FlockOfSillies Posted September 9, 2008 Share Posted September 9, 2008 http://hughhewitt.townhall.com/blog  Click on the video under "Lipstick on a Pig." Unbelievable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laylamcb Posted September 9, 2008 Share Posted September 9, 2008 Now, keep in mind that I don't plan at this time to vote for either of these guys--so I've got no dog in this race. But this is actually something similar to what my DH--a native Virginian--says all the time: "You can put a dress on a pig, but it's still just a shoat in a skirt." I doubt that this comment had anything to do with Palin at all. I wouldn't have made the connection had the blogger not referred to her. Â Just my countrified $.02! :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parabola Posted September 10, 2008 Share Posted September 10, 2008 What is so unbelievable? He's basically saying that you can call something anything you like, but it is what it is. Its not directed at any one person. Its directed at policy. I see no reason for uproar, tho when I first got to that site I was ready to be disappointed in my candidate. Thankfully, nothing has changed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SapphireStitch Posted September 10, 2008 Share Posted September 10, 2008 Now, keep in mind that I don't plan at this time to vote for either of these guys--so I've got no dog in this race. But this is actually something similar to what my DH--a native Virginian--says all the time: "You can put a dress on a pig, but it's still just a shoat in a skirt." I doubt that this comment had anything to do with Palin at all. I wouldn't have made the connection had the blogger not referred to her. Just my countrified $.02! :001_smile:  :iagree::iagree:  Yeah...this is a pretty old country saying. I'm from Illinois originally and I know I've heard it there in the past.  I think it's a little bit of a stretch to say this is about Palin. Is it because she made the "hockey mom vs. pit bull" joke with the difference being lipstick? :confused: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dani n Monies Mom Posted September 10, 2008 Share Posted September 10, 2008 Though I am an "undecided", I didn't think he was referring to Palin either. Â Ava Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pam "SFSOM" in TN Posted September 10, 2008 Share Posted September 10, 2008 http://hughhewitt.townhall.com/blog Click on the video under "Lipstick on a Pig." Unbelievable.  If they want to get all huffy on her part, well, what can you do? "Lipstick on a pig" is rarely a personal comment. It's usually about things that stink, like policies or campaigns or ads that prey on people's deepest prejudices. Dressing up things that are innately rotten with lipstick or a little perfume doesn't make them any less rotten.  And I believe Gov. Palin made a comment about women not being able to handle criticism and her position on whining about real or implied criticism when she commented on Sen. Clinton's perceived "whining" a few months back. Her position was that you just make yourself stronger and better, not whine about it. If you can't run with the big pit bulls, you better stay on the porch. They do her no favors by turning this into something all personal, wrapping her up in cotton, and then whining *for* her. If she's such a delicate flower that anything the other candidate says or does will be a perceived personal attack, she doesn't need to be in this race. And she's no a delicate flower.  ETA: Watch before AND after. And the quote linked in the blog? It conveniently left off that he said, "...after eight years, it [the fish] is gonna stink." McCain used the phrase earlier in the campaign about the Clinton health care plan. No one from Sen. Clinton's team, to my knowledge, bent themselves too far out of shape about it. Nor did General Petreus freak when Sen. Obama said of him that he was making the best of an impossibly situation by trying to figure out how to put lipstick on a pig. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beansprouts Posted September 10, 2008 Share Posted September 10, 2008 If they want to get all huffy on her part, well, what can you do? "Lipstick on a pig" is rarely a personal comment. It's usually about things that stink, like policies or campaigns or ads that prey on people's deepest prejudices. Dressing up things that are innately rotten with lipstick or a little perfume doesn't make them any less rotten. Â And I believe Gov. Palin made a comment about women not being able to handle criticism and her position on whining about real or implied criticism when she commented on Sen. Clinton's perceived "whining" a few months back. Her position was that you just make yourself stronger and better, not whine about it. If you can't run with the big pit bulls, you better stay on the porch. They do her no favors by turning this into something all personal, wrapping her up in cotton, and then whining *for* her. If she's such a delicate flower that anything the other candidate says or does will be a perceived personal attack, she doesn't need to be in this race. And she's no a delicate flower. Â Â Â I agree... Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â ...but I'm still voting for Pam :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pam "SFSOM" in TN Posted September 10, 2008 Share Posted September 10, 2008 I agree...  ...but I'm still voting for Pam :D  If nominated, I will not run.  If elected, I will emigrate to Canada. :auto:  :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dawn E Posted September 10, 2008 Share Posted September 10, 2008 I don't think it was directed as a personal attack towards Palin either. However, I agree with Pam that even if it was she is quite tough enough to handle it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zelda Posted September 10, 2008 Share Posted September 10, 2008 If I were his campaign manager I'd be apoplectic but I don't know that this was anything more than an unfortunate gaffe that at this point neither side can afford to make. Â It is always fun in a totally predictable way to see how the partisan pundits will react to this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michelle T Posted September 10, 2008 Share Posted September 10, 2008 He was talking about the Republican party anyway, not Palin specifically. Besides, McCain once used the same expression referring to H. Clinton's healthcare plan, and she didn't boo hoo and cry about it. Â Palin needs to toughen up. Wasn't she the one who said H. Clinton was "whining" about sexism? Sheesh, Palin's in the game for a week, has done zero interviews, and already the kitchen is too hot for her. Â All this crying and whining about sexism over every innocuous comment only confirms for those who already believe that women aren't suited for high office. It also lends a lot of credence that Palin was picked only because of her reproductive anatomy. How convenient to be able to cry sexism over every little thing, while viciously attacking your opponents. Michelle T Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dawn E Posted September 10, 2008 Share Posted September 10, 2008 Palin needs to toughen up. Wasn't she the one who said H. Clinton was "whining" about sexism? Sheesh, Palin's in the game for a week, has done zero interviews, and already the kitchen is too hot for her. Â Â I don't think Palin has done any whining over this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crissy Posted September 10, 2008 Share Posted September 10, 2008 My grandmother used to say that All The Time. She wasn't calling anyone a pig, but pointing out that you can spin an issue all you want. It's still the same issue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amy in NY Posted September 10, 2008 Share Posted September 10, 2008 Well, I'm not an Obama fan but I don't think he was referring to Gov. Palin, either. I take no offense in that statement at all (so I'm not one of the millions of women who 'won't forget or forgive') and think it is rather a stretch to link that to Sarah Palin. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DB in NJ Posted September 10, 2008 Share Posted September 10, 2008 I am no fan of Barack Obama, and I am certainly not voting for him (policy differences). However, having heard a long clip of the speech, I walk away with the distinct impression that he was NOT referring to Sarah Palin at all. The point he was making was that, in his opinion, John McCain is now talking about bringing change to Washington. Obama said that other than the same tax policy, foreign policy, every-other-policy, and Karl Rove politics (paraphrased, obviously), McCain will be completely different from Bush. That's when he said you can put lipstick on a pig, and it's still a pig. Â He was referring to John McCain's similarity to Bush (policy-wise) as the pig, not Sarah Palin. Â I disagree with him and his analysis, but in all fairness, this is much ado about nothing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jami Posted September 10, 2008 Share Posted September 10, 2008 I am no fan of Barack Obama, and I am certainly not voting for him (policy differences). However, having heard a long clip of the speech, I walk away with the distinct impression that he was NOT referring to Sarah Palin at all. The point he was making was that, in his opinion, John McCain is now talking about bringing change to Washington. Obama said that other than the same tax policy, foreign policy, every-other-policy, and Karl Rove politics (paraphrased, obviously), McCain will be completely different from Bush. That's when he said you can put lipstick on a pig, and it's still a pig. He was referring to John McCain's similarity to Bush (policy-wise) as the pig, not Sarah Palin.  I disagree with him and his analysis, but in all fairness, this is much ado about nothing.  That was how I understood the remark too.  Jami Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OnTheBrink Posted September 10, 2008 Share Posted September 10, 2008 I saw this on the news earlier and it was expressed that the comment was simply an expression, not a jibe toward Palin. Nothing was said about whether Palin had anything to say about it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kathleen in VA Posted September 10, 2008 Share Posted September 10, 2008 Well, the statement was unfortunate but I would not say he meant it as a slight to Gov. Palin. He chose to use the word lipstick - a word we now associate with Palin - not the smartest choice of words, but not exactly a gaffe. Â I, too, have not seen Palin whining about it so I don't see a need for her to toughen up as someone said. It is the pundits who need to just calm down and not be so quick to jump on every little word. I am not an Obama supporter by any stretch, but good grief, I think it's pretty obvious he was saying that putting a different name on something doesn't change it. Â I don't agree with what he said, though - I think McCain does want change - it's just not the same kind of change Obama was hoping for. I, on the other hand, don't want Obama's version of change. I think it's actually possible for there to be two different kinds of change.:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pam "SFSOM" in TN Posted September 10, 2008 Share Posted September 10, 2008 I am no fan of Barack Obama, and I am certainly not voting for him (policy differences). However, having heard a long clip of the speech, I walk away with the distinct impression that he was NOT referring to Sarah Palin at all. Â That's the key, I think. Before the statement, talking about President Bush's policies and Sen. McCain's policies. Immediately after the statement as if to expand the metaphor, talking about how fish, even wrapped in newspaper (heh, now that might be funny, come to think of it!) is gonna stink after eight years. Â Conveniently clipping the video after the first remark and then printing only the part about the fish but not the part about "going to stink after eight years" makes a whole 'nother point than does actually listening to what was said. Â Tempest in a teapot. There are bigger issues to worry about than who said what and when. Both sides have used the metaphor, and Sen. McCain used it about Sen. Clinton's healthcare policies, with Sen. Obama using it to say that Gen. Petreus was doing the impossible as best he could. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PariSarah Posted September 10, 2008 Share Posted September 10, 2008 . . . but I have read very, very few things that Obama has said that have rubbed me the wrong way. Most of it has been the epitome of class. Â So I'm willing to give him the benefit of the doubt on this one. Â I suspect this is another comment like his "above my pay grade" comment. Somebody told him he needs to talk less Harvard and more down home. I suspect that this is what he was trying. Â ETA: It's possible that he or his speechwriters cared enough about Palin's lipstick comment that they're trying to reappropriate the word. Obama uses his own lipstick expression so that people don't go lipstick shopping and think "Pit bull Palin." But I doubt it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michelle T Posted September 10, 2008 Share Posted September 10, 2008 I don't think Palin has done any whining over this. Â True, she personally hasn't said anything. That would be difficult, because she is apparently not allowed to say anything to any press, or do any interviews, or answer any questions. Â However, she is certainly a part of McCain's campaign, and if they are demanding an apology on her behalf, I would asssume she agrees with their viewpoint. Â And I still consider it whining. They know perfectly well Obama wasn't calling her a pig. Just political spin trying to make a mountain out of a molehill. Michelle T Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ekarl2 Posted September 10, 2008 Share Posted September 10, 2008 I think the chances are VERY good that Obama was not thinking at all of Palin when he said this. Â That being said, either he or his people need to thik about this stuff! This was scripted for goodness sake! If it can possibly be taken the wrong way, it will. Presidents speak A LOT and have to be very careful not to offend different groups. Â I've always said that every ad agency needs to hire someone with a dirty mind to run things by. That way, even if a writer doesn't intend something to have another meaning, the "dirty mind guy" can catch it and say, " blah, blah, blah ... if you know what I mean!";) Or, "Blah, blah, blah ... that's what she said!":tongue_smilie: Then they'll re-write it. Â In the same vein, I think political candidates need people on their staff who are easily offended who can point out stuff like this before it leaves the office, you know? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zelda Posted September 10, 2008 Share Posted September 10, 2008 I've always said that every ad agency needs to hire someone with a dirty mind to run things by. That way, even if a writer doesn't intend something to have another meaning, the "dirty mind guy" can catch it and say, " blah, blah, blah ... if you know what I mean!";) Or, "Blah, blah, blah ... that's what she said!":tongue_smilie: Then they'll re-write it. Â In the same vein, I think political candidates need people on their staff who are easily offended who can point out stuff like this before it leaves the office, you know? Â Where do I send my resume? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kathleen in VA Posted September 10, 2008 Share Posted September 10, 2008 I think the chances are VERY good that Obama was not thinking at all of Palin when he said this. That being said, either he or his people need to thik about this stuff! This was scripted for goodness sake! If it can possibly be taken the wrong way, it will. Presidents speak A LOT and have to be very careful not to offend different groups.  I've always said that every ad agency needs to hire someone with a dirty mind to run things by. That way, even if a writer doesn't intend something to have another meaning, the "dirty mind guy" can catch it and say, " blah, blah, blah ... if you know what I mean!";) Or, "Blah, blah, blah ... that's what she said!":tongue_smilie: Then they'll re-write it.  In the same vein, I think political candidates need people on their staff who are easily offended who can point out stuff like this before it leaves the office, you know?  You make a very good point. I can't believe he said it from the standpoint of not realizing it would be taken out of context and used to make him look bad. And it doesn't surprise me that the McCain people are making an issue out of it. These are the last days of the race and they have to latch onto anything they can to discredit Obama. I think it may backfire in this case, though. They could have taken the high road - oh, well. I'm sure both sides are just waiting with bated breath to see the other "guy" say or do something - anything -that can be twisted to their advantage. It's the nature of the beast. Ugh! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ekarl2 Posted September 10, 2008 Share Posted September 10, 2008 Where do I send my resume? Â Hey, get your mind out of the gutter so mine can float by! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zelda Posted September 10, 2008 Share Posted September 10, 2008 I think political candidates need people on their staff  That's what she said.  See, I can do this! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zelda Posted September 10, 2008 Share Posted September 10, 2008 Hey, get your mind out of the gutter so mine can float by! Â :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teamturner Posted September 10, 2008 Share Posted September 10, 2008 I think McCain does want change - it's just not the same kind of change Obama was hoping for. I, on the other hand, don't want Obama's version of change. I think it's actually possible for there to be two different kinds of change.:) Â :iagree: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom to Aly Posted September 10, 2008 Share Posted September 10, 2008 McCain used this same EXACT phrase ABOUT Hillary Clinton last year, in addition to stating that Chelsea Clinton was "ugly", just before that. I don't remember anyone having a fit over that! And Obama made it quite clear he was not referring to Palin, while McCain was referring to McCain. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erica in PA Posted September 10, 2008 Share Posted September 10, 2008 When I watched the clip, I thought that it was most likely that Obama was simply using that expression to describe the situation, not Palin in particular. (Though admittedly, she is very strongly associated with the word "lipstick" right now.) However, did anyone else hear the line that came next?? It wasn't included on that clip, but a few minutes ago I came across it in a transcript. Here it is: "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." Â It sounds like he is referring to McCain as an "old fish," doesn't it? The "eight years" part makes that clear. So maybe he really did have Palin in mind with the lipstick comment? Â Does anyone have a clip that goes on past that next line? Hearing how he delivered the line may make things more clear. Â The crowd seems to have made the connection, with the laughter and wild applause that followed that line. Â In the big scheme of things, it's not a big deal, but when I came across that line about the "OLD fish," that did catch my attention. If he was calling them names in that way, it would be surprising coming from Obama. Â Erica Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kathleen in VA Posted September 10, 2008 Share Posted September 10, 2008 When I watched the clip, I thought that it was most likely that Obama was simply using that expression to describe the situation, not Palin in particular. (Though admittedly, she is very strongly associated with the word "lipstick" right now.) However, did anyone else hear the line that came next?? It wasn't included on that clip, but a few minutes ago I came across it in a transcript. Here it is: "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." It sounds like he is referring to McCain as an "old fish," doesn't it? The "eight years" part makes that clear. So maybe he really did have Palin in mind with the lipstick comment?  Does anyone have a clip that goes on past that next line? Hearing how he delivered the line may make things more clear.  The crowd seems to have made the connection, with the laughter and wild applause that followed that line.  In the big scheme of things, it's not a big deal, but when I came across that line about the "OLD fish," that did catch my attention. If he was calling them names in that way, it would be surprising coming from Obama.  Erica  Well, I didn't hear the clip, but from what you said I think he is referring to the eight years Bush has been president and the Republican policies for the last eight years. I think he's saying that McCain is going to just keep on doing what Bush has been doing for the last eight years. I don't think that's true, but I think that's what Obama meant. Anyone else? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erica in PA Posted September 10, 2008 Share Posted September 10, 2008 Well, I didn't hear the clip, but from what you said I think he is referring to the eight years Bush has been president and the Republican policies for the last eight years. I think he's saying that McCain is going to just keep on doing what Bush has been doing for the last eight years. I don't think that's true, but I think that's what Obama meant. Anyone else? Â I am going to try to find the complete transcript, because I think that could clear things up. My understanding is that in that part of the speech, he was addressing how the Palin-McCain team was claiming that they were about change, but instead, they were the same old thing, trying to dress themselves up differently. To me, it seems pretty clear that the "old fish" is McCain-- i.e. that he is trying to present himself differently than what he really is, and that after 8 years it's really going to "stink." I'm just not as sure that he was specifically referring to Palin with the lipstick comment. I wish I could find the complete video from that speech! Â Erica Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlockOfSillies Posted September 10, 2008 Author Share Posted September 10, 2008 Well, the crowd sure seemed to get the inference, given how they cheered. And "old fish in a newspaper" -- hmmm, wonder who the old fish is in this race? Â Mr. Skilled Orator, Post-Partisan New Politics, and Possessor of Superior Judgment had a hundred folksy cliches he could have used -- "you can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear" and whatnot -- but he chose to use the word "lipstick" only a week after Palin's memorable self-deprecating joke in her convention speech about pit bulls and lipstick, a week in which Obama has been completely thrown off message and off the front page by a mere mom of five. His opponent's campaign bounce in the polls (McCain's now up by five points among registered voters) has come largely from independents and disaffected Hillary Democrats... and y'all honestly think this wasn't a jab at Palin? OK, you go on thinking that. Â It's a mind-bogglingly stupid move at the very least. Now he's gotta spend time explaining it away instead of stressing his campaign themes. "Well, what I, uh, meant was, she's not the pig, she's the lipstick, I mean, uh, ah..." He can't possibly want to go there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlockOfSillies Posted September 10, 2008 Author Share Posted September 10, 2008 Uh yeah, I'm familiar with the expression. I wasn't implying that he'd made it up somehow. See my reply above. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlockOfSillies Posted September 10, 2008 Author Share Posted September 10, 2008 Hey, get your mind out of the gutter so mine can float by! Â "Have you seen my dad?" ;) Â (If you haven't seen Flushed Away, just ignore this reply.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kokotg Posted September 10, 2008 Share Posted September 10, 2008 Now he's gotta spend time explaining it away instead of stressing his campaign themes. "Well, what I, uh, meant was, she's not the pig, she's the lipstick, I mean, uh, ah..." He can't possibly want to go there. Â Actually, he's not saying anything like what you're describing. His campaign responded to McCain that he wasn't talking about Palin at all (it seems perfectly clear from the context that he's talking about McCain and Republicans in general) and that McCain was making "a pathetic attempt to play the gender card." He doesn't seem especially distracted from his campaign themes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zelda Posted September 10, 2008 Share Posted September 10, 2008 Now that I've heard and read more about the incident I think its too disingenuous to suggest it has *nothing* to do with the "pitbull in lipstick" comment. It was a safe swipe since he could duck behind, "Well, McCain said it first!" Â I think they needed to get people talking about Obama again and negative attention is better than no attention. Especially since the responses are totally predictable and possibly, sort of, maybe calling Palin a 'pig' (which as the benefit of evoking the idea of pork, greed)wasn't going to shift many votes. Just get his base fired up defending him. They clearly loved it and were a hootin' and hollerin' and laughing and ooohing at the joke. Â I just don't know that its advisable to make these kind of references when you're already losing lady voters. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlockOfSillies Posted September 10, 2008 Author Share Posted September 10, 2008 Quoting from a story at Politico.com, "Obama, Dems sharpen personal attacks on Palin":   Democratic Congressman Russ Carnahan on Tuesday Ă¢â‚¬â€œ introducing Joe Biden at a campaign event Ă¢â‚¬â€œ ripped into PalinĂ¢â‚¬â„¢s record and punctuated it with this snarky jab. Ă¢â‚¬Å“ThereĂ¢â‚¬â„¢s no way you can dress up that record, even with a lot of lipstick,Ă¢â‚¬ he said. Nah, they're not referring to Palin. They weren't even thinking about her, using the word "lipstick" and all. But it would have been smarter for Obama to use Carnahan's wording rather than linking "lipstick" with "pig." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pam "SFSOM" in TN Posted September 10, 2008 Share Posted September 10, 2008 Well, the crowd sure seemed to get the inference, given how they cheered. And "old fish in a newspaper" -- hmmm, wonder who the old fish is in this race? Mr. Skilled Orator, Post-Partisan New Politics, and Possessor of Superior Judgment had a hundred folksy cliches he could have used -- "you can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear" and whatnot -- but he chose to use the word "lipstick" only a week after Palin's memorable self-deprecating joke in her convention speech about pit bulls and lipstick, a week in which Obama has been completely thrown off message and off the front page by a mere mom of five. His opponent's campaign bounce in the polls (McCain's now up by five points among registered voters) has come largely from independents and disaffected Hillary Democrats... and y'all honestly think this wasn't a jab at Palin? OK, you go on thinking that.  It's a mind-bogglingly stupid move at the very least. Now he's gotta spend time explaining it away instead of stressing his campaign themes. "Well, what I, uh, meant was, she's not the pig, she's the lipstick, I mean, uh, ah..." He can't possibly want to go there.  Pfft. He won't be bothered. He's got other, fresher fish to fry.  Not sure where you're getting your numbers about independents and Sen. Clinton supporters. Undecided Republicans, maybe? As for off message? Again, ?? Depends on how you view his message, I guess. And according to some, it depends on how the polls were conducted. Strange that interviewing fewer Dems (by Gallup) resulted in lower numbers reporting a vote for Sen. Obama, no? (Uh, no.)  We could go round and round about the "mind-bogglingly stupid" comment, but we'd probably just end up getting all muddy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nakitty Posted September 10, 2008 Share Posted September 10, 2008 Well, the crowd sure seemed to get the inference, given how they cheered. And "old fish in a newspaper" -- hmmm, wonder who the old fish is in this race? Mr. Skilled Orator, Post-Partisan New Politics, and Possessor of Superior Judgment had a hundred folksy cliches he could have used -- "you can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear" and whatnot -- but he chose to use the word "lipstick" only a week after Palin's memorable self-deprecating joke in her convention speech about pit bulls and lipstick, a week in which Obama has been completely thrown off message and off the front page by a mere mom of five. His opponent's campaign bounce in the polls (McCain's now up by five points among registered voters) has come largely from independents and disaffected Hillary Democrats... and y'all honestly think this wasn't a jab at Palin? OK, you go on thinking that.  It's a mind-bogglingly stupid move at the very least. Now he's gotta spend time explaining it away instead of stressing his campaign themes. "Well, what I, uh, meant was, she's not the pig, she's the lipstick, I mean, uh, ah..." He can't possibly want to go there.  I believe this is looking for insult where there was none.... clearly you are not a fan of Obama's... but surely you can find a real reason to not like him.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lovemyboys Posted September 10, 2008 Share Posted September 10, 2008 If I were his campaign manager I'd be apoplectic but I don't know that this was anything more than an unfortunate gaffe that at this point neither side can afford to make. Â It is always fun in a totally predictable way to see how the partisan pundits will react to this. Â Â That's the way we took it when we saw it on the evening news. It's an old phrase and one that's well understood. But for the timing.... Â Allowing for the benefit of the doubt -- unfortunate timing or poor choice of words. If it were a little more deliberate on the candidate's or his advisors' part to use a phrase with the word lipstick in it, less than a week after Palin's joke, then they probably wish they could take it back. It didn't come off well in either of the above instances. Â But that's a day in the life of a campaign, retract, rephrase and move on to the next event, right? You're right, Zelda, it keeps the pundits,etc., in their jobs. :tongue_smilie: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlockOfSillies Posted September 10, 2008 Author Share Posted September 10, 2008 Yep, stupid stupid stupid of them to overreact with demands for an apology. Hopefully Palin will calmly blow it off when Charlie Gibson from ABC interviews her. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lovemyboys Posted September 10, 2008 Share Posted September 10, 2008 McCain stating that Chelsea Clinton was "ugly" Â Seriously? He called her "ugly?" Â She's grown up into a lovely young woman! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pam "SFSOM" in TN Posted September 10, 2008 Share Posted September 10, 2008 That's the way we took it when we saw it on the evening news. It's an old phrase and one that's well understood. But for the timing.... Allowing for the benefit of the doubt -- unfortunate timing or poor choice of words. If it were a little more deliberate on the candidate's or his advisors' part to use a phrase with the word lipstick in it, less than a week after Palin's joke, then they probably wish they could take it back. It didn't come off well in either of the above instances.  But that's a day in the life of a campaign, retract, rephrase and move on to the next event, right? You're right, Zelda, it keeps the pundits,etc., in their jobs. :tongue_smilie:  Retract? Nah. Why should he?  I would say, "We are sorry your VP candidate was offended by our metaphors. We realize that she is new to national politics and likely does not expect this level of give and take in the political ring. We regret to say in regard to the eight years of the Bush administration, it would take more than lipstick to pretty it up. We should have remembered that before we used such inadequate language." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kokotg Posted September 10, 2008 Share Posted September 10, 2008 Seriously? He called her "ugly?" Â She's grown up into a lovely young woman! Â He did call her ugly, but it was a long time ago (unless he's called her ugly again recently?) When she was in high school and her self esteem was no doubt at its strongest. At a Republican fund raiser: Â "Why is Chelsea Clinton so ugly? Because her father is Janet Reno." Â http://www.salon.com/news/1998/06/25newsb.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pam "SFSOM" in TN Posted September 10, 2008 Share Posted September 10, 2008 Yep, stupid stupid stupid of them to overreact with demands for an apology. Hopefully Palin will calmly blow it off when Charlie Gibson from ABC interviews her. Â No doubt Charlie Gibson will set that up nicely. :D Â (Nah, I'm just kidding. I don't really know much about Gibson's interview style. I'm annoyed that she's not on Meet the Press. But it's early days. I can wait.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pam "SFSOM" in TN Posted September 10, 2008 Share Posted September 10, 2008 He did call her ugly, but it was a long time ago (unless he's called her ugly again recently?) When she was in high school and her self esteem was no doubt at its strongest. At a Republican fund raiser: "Why is Chelsea Clinton so ugly? Because her father is Janet Reno."  http://www.salon.com/news/1998/06/25newsb.html  I'm editing so that I won't get deleted for excessive rhetoric. But McCain has a history of telling jokes, so I don't think anyone over there is too truly worked up over lipstick-gate. You can google gorilla, McCain, joke, 1986 if you want more of that history. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zelda Posted September 10, 2008 Share Posted September 10, 2008 I'm not upset at all. Just think it looks a little desperate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LilyK Posted September 10, 2008 Share Posted September 10, 2008 I think it was more of a subconscious slip than a mean-spirited jab at Palin. Let's face it, anyone who saw her speech remembers and identifies her with lipstick. It's easy to imagine that lipstick was fresh in his memory. I must have read 6 different articles since the convention that referenced hockey moms and lipstick. Although I don't know the venue that Obama was in, it seemed fairly casual and impromptu. I think these blunders happen. Remember Hillary's infamous "arriving under fire" fiasco? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miss Sherry Posted September 10, 2008 Share Posted September 10, 2008 My impression is that when he said "You can put lipstick on a pig, it's still a pig" was in regards to the political agenda of Bush, and McCain and the Republican Party. That was the content of what he was talking about when he said it. I'm not voting for him but I don't believe at all that he was making a connection between lipstick on a pig and Palin. He wouldn't say something that stupid, I don't believe. Â It would be great if both parties,including individuals not officially involved in campaigning, would stop trying to put ridiculous spins on what the other party is saying and/or doing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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