I'm Officially Shutting Down This 'Lipstick On A Pig' Discussion

What a trying day. What an insufferable news cycle. This is why Mission of Burma wrote the song "That's When I Reach For My Revolver." And this is why I am thankful that I have the good sense not to own one.

Chris Matthews teased the top of Hardball by saying, "By now, you may have heard of this 'lipstick on a pig' controversy." And, naturally, hot blood shot to both my temples. "Well YES, Chris. 'By now' I have, in fact, seen at least sixty seconds of your network's dayside coverage." But I restrained myself, because I know that occasionally Tweety will rise to the occasion, and shut some nonsense down, declaratively. One would imagine, that with the network pivoting to tonight's extra-Special Comment about...oh, what was it again? Wasn't it something that people think of as important? OH YES 9-11! Like I said...ONE WOULD IMAGINE that Matthews might be shrewd enough to not send his viewers into the media twaddle version of the Hadron Supercollider, where "lipstick on a pig" is shot at 9-11, leading to a black hole that would suck everything in the world that is not already sucking -- just as hard as it can -- into the sweet release of nonexistence.

But, no. Matthews proceeded to explain that tonight, "We'll talk to some Democratic and Republican strategists about it."

And I'm like: "TWEETY, PLEASE. Nobody needs to hear any more nonsense from strategists. This is a matter of linguistics and colloquial expressions. The phrase "lipstick on a pig" is commonplace, well understood, not freighted with sexist connotation, and it's not some sort of inside-the-beltway neologism."

Is it a swipe at Sarah Palin? Can anyone say definitively that it is? Of course not! And, really, how could they? When Palin is not gamely reciting her greatest hits on the stump, the McCain camp has got her locked up in Rapunzel's Tower -- updo in full effect -- away from anyone who would dare pose a question in her direction. For all anyone knows, Palin is a pig in lipstick, a silk purse sewn from a sow's ear, a turd in need of polish, OR NONE OF THOSE THINGS, but, heck -- I'm willing to reserve judgment until such time as she's mustered up the courage and the wherewithal to actually face the public she professes to serve and prove otherwise.

But the larger concern should not be with Palin, who, to me anyway, comes across as a perfectly capable brawler, deft with zingers of her own. Here's the major concern: The whole wide world went to bed last night, safe in the thought that tomorrow, we would all wake up and be able to say "lipstick on a pig" the same way we have done every bloody day of our lives. And I'll be good and goddamned if I'm going to let strategists, pundits, and news anchors take that away. NO NO. It is time for someone to say that we are not this stupid, that we are not this pliable, that we are not going to be led by the nose, and that, going forward, every single person on the television and in print who has the nerve to suggest that the use of the phrase "lipstick on a pig" is a deep matter that faux-experts need to dissect and decipher needs to be immediately trepanned with a railroad spike and thrown into a ditch.

I'm officially reclaiming "lipstick on a pig" for humanity. Further discussion is a non-starter. I warn you: THAT DOG WON'T HUNT. NOT EVEN AERIALLY.

UPDATE: Many have pointed out that Matthews made gamely efforts to shut this nonsense down as the show went on. Saints be praised.

Comments

[Bongborg]

"Oh, please, don't think of me as a pig in lipstick!! I wanted to be a pitbull in pearls!!"

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA... if she wants to really find out what her spirit animal is, she can drink some ayhuasca, but whatever animal shows up she is stuck with, be it pig or moose...

[chickcheney]

Palin and McCain have switched roles with Bush and Cheney; Palin is McCain's popular puppet. McCain and Carl Rove Jr. are the evil minds behind all of this smear and they are just beginning. I think that all attacks should be addressed towards McCain and he should be exposed for the grotesque he has become! He would love nothing more if we kept are sights on Palin instead of him.

[Adrienne Williams - Huffpost Blogger]

Great article... but I agree, Chris M. was upset about the story and was tryiing to say how silly it was -- but then, we need to just move on from this issue. It's blown way out.

[SeanGardner]

McCain's LIPSTICK to NOWHERE + Palin's THE BRIDGE to NOWHERE = THE PRESIDENTIAL TICKET to NOWHERE.

[BillForObama]

Um, sorry. Chris M. is a t w o - f a c e d trouble maker. He always tries to play both ends against the middle.

He tries to have his own little commentary like most commentators rather than report the news.

[Irvington1480]

ENERGIZE US AGAIN WITH A NEW MESSAGE

Problem: Obama's presumed weakness in this campaign is that he may come across to intellectual and not aggressive enough. I love and follow how he thinks but not everyone is an intellectual. Some conservatives, like the base that is supporting Sarah Palin, feels that you should swing when your gut tells you to and discuss it later. Thats why their campaign is focused on charachter and not the issues.

Solution: Barack Obama gave me chills when he looked directly into the camera at his acceptance speech at the democratic convention and with a loud stern voice said " Enough". I believe that is an effective slogan for the campaign to defend against the distracting swift boat politics the republican are running while immediately returning back to the issues. Enough of the failed economic policy! Enough of the failed foreign policy! Enough of the insignificant distractions and character assisinations. It wont work! ENOUGH! Imagine crowds of people screaming enough at the mere mention of another phony attack. Change has brought us through the primaries. Everyone gets it. The republicans tactics are so obvious and needs to be brought to light with a single slogan that will not only expose the type of politics that has put our country in the position that it is now in but show the American people that Barack Obama is an intellectual that can not be bullied.

[athenasword]

I also think "Enough" would make a wonderful new theme. We will not be bullied. Goes w/ 'Change" rather nicely.

[bygollymissmolly]

Enough and "lies" and "liars" are words that need to enter into this campaign on the Obama side. I was much encouraged when I saw the ad where Obama called a spade a spade and called them liars.

More and more in the MSM are doing it. It's quite encouraging.

[demfriend]

Jason you have once again touched my brain and came out talking like I am thinking. The one thing I noticed about chris Matthews tonight was his desire to bleed into Keith Olberman's "special comment" arena. Like his comments might carry the weight somehow ansd others would shut the hell up about the damn lipstick and pigs and now fish in papers! The goof from Okla which somehow got asked to comment was offensive as she continued to yak about the GOP talking points about the commercial he showed over and over again. At this point I would love to fire brand any talking head who makes their whole show about the same hate filled commercial while getting comments on it. Surely as Barbara Boxer aid she watched the preceding before she was on. How many times does the commericals/ads have to be air and disputed? At the end Matthews had shown the commercials enough I almost couldn't deal with it. Does some of these guys have memory issues or does this give them some kind of thrill to run on about it. Anyway I agree with you once again and thank you for you keeping on top of this crap as it must not be too easy on you either.

[grata2ude]

Is everyone forgetting Senator McCain's famous rape joke?? Callin his wife the C word? That's what is so funny about him being so indignant.

[PAposter]

I haven't forgotten.

[elz]

Neither have I but most of the ostriches in this country are not aware of McSwine's true attitudes towards women bc it is verboten in the MSM to show the real deal; so now he gets a free pass to hide behind Sarah's skirts but for how much longer? Barack needs to hit him below his old man's sagging belt with a vengeance.

[RevSpaminator]

I do believe that Obama does owe an apology. There are many pigs in this world that resent being compared to Sarah Palin.

[PAposter]

LMAO! I agree, what did the poor pigs do to deserve this analogy?

[MarkieBee]

Mooselini is a pig now?

[imfedup]

BWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHAHAHAHAHA!

[BillForObama]

Saying Senator Obama was talking about Sarah Payless is simply hogwash!!! Pun intended.

If he had mentioned moose in his analogy, he might have been talking about Payless.

[CalSharon]

I watched both MSNBC and CNN today and by far, during the daytime hours CNN had the most balanced coverage (this does not include Keith Oberman and Rachel Maddow who are always excellent). Jason, you have a great following, start a massive email campaign to MSNBC. The mainstream media needs to feel some pushback.

[biglith]

CBS in typical MSM reporting said both campaigns were mudslinging. Jerks.

[FogBelter]

As idiotic as this "Lips on a Pig" nonsense is, I recall another incident that was equally absurd.

When Bob Dole was running for President there was a public event he was was due to appear at that was being covered by CNN. Candy Crowley was the reporter and she was having a back and forth lead in to Dole showing up with the CNN Anchor. Suddenly there is a roar of the crowd behind Candy when Candidate Dole arrived and she interrupted her discourse with the anchor to say ...

"Speak of the devil ... here he is!"

A bit of Dole's speech was aired and then Candy reappeared on the screen, looking rather dour, and at this point she APOLOGIZED for using "Speak of the devil" in reference to Senator Dole.

It was one of the stupidest acts of political correctness I have ever seen,

[OtayPanky]

Jason Linkens: I'm officially reclaiming "lipstick on a pig" for humanity.

===

Offically, or officiously?

===

Further discussion is a non-starter.

===

You wish. It's already started.

===

I warn you: THAT DOG WON'T HUNT. NOT EVEN AERIALLY.

===

Looks like it's hunting real good to me.

[dcarn2]

Well I think the Republicans and Sarah "The Pittbull" Palin drew a line in the sand......no likening her to any farm animals be it cows, swine, or jackasses. From now on we will stick to referring to that which she referred herself to.....A DOG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[faithfully]

lol

[biglith]

A female dog.

[MadeinAmericaProud]

Thank you, I agree, thank you again.

i have been posting off and on today,sarah palin called herself and other hockey moms as on the same level as a dog. No a sweet family dog, but a well document attack dog not safe around all family members, not even the one that feed it. It does attack the owner. It can from her mouth.

This trojan moose poop is the new destroyer of our election process.

American truly forget we have the world looking and laughing at us. We live on the hill with lights on in a glass house. When we continue to show ( going around in circles biting at our tail action) and tell. the reality TV show Big Brother House. Lie, cheat, deceit, no trust, This is entermainment.
GOD help us.
the world this how a democracy is official run. Winner take all at all cost trashing each other, You tube is an international web site. I can view more about people comments about American on the internet.

[imfedup]

Not only that, but pit bulls are a highly favored breed of blacks. Kinda ironic, don't you think?

[BillForObama]

BTW, what is a female d o g?

[tlgeiger62]

Did anyone see Olberman's 'commentary' on what he thought of the video the RNC played of 9/11? I know a lot of people say he's a bit of a blowhard but I liked what he said. It was a very dignified piece of truth that he spoke.

[mango55]

Why is okay for McCain to use the same line, but all of a sudden, it's not okay for Obama to say it? Just more evidence of double-standards, and McCain bs. It's so transparent. And a total waste of time. Give me a break. You know what Sarah? If you can't take the heat, get back in the kitchen. Don't you have some moose stew to cook?

[DEConservative]

because politics is about timing. When McCain used the same line, it was not after Hillary had used her own lipstick line. See, Obama's use of the line may in fact NOT have been a direct attack on Palin, but what it did was open interpretation. It shows more of Obama's lack of judgment. Also, Sarah hasn't complained once about any of this coverage. And finally, the kitchen and moose stew thing, is not only offensive to women, but also tacky and lame.

[LongBeachDave]

But the RNC and McCain camp have sure complained plenty. Obama had not even mentioned Palin up to that point in the speech, it is ridiculous on it's face to suggest this was a jab at Palin. Shame on the Republicans for making such a huge deal out of this, but, I guess, anything to steer clear of the issues. I'm sure the Republicans don't want to talk issues for the next 55 days.

[apoyo]

Comedy is about timing. And this isn't funny.

[athenasword]

Spare me. As a woman, I see none of this as sexist. None. She put mommy-hood and moose stew out there on her resume - if that is her platform then fine. But, we will talk about it (and laugh where appropriate)

[lp1]

Its actually being said by the R Camp more than any other politician have used that statement....infact one of the McCain Camp person has written a book about it ...

So when he (McCain) was talking about Hillary's Health Care Plan ...he mentioned this very same line ....so that means he called .....?

I just dont understand that BO camp could not put together an Ad (just an Internet Ad) to show all instances where McCain has said ...and it is more than once in the last year or so...

[Bocobo]

Apparently Obama is on Letterman tonight saying: if I said what I meant I would have meant that you would have thought I meant, something like Sara is lipstick McCain is a pig ? When in a hole...STOP DIGGING! This whole thing is insulting to voters and it's both sides. Earlier it was the McCain's 7 houses thing that sidelined days and days of important topics. Can they talk about the issue??...please!

[MadeinAmericaProud]

The silly season is our American mind set, at each generational level. At each level world events also effect the generation at the time for ht event. Doo Woop music moved over by Hits ville Rock and Roll

Horse and buggy moved over by Model T Ford cars, Buses, Trains ,& Airplanes , Space travel and space stations. ( IN BETWEEN ELECTION HAPPEN, what do we get, race card (states red or blue for years
now purple is coming into play) We have been to the moon people and during the most important time of our lives to elect a president to represent the best in us, we keep electing someone from the dark ages with limited education.

I have to admit, I am ready for a new mind set. I will look for another country too. We have allowed big business every thing to be out sourced, I am ready to follow that trend.

[imfedup]

You see, they can LIE about us . . . but we can't tell the TRUTH about them. Say that slowly about five times, and maybe it will finally sink in.

[tlgeiger62]

OMG that made me laugh!!! Thank you Jason!!!

[Heavenhelpusall]

David Gregory blamed Obama for "making the media" spend so much time on the pig's tail. Give me a break. Obama makes one statement and the media spent all flipping day on it. These ninnies can't think an original thought.