebanon, Va., and complaining about the GOP ticket portraying itself as agents of change, Obama (see video below) said ...

... "You can put lipstick on a pig. But it's still a pig."

Web browsers could almost hear a gasp of disbelief online.

Could Obama be so stupid as to imply that his newest opponent is like a barnyard animal, this candidate they've tried to portray as an inexperienced lightweight from a rural area who seems to increasingly preoccupy Obama's monologues instead of the GOP's top candidate?

Is that smart for the No. 1 on the Democratic ticket to be so distracted by the No. 2 on the GOP side? And where is Biden in this debate?

To be sure, other candidates including McCain himself have used that pig line or similar pig references about their opponent's programs, implying you can't hide what a hog is merely by applying some makeup.

But, to be honest, pig among men is another word for an ugly woman. And none of those past references came so close on the heels of such a widely read, widely viewed and widely heard lipstick line as Palin's and with the two party's national tickets set, one of them with the first female in its party's history.

Coming in a context where everything in public dialogue is perceived as political and the lawyerly Obama always appears to measure his words so carefully, it hardly seemed an accident.

Although it might plausibly be brushed off as a willful misinterpretation by opponents, as the Obama camp attempted to do during the primary season when its candidate appeared to use his middle finger to scratch his cheek while mentioning another female opponent, Sen. Hillary Clinton.

The GOP immediately activated its so-called truth squad Tuesday, a rapid-response unit similar to one Obama uses to counter perceived smears on him.

"Barack Obama's comments today are offensive and disgraceful," said Maria Comella, a McCain-Palin spokeswoman. "He owes Gov. Palin an apology."

On a campaign conference call recorded by The Times' Maeve Reston, former Massachusetts Gov. Jane Swift, who also served while raising small children, said: "“It’s both a gendered comment and there’s only one woman in the race … and it’s directly analogous to the comment she had made."

Swift added: "“You would think that having gone through a hard-fought primary with Sen. Clinton that the Obama team would have figured out how to respectfully engage in a debate that represents the things they want to do, which is the politics of hope. This is just the same old low road, flinging accusations.”

Those traveling with the Obama campaign in recent days, like The Times' Peter Nicholas, have noted a new, more emotional tone creeping into his comments. His public persona is often described as cool. But since last week, hitting the battleground states of Ohio, Michigan and Virginia as poll numbers dipped, Obama has seemed increasingly combative.

On Monday in Michigan, Obama became exercised when talking about the need to give even suspected terrorists legal rights.

“We may think this is Mohammed the terrorist,’’ he said at a campaign rally, but “it might be Mohammed the cab driver. You might think it’s Barack the bomb-thrower. But it might be Barack the guy running for president.’’

Continuing, he got more heated, his voice booming. Referring to the Constitution, he said: “Don’t mock the Constitution! Don’t make fun of it! Don’t suggest that it’s un-American to abide by what the founding fathers set up! It’s worked pretty well for 200 years!’’

He finished with a sigh: “These people."

If you're one of "these people" or not, what do you think?

-- Andrew Malcolm

Photo credits: Jae C. Hong / Associated Press (top); Getty Images (bottom).

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Comments

[Mary]

I am a female who is personally tired of the complaining. Palin is a candidate first and a woman secondarily. Let's start seeing her treated like every other candidate.

The comment that they are not being "deferential" enough to her is laughable. Wake up and smell the opposition honey - this is what life in politics is. Do you hear the current president and VP being torn to shreds??

This is the reality you are jumping into. Either grow a pair (hypothetically speaking =) )...or get out of the game.

[Robin]

Let us remember this is an election about ISSUES. Now more than any other time in our recent history, ISSUES MATTER!! Issues such as, health care, public education, war, our children and grand children's future, etc. I don't think lipstick, or the lack thereof is the issue at hand. When Palin set the tone and made mean spirited remarks there was not a big fuss!! When Obama/Biden fight/talk back it is a big deal. Please let McCain/Palin's comments on the issues, not lipstick be widely reported. Please let the Obama/Biden comments on the issues, not lipstick be widely reported. This stuff is not important!! I would love to read about what the candidates feel about our wages, unemployment, etc. Is anyone else waiting endlessly for real reporting on real issues instead of imaginary ones?

Robin - Teacher from California

[Jimmy LA {City-Champ}]

Obama has made too much Mistakes, I Agree with one of teh Previous Comments; Is He Just an Empty Suit...

[susan]

I don't know what planet some of you people are from, but I know I'm tired of carrying water for my party. I may not agree with Palin on choice and some other issues, but there's no way in blazes I'm voting for that racist, sexist idiot who some of you seem to think can do no wrong. Were you asleep during the primaries?

Obama had a chance to make things right, and could have at least VETTED Hillary, but he dissed her, and now he's dissing Palin. Well, screw him, and any of you who are either too stupid or too blinded by him.

I've never voted R, but my vote this time will be mixed. By President, I'm voting Palin/McCain. And I hope we never hear of that loser from Illinois again.

Palin in 2008! Hillary in 2012!

[Scott]

Err, I hate Obama, too! Sexist!

Okay, now to go earn my points! I'm just going to click over here...

http://www.johnmccain.com/ActionCenter/BlogInteract/BlogInteract.aspx

...and report the mean stuff I said about Obama and, yes!, McCain points! Oh, happy day! I feel so rewarded by John McCain's campaign! Who needs healthcare? I've got McCain points!

[Frank White]

[Well, how about the primary speech where Obama delighted his supporters by symbolically brushing Hillary off of his shoulders, thereby alluding to the Jay-z song with the lyrics “got 99 problems but a b**** ain’t one”.

Barack Obama is a misogynist ass. ]

The song he was alluding to was "Dirt Off Your Shoulders" whereby people brush invisible dirt off their shoulders to symbolize whatever trivial thing they have gotten through dealing with. That or maybe he had dandruff. But I agree with everything else.

[UM]

I think the article said it all.

1. Palin had just used the analogy in context of being a fighter. Pit bull with a lipstick.

2. That line had been excessively popular. Everyone is talking about it.

3. When Obama said it, the crowd broke out in hoot, howl, whistling and applause. I mean, if this is such a commonly used metaphor then why did the crowd go so crazy? They knew what he was talking about.

Yet another instance of how racism is considered a blight but sexism is cool.

[Umbria]

When Bill Clinton called Obama's Iraq stand a fairy tale, Donna Brazzile and thereafter most of the media took it as a racist statement. They skewered Bill and Hillary over it. Now, here is Obama, clearly riffing on Sarah's pit bulll with lipstick comment by calling her a pig with lipstick. He is careful with words he knows what he is doing. And look at how opposite the media's reaction is. This article here is at least balanced. Most articles on this story are ridiculing McCain's camp for taking unnecessary "umbrage".

[From Indiana]

"Eight years" in the quote only makes sense if the "pig" is Palin and the "old fish" is McCain.

"You can put lipstick on a pig. It's still a pig," Obama went on, and the crowd erupted into shrieks, whoops and cheers. "You can wrap an old fish in a piece of paper and call it change. It's still going to stink, after eight years."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I couldn't have said it better, Jim.

[demst420ne]

You Hillary supporters are too damn funny.

Maybe if she would've run a clean campaign, things would be different. But she didn't and got beat. Quit your damn crying already. Nobody wanted to hear about Bill Clinton for another 4 to 8 years - there's too much to fix for that garbage.

Buck up and take one for the team.

If you still can't get over it, you have severe mental issues.

Oh, and Palin IS A PIG.

[John Wilson]

This is just another attempt at faux outrage by the GOP/McCain camp. They will do anything to distract voters from taling about the real issues at hand. They would rather that it be a personality contest. This is getting really predicatable and boorish. I hope that voters don't fall for this ruse again.

[james]

Well, lookee here. Lots of anti Obama posts on here that seem to cover the same material. How many times the Palin speech was viewed and by how many. How he's coming unglued. Sounds like a lot of trolls in the comment section. Ya know. I have stopped talking to Republicans because that can't take responsibility for their complicity in the failure the last 8 years has been. They can point and make absurd comments all they want. The right wing thinks Democrats impugn Americans' intelligence by "talking down to them." This absurd demand for an apology and false affront at a commonly used phrase does far worse. It assumes that Republican supporters are little mindless puppets that will do or echo anything their party tells them to. Too bad that assumption is wrong. Oh, wait. No, it isn't.

[DT]

It is appalling to see how uneducated the American public is at times. Who hasn't heard the old adage 'lipstick on a pig'? Trying to spin what Obama said about the "No Change Express" as misogynistic is sheer lunacy. Americans need to turn off 'Deal or No Deal' for an evening and spend some time getting familiar with and understanding the issues at stake in this election. You are doing yourself and your country a disservice by relying on the sound bytes on the evening news and the corporate media to spoon-feed you what you consider to be your own opinion. Seriously, grow an attention span of more than 20 seconds. You will thank me later when your not fighting over a $.99 pack of hot dogs in the aisles of wall mart if a McSame-Palin ticket wins this election.

[Blogger]

Obama could have used "lipstick on a lion"or "lipstick on an alligator" Lipstick on a pig IS a derragatory statement eluding to a woman (women wear lipstick) and pig (a name for someone who likes to wallow in their egoism/sexism) Obviously, Obama made a huge mistake with this innuendo. He should should have stuck to his talking points, now his true character has been revealed. It was only a matter of time. Can anyone else defend this comment? Obama is supposed to be an intellectual. This doesn't sound like an intellectual speaking.

[Janea]

I for one happen to like pigs, with or without the lipstick. Shame on you, Obama, for being such a pig-hater! I thought you were opposed to discrimination. Pigs are God's creation too, just like ugly women and smelly fish.

Just say no to pig discrimination!

Who's with me? Should we start a petition?

[I am Sarah Palin]

No, Michael, she meant "exercised", although, if Mr. Obama's inner demons keep making him blurt out ill-advised remarks, it might help for him to "exorcise" them...

[Lisa]

Obama should have been more careful about his words. That was not a smart move in the current context.

ALL THAT SAID -- WTF Andrew? "McCain/Obama battle over lipstick?" No, it's not. That's simply another despicable attempt by the GOP to play the gender card and detract the media attention from Obama's speech. And those stupid media people like you are so easily played by the GOP, jumping on this TOTAL NON ISSUE and helping them legitimize this nonsense. "What do you think?"? I think you should really be ashamed about yourself as a journalist.

[Vic]

Honest question: How many of you know what McCain policy is?

McCain called Hillary a Pig too
So did Dick Cheney

The GOP is bent on distraction. Stop your whining.

[Raymond]

I just find it amazing that Palin and the GOP can dish it out but cannot handle the heat. Here is this individual who the GOP is touting as the VP that can step in to the presidency if McCain cannot fulfill his roll as president. Yet they are afraid to let her talk to the media or answer simple or difficult questions. When have you seen someone running for any office where their party will hide them and not let them speak. This is absolutely ridicilous. Palin is simply a politician who's credentials have been inflated. The GOP wants you to vote for McClan/ Palin because shes, 1. A hockey mom, 2. She eats moose burgers, 3. She goes hunting and can fire a gun, 4. her daughters pregnant and she going to marry the boyfriend, 5. she's from a small town and has strong family values. Give me a break. This is the true Palin!!!!! Against the bridge to no where- false claim, sold the plane on ebay- false claim, made a profit- false claim. Has foreign policy experiance because Alaska is adjacent to Russia, false & ridicilous claim. The only thing you can count on getting from a McCain/Palin ticket is the same crap you have in the White House today. McCain/ Palin equals Bush/Chaney

[lindsay]

Obama hits a home run! After my initial... OH NO... I got to thinking.

The comment had about three or four symbolic meanings.

First, of course, it WAS a reference to Sarah. I am sure he doesn't mean Sarah herself is a pig, but rather her policies. She got a LOT of federal PORK, did she not??? More per capita than all the OTHER states. Don't forget she was in bed with Ted Stevens. (yeah, that's how we'd talk about the men... so get over it. It's called "metaphor".)

Second, It was a notice to the Republicans that Obama is not going to back down. He WILL play by their rules, however distasteful it may be, because he MUST win. There is too much at stake. So, take off the gloves, boys. This whippersnapper is gonna take on the establishment once and for all!!!

Third, it was a reference to McCain and Cheney, both of whom had ALSO used the EXACT same phrase. McCain used it against Hillary. We are now reminded of that again.... that McCain is a sexist pig after all. Which reminds us that Sarah is on the ticket for ONE reason, and that's her gender.

Fourth, it was a reference to the Republican party in general. The party has been wallowing in its own filth for a LONG time, and we don't need to forget it or we will keep electing these unethical buffoons.

So, I was happy to see Obama fight back. There will be more to come. At least he's not gonna be a wimp. This is DOG EAT DOG. PITBULL AGAINST PITBULL. Unfortunately, it's all being played out on TV and the internet, but that's politics. Miss Sarah can't have it both ways. If she is gonna play tough, she will have to expect this.

The Republicans are the ones who led us to war in Iraq. They LOVE a good fight. And they are gonna get one.

GO OBAMA!!!!!!!!!!

And Sarah, dear. The make-up IS a little garish. Maybe tone it down a little and use some regular clear lip gloss?

[gabriel]

All of you so-called 'democrats' in this blog who stated that you're now voting republican in the general election are so full of it!!

you're nothing more than neo-con shills. and if you are democrats and you're still going to vote for a 20 some year hackster (former maverick - now GOP puppet) senator and a right wing fundamentalist creationist zealot vp over returning some decency (obama) to the white house, then you deserve the messed up country these 2 will bring to you. and the future generations.

electing mccain-palin will just further isolate this once great country. and as a colleague eloquently stated today: this country doesn't need al qaeda to destroy it -- it's doing a right good job of destroying itself, instead!

[Anthony]

Obama knew *exactly* what he was saying. This was a well calculated insult, and he knew in advance he could play the "it's just an old saying!" card.

Look at his body language. A scratch of the head while he's delivering the punchline. Listen to how he says it. "You can put lipstick on a pig".... delay... crowd laughter... then he continues...

He knew what he was saying, the crowd knew what he was saying. There's no denying it. This thing is gonna get ugly folks, and Obama is going to be a SORE LOSER when all is said on done. You watch.

[rosie]

I want a president who knows the difference between a pig with lipstick and a pig without. Then they will be smart enough to know that Iraq was not responsible for 9-11. A smart candidate also knows that a "surge" does not win a bad war or bring back to life our dead soldiers. McCain and Palin need a lesson in what is real and what is only makeup.

Go Obama.

[L. Monaco]

I saw a reference to Palin as "lipstick on a pig" on somebody's blog and I thought it was so apt that I've been using it to describe her. I don't think Obama was using it to refer to Palin, but if he was, the comment fits the situation. Palin described herself as lipstick on pit bull; she just got the animal wrong.

[MK in Pasadena]

Trying to explain Palin's views to my 7-year old daughter would go something like this:
She: Why is she famous for killing moose?
Me: She shoots them for fun and that is one of the main reasons the GOP picked her since it would get alot of people to vote for them.
She: Why does she shoot them for fun? She is killing Bambi's family.
Me: Yes, but she does not waste the carcass. She skins them and uses the skin for rugs and the meat to make mooseburgers.
She: Yuuuuuck!
Me: I know, huh. She wants us to drill for oil in the Alaskan wildlife.
She: What! She wants us to drill for oil under the homes of polar bears?! But wouldn't an oil spill hurt the beautiful parks in Alaska and alot of animals?
Me: Well, yeah.
She: I thought that we were all trying to use less oil and use more sun energy because the oil makes the world too hot.
Me: Well, she also does not believe in global warming.
She: She should listen better to her science teachers or read more books from the library.
Me: Well, she does not really believe in science and wants to have religion theories being taught in science class. And as far as the library, she wants books that are inconvenient or make us uncomfortable taken out of the library.
She: Did the library listen to her?
Me: No, but she did try to get the librarian fired for not listening to her.
She: So how come she can be President and not know so much stuff? Maybe I should not do my homework and you should get me pretty dresses that way I can dress up and play President.
Me: No really, a sound education is really important .... I think. Or is it elitist?

My job as a mom just got harder. Now on to 'expalin' the pregnant teen daughter to my 13 year old neice. Thanks alot, GOP!!!