Lipstick on a Pig
The latest non-issue and cry of sexism from the McCain camp comes in the form of an aphorism Barack Obama made today:
“The other side, suddenly, they’re saying ‘we’re for change too,’ ” Obama told the crowd. “You can put lipstick on a pig. It’s still a pig. You can wrap up an old fish in a piece of paper and call it change. It’s still going to stink after eight years. We’ve had enough.”
Naturally, the McCain camp immediately jumped on this, labeling it as a sexist slander against Sarah Palin:
Former Gov. Jane Swift of Massachusetts — where, perhaps, they don’t have colorful expressions about pigs — denounced the comment as “disgraceful” and maintained that since Palin is the only national candidate who wears lipstick, it was clearly directed at her.“Sen. Obama owes Gov. Palin an apology,” Swift said on a conference call tonight hastily arranged by the McCain campaign.
Why is she so sure the remark was aimed at Palin? Forty million Americans saw the Palin acceptance speech, when Palin quipped that the only difference between a hockey mom and a pit bull is lipstick.
“Calling a very prominent female governor of one of our states a pig is not exactly what we want to see, when we supposedly are going to see this great debate that is the politics of hope,” Swift said.
But people are slowly starting to see the brilliance of Obama’s “lipstick on a pig” comment. As TPM pointed out, Obama has used the ancient aphorism before and he’s not the only one. Obama simply repeated a quote John McCain made about Hillary Clinton last year:
McCain criticized Democratic contenders for offering what he called costly universal health care proposals that require too much government regulation. While he said he had not studied Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton’s health-care plan, he said it was “eerily reminiscent” of the failed plan she offered as first lady in the early 1990s.“I think they put some lipstick on a pig, but it’s still a pig,” he said of her proposal.
Slate has even uncovered a video of John McCain using the “lipstick on a pig” aphorism. Of course, there was no outrage back then because only Republicans are allowed to put lipstick on pigs. Or pit bulls….
What’s the difference between George W. Bush and John McCain?
Lipstick.
September 10th, 2008 at 8:36 am
McCain’s lipstick on Bush’s behind. I lost all respect for McCain when he shook Bush’s hand, after Rove orchestrated a call-in campaign that insinuated that McCain’s adopted daughter was “an illegitimate black child.” Imagine shaking the hand of someone who used such dirty politics against you. Imagine the principle-bending will it would take. He wants the Presidency too much, if you ask me. And he doesn’t deserve it.
On the other hand, the Dems should be able to win purely on the issues. no need for character attacks here. 90% Bush is no change.