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

[xgb]

Gosh, I think Obama and the Dems are missing an obvious bet here:

"You know the difference between Sarah Palin and George Bush? LIPSTICK!"

[TheCentrist]

Those of you who sincerely believe that Obama meant to slight Palin over the remark are imbeciles just like Jane Swift. Inbred, single-celled trailer trash.

[Theresa]

This says it all... the Real McCain. He is full of lies and deceit. Do NOT vote for him if you want our country to prosper. Tha Palin card is just a trick to divert attention from the issues. She is also a liar and a cheat.

http://www.youtube.com/swf/l.swf?datatype=playlist&data=95AAB283286F78B6&eurl

[J]

"Who hasn't heard the old adage "lipstick on a pig"

But there's still a pig involved, right?

Dummies grasp at "Game Changer"

http://dummiefunnies.blogspot.com/2008/09/dummie-microanalyze-palins-religion.html

Is this the 33rd game changer this week? Or the 34th? The previous "game changers" have resulted in a substantial shift in favor of McCain/Palin. I thought it was a game changer when DUmmies exposed Palin as a White Supremacist? Or when they exposed her fake pregnancy? Or her book banning time machine? Or her secession dreams? Or...well, you get the picture.

By all means, DUmmies, have some more rope. You attack, she gets more popular. Meanwhile Obamessiah cannot campaign in key states because he has to fund raise in 45,000 sq ft San Francisco mansions due to his genius decision to forgo public financing. That should play well with the "gun clingers" in Pennsylvania. While McCain and Palin are campaigning in Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Ohio. Talking to working class people and independents, drawing pretty sizeable crowds. I never in a million years would have thought McCain would be President, but I refused to believe that once again the Democrats would snatch defeat out of the jaws of victory. I am humble enough to admit when I am wrong. Unless Obama pulls his head out of his ass, yesterday, he will go down in history as the most spectacular choke artist in electoral history. Simply amazing.

[Susan]

How sweet that McCain thought that Obama wouldn't go after Palin, because she was a woman. Obama needs to hit her and hit her hard to stop her from gaining any more traction.

The difference between Palin and Bush? Nothing.

[lindsay]

Some of you people need to get a grip. Obama is a very , very intelligent man who can run intellectual circles around 99% of the general population. He is an EXPERT on constitutional law. THAT is the kind of man we need running our country.

He is not stupid. Superficial Sarah has been dominating the press for a week. It's like a big beauty contest, not a presidential campaign. So Obama makes this remark and fights back, and in doing so he turns the attention back on himself and the REAL issues.

We don't need the hockey mom and the first dude so close to the White House, no matter how much they appeal to us on a gut level. PEOPLE, please think about this. Would you want your next door neighbor running the country, or would you want a man who is already an expert on Constitutional Law?

You know what the Constitution is, don't you? It's that document that runs our country... the one that's been stomped on by the Bushies until it's not really OUR country, it's the BUSHIES' country.

Obama is the ONLY choice we have, people. I used to like McCain. Heck I still do. I voted for him when I lived in AZ. But he is too old and out of touch. He is putting the country at risk by selecting Sarah. If she really had a clue what the vice president does, she would have been giving her OWN interviews right now. She is controlled by her handlers. They are using her, but most importantly, they are using YOU... the average people of America.

Don't let them get away with it.

VOTE OBAMA.

[iglooo]

“Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and it may be necessary from time to time to give a stupid or misinformed beholder a black eye.”
Miss Piggy quote
I guess defending Miss Piggy is an effort to be
"UNABLE TO SEE THE WOODS FOR THE TREES"
The real issues on the table are
- Economy
- Oil
- War
"You don't sew with a fork, so I see no reason to eat with knitting needles."
Quote Miss Piggy, on eating Chinese Food

[plankbob]

Forget the pig. It's a rabbit hole we're inside of. UnAble and McCain are Republicans, whose party has ruled and drooled over us the last eight years. What more do you need to know? Wars, lies, rising prices, lies, falling employment, lies. Maverick shmaverick.
"I thought you were gonna ask about the pig. Man, I can't wait to eat that pig." (George W. Bush in Germany, or was it LaLaland?)

[Tyson S.]

The GOP are sticking to their typical polarizing tactics, only this time the subject isn't homosexuality and stem cells. First of all anyone who truly supported Hillary would be an idiot to vote for McCain considering the contrast between Palin and his own policies, and those of Senator Clinton. Second, does anyone believe that Senator Clinton would be able to make as much progress in regard to her own agenda under a McCain/Palin presidency as she would under an Obama/Biden presidency? Of course not! Which would mean that the only real reason for a Hillary supporter to vote republican this fall would be either out of spite, or because they're desperate to see a female in office. In my opinion these are ridiculous motivations for choosing a candidate to vote for. Just as the GOP used sexual orientation to polarize voters in 2004, they are now using gender bias as a catalyst to erode the Democratic ticket and to boost their own. If pigs in sheep's clothing appeal to you, then you're probably just a sheep yourself... More of the same

[Transsylvania Phoenix]

Hussein is showing his true colors again. First he flips the bird to Hillary. Now he calls Palin a pig.
Sorry libs, this guy isn't Presidential material. Brooklyn "wise guy" maybe.

[Peter]

Who cares about pigs or lipstick. What a waste of time .

The media star Obama who has a record as thin as ice is upset this gal has stolen some of his thunder.

Sarah Palin is a breath of fresh air. Not qualified....check out Obama's record in the Senate. Has changed nothing but suddenly if he becomes president everything will change overnight.

Gas will drop to $.49 a gallon. Everyone will have free healthcare. China will go away. Unemployment will be non-existant but wait a minute ,some people don't want a job so I guess that's impossible.

Funding for all these projects will come directly from Bill Gates, William Buffet, and Exxon Mobil. The rest of the country will be exempt from taxes.

What a bunch of babbling retards . LOL

[Terri]

So, McCain can use the same comment on Hillary Clinton and get away with it, but when Obama references it to the McCain campaign everybody has a heart attack. Such double standards. Apologise? No Way!

The Republicans will always have double standards when it affects them. Bristol Palin is being made to look like a hero for being 17, pregnant and unmarried. But Jamie-Lynn Spears was attacked for being the same with the Republicans upfront in the attack. They are the same people who have been lambasting teenage pregnancies but now that one of their own is pregnant, she's a hero. Double Standards.

Palin has been attacking Obama from Day 1, but he is not allowed to retaliate? Double Standards.

For all of you who have now decided to vote for McCain based on this Pig LIpstick comment - Fools! All of you fools! Firstly this comment is not new. It is an old saying that as always been there. McCain used it on Hillary. McCain has not told us what he intends to do for Americans but you all blindlly follow simply because he put a woman on his camp and because Obama dared fight back when she attacked him. Fools all of you and if by some miracle he does win the election, you will all get the president you deserve and another years of suffering and seeing your children die in a war you created. We might just be lucky and you'll die as well in that same war.

[IP Mosgo]

Whatever happened to dignity?

If they are better and have a better plan for America. Why doesn't the GOP just tell us about it instead of constantly releasing low-brow emotional attacks? Why the need for deception and immaturity?

Thank you Barack Obama for behaving like a mature adult with poise and respect for others, even if they disagree with you.

Shame on the GOP for acting like stupid bully's on the playground. Your behavior is a disgrace to this fine nation and all the lives that have been lost to keep us free. GROW UP!!!!!

[Laura]

I am appalled and horrified that Obama called Palin a pig. He has gotten away with his blatant displays of misogyny partly because no one has been calling him on it or doing anything about it. I guess he figured that no one seemed to mind that he attended an openly racist church for 20 years - so he would get a pass on misogyny as well as racism.

I am a female democrat and Obama is a disgrace to women. He flipped Hillary off in front of a crowd of cheering people, played the song "I got a lot of problems but a b!tch ain't one" after the Iowa primary, and then there is "Sweetiegate" and Ludacris' song that calls Hillary an irrelevant b!tch... And now he and his campaign have been making up lies and bashing Sarah Palin in a repulsive manner.

Sexism is alive and well, revived by the democrats. I left the party after what the DNC, the media, and Obama's campaign did to Hillary - and now this? I still cannot believe that I heard Obama say the words: lipstick on a pig. It was obvious who he was referring to and women everywhere should be appalled.

Wow, as a woman I am not only offended, but truly disturbed.

The Democrats openly scorn women. I know I am not the only one "outta there."

.

[Boris Whorelock]

All of you DEMOCRATS soon to be COMMUNISTS who are applauding your racist communist god Obama for calling Palin a pig and are calling her a pig yourselves are a true disgrace to the democrat party.

When Obama loses in November, you will not be applauding him for losing the race for displaying such blatant misogyny throughout the primary against Hillary and now against Palin. I mean, really... what an IDIOT.

You all think that because your messiah god condones racism and sexism that it is okay now. You and your kind (like your messiah) have set back feminism and race relations decades. Go applaud yourselves for being so vile and hateful. And bow down to your false angry hateful god Obama.

[Mark]

So, if Obama didn't mean this is a direct jab, which I highly doubt... OK, so I'll give him the benefit of the doubt. Wait. Poor judgment. Can't trust a president who is not aware of the popularity of Palin's speech last week. But wait. He was waiting for that punchline. Typical Obama. Trying to get away with something and feigning ignorance. Not fit to run our country.

[european bystander]

i know this is not really my business, but a neutral view may look like this

of course he referred to palin with his lipstick remark; but he did not refer to her person (or gender) per se but rather to the words she used (i even dare say that there are not many men out there who think she's an "ugly pig" or something)

it's more like when somebody uses an unfamiliar foreign word to appear sophisticated, and you in return use the same word, just to show that you know it too, and that you can see through the other person's veil/intention
he probably wanted to show that he can crack (cheap) jokes just as well

btw, the fact that this lipstick-story can be an issue on such a magnitude in a presidential race surely fosters some klischees about america abroad

[dave]

in these elections it is evident that both illegitimate candidates foisted on the people are not a paragon of
integrity, of principles and virtue; nor are their vp choices, as could be expected.
it would be useless though to try and exorcize, the corrupt mean-spirited proponents of power -
and the herd of slavish corporate media journalists nearby is already full of it.
but RON PAUL and all freedom loving people, by casting pearls of truth and wisdom will eventually
cause a major indigestion and breakdown to the system.

[yarrrr]

“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?

[Andor]

I don't care what he really meant. Everyone knows Porky Palin snuffled up to the earmark trough just like every other politician.

[JEFO]

Sarah Palin is a dirty, smelly, ugly looking pig. If the trough fits, eat from it.
It puts a smile on my face to see Republicans whining about this because all it shows is that Palin is too weak to be 2nd in command for Commander and chief.

[Mockerfab4]

Obama was right! This campaign is going to be less about the issues and more about the character attacks. While McCain is going ape*** over lipstick, people are still losing homes, healthcare is still awful in this country, a war is being fought with lives lost daily...and this is the hot button issue of the day. People need to wake up and realize the issues aren't going away. No matter what color lipstick they wear.

[Beth]

NObama! needs to grow up. He has no plans. He wants to raise my taxes and give to people who are too lazy to get off of their butts and actually work.

I am voting for McCain/Pailin. I love my country way too much to vote for an idiot like NObama!

[Andy Dawson]

Well, as a Brit, in one sense this is none of my business, but.....

it's becoming clear that Obama's rattled, from the number of gaffes he's made - and a President that gets rattled that easily isn't someone who'd hold up to the pressures of office well.

In the week since Sarah Palin's speech, we've had:

- making a call on when a foetus is human is "above my paygrade"; but is the key issue in making a call on when abortion should be permitted - so, doesn he plan to take no position on future arbotion discussions?

- admitting the "Surge" in Iraq had succeeded "beyond our wildest dreams", despite the fact that McCain is largely the architect of it - and that he, Obama had voted against

- majoring on the "bridge to nowhere" in Alaska - when he and his VP candidate not only voted for, in Congress, but voted against measures to redirect the funds to victims of Hurricane Katrina

- and now, a week after Palin's line about "What's the difference between a Hockey Mom and a Pitbull? Lipstick!" he choses to come out with the "lipstick on a pig" remark.

Now, whether you think it was a direct dig at Palin or not, that's up to you - I'm not sure either way - but whether it was or not, it was a fantastically stupid expression to use (and, not off the cuff - in a pre-prepared speech).

FWIW, his audience doesn't seem to have had much doubt

"Many in the audience in Lebanon laughed uproariously when Mr Obama made his lipstick remark, clearly taking it to be a reference to the first female Republican on a presidential ticket, who is highly unpopular with Democrats for her arch conservative views and personal attacks on their candidate.

I dont think he meant it personally, but as soon as he said it I wondered if it would come back to haunt him, said Tony Dodi, mayor of Lebanon and head teacher at the school where Mr Obama spoke last night."

From the London "Daily Telegraph" who's reporter was present at the rally.

So, at very least the offensive meaning should have occurred to Obama and his speechwriter, if his audience can pick up on it that fast.

All that sound very much to me like a very, very rattled campaign. And rattled capmaigns often get into a downward spiral where they spend more time defending their own gaffes than they do selling their positive message.

Do those of you who have a vote in this really feel comfortable eleting a candidate who starts to come apart under pressure like this? Putin would eat him alive, in a confrontation.....

[Trutheriser]

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 also. She looks good but she is a pig of a politician. The lip-stick pig analogy is also an accurate discription of McCains lies about being an agent of change and a maverick. All three interpretation of the lipstick/pig analogy clearly describes how the America people are being deceive 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.