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David Sirota is a political journalist and nationally syndicated newspaper columnist at Creators Syndicate. David writes about political corruption, globalization and working-class economic issues often ignored by both of America's political parties.

  • September 10, 2008 6:50 AM

    McCain Used "Lipstick On a Pig" To Describe Hillary Clinton

    The Washington press corps is busy taking the GOP's lead today in manufacturing a "scandal" today over Barack Obama's metaphorical use of the term "lipstick on a pig" to describe the Republican ticket. The Washington Post's headline blares "McCain Camp Sees An Insult in a Saying." The reliably power-worshiping Mike Allen of the Politico screams "McCain Claims Sexism."

    The GOP - not surprisingly - is doing its best at fake outrage, claiming Obama's comment was sexist and unacceptable, except for one problem: McCain used the same metaphor just a few months back to describe Hillary Clinton:

    "When asked about Mrs. Clinton his speech, he said her proposal was 'eerily' similar to the plan she came up with in 1993, when she headed a health care reorganization effort during her husband's administration. 'I think they put some lipstick on a pig,' he said, 'but it's still a pig.'"

    You can actually watch a video of McCain making this comment here.

    Look, I actually get the whole idea that "lipstick on a pig" can be interpreted by women as offensive, even if it is used in a way that has nothing to do with attacking women. I've tried to refrain from using it in my own writing, and clearly Obama was not using the metaphor to refer to Sarah Palin's looks or her gender.

    But holding that aside - let's just get to the sheer hypocrisy here. Republicans claiming they are outraged when their own nominee used the phrase in a far more directly offensive way (ie. in directly attacking Hillary Clinton) is really absurd and disingenuous.

    Posted by David Sirota
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    Tags: McCain

Discussion

  • stanfromRTW [TypeKey Profile Page] :

    Dave Sirota, come on.

    McCain's comment last year very obviously referred to her socialized medicine scheme, not to Hillary. The context for Obama's attack is completely different.

    For the past 10 days, Palin's joke in her acceptance speech that she is like a pit bull, except she wears lipstick, has been all over the media. Leftwingers have played on it, too, saying "lipstick" is the only difference between her and a Muslim fundamentalist.

    Therefore, for anyone with a modicum of common sense, Obama's gig, unlike McCain's, was personal, not just political. The crowd obviously recognized that, otherwise why applaud at the use of an otherwise tired metaphor?

    It's another case of your pretending to be more stupid than you really are for political reasons.

    Stan Greer
    National Inst. for Labor Relations Research

    Posted on September 10, 2008 7:41 AM
  • SlowRiseBaker [TypeKey Profile Page] :

    Rather ironic, isn't it, that using the pig in the metaphor is interpretted as an insult, but had he used the pit bull (equally ugly, I'd say), it would have been taken as a compliment by the Alaska/Arizona ticket.

    I found it fascinating, too, that someone hasn't jumped all over the odd RNC juxtaposition of: a) the touching story of John & Cindy meeting at the party, each lying to the other about their respective ages (ohh, how sweet), then minutes later, b) Cindy touting the always-honest character of her devoted husband. Hmm ...

    I agree with Obama, enough is enough. Let's get past the subtle metaphors and talk about solutions ... the economy, please?

    Posted on September 10, 2008 8:42 AM
  • JumperPin [TypeKey Profile Page] :

    stanfromRTW,

    Yeah, context. Obama was referring to McCain's efforts to rebrand Bushism. Look/read at Obama's whole statement.

    Never saw/heard of the lipstick/fundamentalist thing till your pathetic post.

    Here's another (roastable) metaphor. Palin is the queen of pork.

    She campaigned for AK governor as a strong proponent for bridge-to-nowhere. Backed off ONLY after nat'l attention exposed it for the mockery it was.

    Posted on September 10, 2008 9:36 AM
  • stanfromRTW [TypeKey Profile Page] :

    Jumperpin --

    Give me a break. I just checked News Google, and it shows 2009 matches for Palin's comment about the only difference between a hockey mom and a pit bull being lipstick. The vast majority of these match's come before Obama's childish gig a couple of days ago.

    If you hadn't heard of Palin's "lipstick" comment before Obama mocked it, you must have been living on another planet. His audience certainly knew about it, as I pointed out before, but you ignore. If the audience didn't "get" it, why laugh uproariously at a totally hackneyed phrase?

    Stan Greer

    Posted on September 11, 2008 7:15 AM

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