DAMN! Things move so fast these days. Wasn’t it just yesterday Barack used the expression “lipstick on a pig,” a very common folksy metaphor BOTH candidates have used many times, and the McCain camp went into full faux-outrage mode, pretending they believed Barack was calling Palin a pig. So of course Barack comes out this morning heaping righteous derision on their outrage, and I begin a series of two essays entitled “Lipstick on TWO Pigs,” one on McCain and one on Palin, two of my ponderous wordy tomes that probably won’t be done till Friday. And meanwhile Josh writes this pithy paragraph (I’ll copy that at “read more”) which inspires the 538 folks to the following artistic heights; AND NOW THERE ARE TEESHIRTS. (men’s, women’s.)
Let’s face it. Lipstick on a pig is a classic American phrase. And there’s just no better way to describe the McCain-Palin ticket. The ‘Reformer’ whose whole campaign and senate office is run by a crew of high-rolling DC lobbyists? The earmark slayer whose state this year got ten times more earmarks than any other state in the country? Whose city when she was mayor got twenty times as many? The whole operation is just one big bamboozling lie. And lipstick on a pig is just using good American English to explain it. If McCain and Palin don’t like it they should have thought of that before they decided to run as frauds.
P.S. You just know this means those Liberal OC boyz are going to discover this in a week or two. You guys are lucky to have me here.
I like that T-shirt.
In fact I’ll take two!
Has anyone seen Karl Rove? I bet he had mud on his hands and lipstick on his collar…
CJ
This is beneath even you Vern.
Vern is calling McCain and Palin a pig the same as calling your Mama a pig?? I mean it’s a “very common folksy metaphor” right?? Grow up.
OCGator, (hey, what happened to the #’s?) did you even bother to read Vern’s post or do you just look at the pictures?
Yeah, folksy expressions like lipstick on a pig are just part of the language. I loved though how the coverage universally included McCain’s use of the phrase himself. Ohhhh the HYPOCRACY! Someone should explain to those guys that we have recording devices.
Still there are many of us who do not use phrases that have a gender or racial implication to them in order to be considerate to some idiot who might get their feelings hurt because they don’t really have a good grasp of the English language. ‘Politically correct’ or ‘idiot considerate’? You decide.
McCain refers to Hillary Clintion’s healthcare plan as “Lipstick on a pig”.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BHAOodl6ZfE
McCain is a sexist.
Karl Rove has never lost an election. Ever.
Vernon, my brother.
It must be killing you that Sarah Palin has stolen the media spotlight. Even the Clinton News Network, CNN, has given her more prime time coverage that Obama. If not Barack she surely has had more “TV face” than Joe, what’s his name, Biden.
When Obama referenced the lipstick on a pig the audience broke out in a thunderous applause – they got it. At that very moment Obama should have realized he stepped into it and should have made clear, to his audience, that in no way was this long-standing remark connected with Gov. Palin. He did not.
It’s hard for me to believe that an Ivy educated man who headed up the Harvard Law Review was not aware of what he said, when he said it, and what the implications were.
While this lipstick war was a diversion, it also provided a window in the low tactics Obama is capable of engaging in. He is a skillful politican.
Larry Gilbert says, “Vernon, my brother.
It must be killing you that Sarah Palin has stolen the media spotlight.”
Does that mean the Democrats can/should run it’s own version of the Paris Hilton “nothing but a celebrity” ad?
When McCain referenced the lipstick on a pig the audience broke out in a thunderous applause – they got it. At that very moment McCain should have realized he stepped into it and should have made clear, to his audience, that in no way was this long-standing remark connected with Senator Clinton. He did not.
Oh, wait. He mentioned Hillary by name. Oh wait. Obama mentioned McCain by name the sentence before.
Talk about having it both ways.
Larry, it must be “killing” you that John McCain decided to put politics before country in his reckless choice of Sarah Palin for VP. I think Andrew Sullivan ( a conservative) sums it up best; “Yes, McCain made a decision that revealed many appalling things about him. In the end, his final concern is not national security. No one who cares about national security would pick as vice-president someone who knows nothing about it as his replacement. No one who cares about this country’s safety would gamble the security of the world on a total unknown because she polled well with the Christianist base. ……. McCain has demonstrated in the last two months that he does not have the character to be president of the United States. And that is why it is more important than ever to ensure that Barrack Obama is the next president. The alternative is now unthinkable. And McCain- no one else-has proved it.” I suggest you go to Sullivan’s website (The Atlantic.com) and read the whole article, entitled “McCain’s Integrity”.
Juice brother Larry. The whole country had a Palin fixation for a while there, it’s sort of over for me. It’s certainly not “killing me,” it was an appropriate thing. Just think someone 99% of us had NEVER heard of, could conceivably be President in four months. Of course we all need to know as much as we can about her, as quickly as possible. And the media’s been actually doing a relatively good job on that.
Junior. “This is beneath even me?” No, it’s right in my comfort zone. I’m calling both candidates pigs – nothing sexist – who slather over their entire disgusting careers with metaphorical lipstick. But I’ll tell you one thing, and I’ll be writing more about this – NOTHING is beneath John McCain and his campaign.
See this ad – which I’ll post later – and remember – the “fact” it’s based on is that the Illinois legislature, Obama voting with the majority, decided to supplement existing K-12 “sex-ed” courses with information designed to protect the kids from sexual predators – in the case of Kindergarteners that was simply the difference between “good touching” and “bad touching.” And look what they did with that. Note the image they found of Obama looking downward and “leering,” and note too “I am John McCain and I approved this message.”
http://tpmelectioncentral.talkingpointsmemo.com/2008/09/new_mccain_ad_badly_distorts_o_1.php
The gloves are off with these sleazeballs.
Today is Sept. 11 maybe a moment or day of silence (meaning not bashing) would be acceptable. Just a thought.
Will a moment of silence bring back the dead?
Will a day of mutual respect undo the damage?
We Americans spend too much energy on monuments and not enough on actions.
“Junior. “This is beneath even me?” No, it’s right in my comfort zone. I’m calling both candidates pigs …”
Okay Vern – where is the cartoon of the Obama pig with lipstick?
Yeak OK –
Perhaps 9/11 should be a day of reflection as well.
Vern –
Obama posted 125 “present votes” during his 8-year tenure in the Illinois house. Obama’s voting record seems to indicates, at times, he was not capable of making a decision. Dancing on the fence is not a quality I want in our President. At the end of the day, Obama is your above average attorney.
Q. When does life begin?
Obama response: That’s above my pay grade.
Either you stand for something or your fall for anything.
“Yeah OK” (I wish you would use a more addressable soubriquet) The Republican National Convention braodcast the most gruesome clips of the 9/11 attacks – for policitcal purposes. The unfortunate victims are not going to rest in peace until we restore sane and honorable leadership in this country, and in their honor I will not take a break on this anniversary.
Junior. HUH? For what reason would I or anyone else characterize Obama as a pig with lipstick? I’m sure you could come up with some jive-ass reason, but think of something original instead. I do think you missed half my article, specifically the paragraph I swiped from Josh Marshal, so let me repeat it:
Let’s face it. Lipstick on a pig is a classic American phrase. And there’s just no better way to describe the McCain-Palin ticket. The ‘Reformer’ whose whole campaign and senate office is run by a crew of high-rolling DC lobbyists? The earmark slayer whose state this year got ten times more earmarks than any other state in the country? Whose city when she was mayor got twenty times as many? The whole operation is just one big bamboozling lie. And lipstick on a pig is just using good American English to explain it. If McCain and Palin don’t like it they should have thought of that before they decided to run as frauds.
Oh I see “calling both candidates pigs.” I was talking about McCain and Palin, Junior.
Vern – Why do so many liberals, such as yourself, resort to denigration of the opposition candidates, rather than debate the issues?
Vern – Are you taunting me so that I will get in the pigsty and wallow there with you?
Sorry, I prefer to stay out of the mud and pig sh*t. You may continue to wallow there by yourself.
I merely thought a moratorium on the bashing would be appropriate to honor those who lost their lives and reflect. (apparently I was mistaken in thinking there was a deeper respect here than the b*tchy bickering so excuse me and I will exit this blog article and not return to it so bash me all you like)
I realize there are pot stirrers on this blog, I’m not interested in arguing or fighting with them because they do not care about any opinion other than their own and those that agree with them. (Vern I’m not talking about you)
Junior – we learned to denigrate from the best – the Republican sympathizers and swift boaters.
Yeah Ok, yeah, ok. No big loss.
Seven years. How bout that war on terror? Heckuva job, Bush/McSame!
Folks like Junior, while they’ve got the faux-outrage routine down to a tee (kudos on that!) unfortunately have – like Ed Harris said to Al Pacino in Glengarry Glen Ross, the memory of a flea.
And the first two things that disappear from their noggins as they say things like, “Why do so many liberals, such as yourself, resort to denigration of the opposition candidates, rather than debate the issues?” is liberals’ constant discussion of the issues, and their own candidates’ nonstop nauseating mudslinging. Did you even click on that above link?
Wait a second, debate issues? Didn’t you get your marching orders from Rick Davis last week? If your side gets your way, this election won’t even BE “about issues, but about character” by which you mean personality and image.
“Obama posted 125 “present votes” during his 8-year tenure in the Illinois house.
*yawn*
Q. When does life begin?
Obama response: That’s above my pay grade.
*yawn*
I could answer both those tired old attacks satisfactorily, but why bother. It’s been done already, I have other things to do. Anyway this is the best you’ve got?
junior Says:
September 11th, 2008 at 1:37 pm
Vern – Why do so many liberals, such as yourself, resort to denigration of the opposition candidates, rather than debate the issues?
Junior:
Check it out. “Denigration of the opposition candidates” is rule one of the Republican playbook, also known as “Rove’s Rules.” Reeps it appears do not “debate issues” they confuse them with mega-lies. Get a life.
CJ
Junior,
Okay, so let’s talk issues. How would you like to explain what has happened to our economy under republican leadership? How are McCain/Palin going to fix it? Oh, by the way, the military is off the table …
Longboobs says: “How would you like to explain what has happened to our economy under republican leadership?”
To the extent that the poor state of the economy is caused by the artificially high cost of energy – I lay that blame on environmental extremists and their congressional democrat lackies.
To the extent that the poor state of the economy is caused by the burst housing bubble – their is blame enough to go around.
From the Wall Street Journal: ” … Wall Street, the ratings agencies, and regulators were blinded by the science of securitization – bundling ordinary debt like credit card balances, car loans, and mortgages into vast pools, then issuing bonds backed by those pools. It was a gigantic money machine for Wall Street, but it created a system that was unprecedented in its complexity and opacity.”
” … Wall Street bankers who should have known better … were mesmerized by the beauty of their creations. They forgot that those sophisticated securities were built from millions of mortgages that required someone to make payments every month. … a lot of those loans were made to people who never had any plausible chance of repaying them.”
From Business Week: “Add President Clinton to the long list of people who deserve a share of the blame for the housing bubble and bust. A recently re-exposed document shows that his administration went to ridiculous lengths to increase the national homeownership rate. It promoted paper-thin downpayments and pushed for ways to get lenders to give mortgage loans to first-time buyers with shaky financing and incomes. It’s clear now that the erosion of lending standards pushed prices up by increasing demand, and later led to waves of defaults by people who never should have bought a home in the first place.”
“President Bush continued the practices because they dovetailed with his Ownership Society goals, and of course Congress was strongly behind the push. But Clinton and his administration must shoulder some of the blame.”
In short Longboobs, government to much damn self serving government caused the economic woes we are suffering from today. I am starting to think that big government Republicans & Democrats do not have the solution to our current economic woes.
Art – is the Libertarian Party accepting new registrants? Just kidding (for now) – but I know that more and bigger government, as proposed by dems, is not the answer. Hopefully, Sarah Palin will have some influence as VP to moderate the growth of government. Go you hockey mom !