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

[Rossan]

The whole "lipstick" issue is really a non issue. The Republicans can't answer any questions about important issues so they choose to place attention on this "lipstick" story. A real joke! The more these sleaze tactics carry on I will continue to loose respect for John McCain.

[DLSteinhardt]

Matthews, tonight, was alternately verbally tough, then inertly passive, at the idea that Palin was the pig in question. When a GOP Congresswoman said she "knew" Obama meant Palin was the pig, she twice backed that up by saying the audience laughed.

Both times, Matthews said, "OK," as if she'd made a valid point.

Every time, in every clip, of everyone using the lipstick/pig line, the audience laughed. Every time.

Chris Matthews. Tough. Except when he gives guests a pass for twaddle that are in fact further cheap partisan shots!

[SailFree]

Don't you think you might be a little late? The Sarah Palin selection was a brilliant masterstroke. She is much like the witches on "Charmed," casting spells, clouding the minds of Obama and his handlers and guardians, getting inside their heads and reverberating like thunder, completely overdubbing the usual political calculations. Obama's speech has gone, as Camille Paglia pointed out, more ethnic. As Dennis Miller noted, he's pausing and overthinking before answering any questions. He is psyched out, man! It's amazing to see.

[Puddin]

Obama is smarter than Dennis Miller, Camille Paglia and you put together. The last eight years of Bush has done nothing but bumbdown americans. You people make thinking a bad thing. I hope you don't have any children, heaven help us if you do.

[SailFree]

Six. One a policeman, another a critical care and surgical nurse, another a bank executive, another a manager of two high-end stores in Aspen and Vail, Colorado, another graduated in sociology, another a neuroradiologist. I lost count. Is that six?

[rock2casbah]

Dennis who? People like him have lost their novelty. They are long past having any credibility. Look what they advocated before and look at us now. So big words can't cover wrong judgement and just plain old dumb.

[honeydiva]

no he isn't.... he just can't call her a b^tch out loud.

[MadeinAmericaProud]

Please think outside the box, she called herself and other hockey moms.

Please listen effectively, than pass it on.

[julescator]

The funny part is that The McCain Camp has been psyched out! This is the best thing that could have happened to Obama. Now they have women like me - and all of my friends (even those who were voting for McCain) seeing this campaign for what it is. The problem with the McCain camp is that they are all White men so out of touch. They don't have an inkling how many women feel and think. the problem is that most women have not discovered that the McCain camp are the sexists. This one will backfire like you won't believe!

[DEConservative]

And yet the polls that Dems touted for months while Obama led them, say that you and your "friends" are in the minority of women voters. Hmmmmm

[rock2casbah]

You say Sailfree the Obama speech may be gone but so is this inflated "bounce" by Rasmussen. Leave this site and go see the new "polls" McCain's has settled back to where it was before the "bounce". People have awakened from last weeks RNC stupor. Started investigating this situation for themselves and faced the reality ":McCain as our President. That lady whats-her-name possibly VP. Well you know what happened. I have never spoken to so many deflated Repubs in one day in as I have canvassed throughout this election. It was so easy today. The facts are all over the internet. What they are finding out is not what they think they stand for either.

They have been dupped. And there is no one that has as much fury as an electorate scorned, bamboozled, led around by the nose etc etc and insert all any other appropriate colloquilism.

[trinidadgirl]

What are we doing here? Looking for ratings and competition for speeches OR sensibly trying to decide whether your lifestyle will be better than it was 8 years ago!
I swear people have lost the plot! This is turning into a jokey show. Poor dears..how sad!

[honeydiva]

that's a nice color...whose the manufacture? (i'm a girl... what can i say)

[honeydiva]

oops "manufacturer"

[SurrealPumpkin]

C over G irl

[Casbah]

Let me tell you when and where I first heard the phrase, "lipstick on a pig." I worked as a business journalist, and it's an old expression used on Wall Street, meaning how to sell a piece of crap investment. That is the main connotation. But you know, if the comment was meant to attack Sarah Palin, so what? She invited the comparison when she said that the only difference between her and a pit bull was the lipstick. Boo-hoo-hoo! Obama should NOT apologize, because it's clear he was talking about the failed McCain/Bush, Reverse Robin Hood economic policy. Just listen to the whole comment he made, please!

[DarthVector]

Nonetheless, watch this, John McCain uses LIPSTICK ON A PIG against HILARY:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BR8IhMMhe8w&eurl=http

Transcript

AUDIENCE: I noticed in your speech you avoided any comparison of your plan to HILARY CLINTON's plan. I'm curious, have you or your staff put a price tag on what you see coming out of her campaign on HILARY Care?

JOHN McCAIN: No, but there's many things that concern me about it. It's vaguely, not vaguely but eerily reminiscent of what they tried back in 1993. I THINK THEY PUT SOME LIPSTICK ON A PIG, BUT I'TS STILL A PIG.

Now post this on as many right wing sites as possible. GO!

[Bluejay00234]

http://mediamatters.org/items/200809100029

[aFlyoverPerson]

Why the indignation about the pig? Palin compared hockey moms to dogs herself. Pigs really are smarter than dogs (and some moms), so Obama is actually giving her more credit than she give herself. I've had both pigs and dogs in my life and both should be offended by all the lipstick nonsense. They don't even have much in the way of lips to paint. . . . sheesh.

[KNadine]

My husband, who is an Obamacan, resorted back to being a Republican when Lipstick Pitbull Barracuda Palin hit the scene. It's been a really hard few days around the house, BUT, he was really put off by the fake sexism charges surrounding the Lipstick on a Pig comment and he is pissed off that McCain doesn't seem to have a message. He is also a little tired, as I suspect a lot of people are, of hearing Palin recite the same tired lines from 2wks ago. So, he's back on board for good this time with Obama/Biden.

[RhinoCrossing]

At work today, several of my colleagues shared similar sentiments. McCain seems bewildered lately. I really wonder about his status. He seems to be mindful that he's sold his soul...

[IHazbeenPalinated]

Jason, I wholly agree that we must focus all our energy now on releasing our profound addiction to the latest candy coded buzzdrugs. Ugliness doesn't even seem to be a strong enough word to describe the surreal creepiness that the MSM and the blogosphere are propagating. It's like watching some orwellian drama unfold. Am I the only one feeling this? Has all of our civility and rational thought come to this? Talk is denigrating to a state of faux news : MSM on the meme-brain. I know right now we're all going through some kind of a g-force spin cycle, but seriously the rhetoric is becoming appallingly divisive. After this election is over, if all everyone is focused on is "US vs. THEM", how will we face a mountain of mounting problems that we all face today? "US vs.THEM" won't fix the economy or energy or health care or national debt or security or education or environment or... (insert list longer than i can post). We do not need or should we accept to be drawn into a nasty cultural war. ENOUGH! The idea of being truly civil and non-partisan must be reinstated and it begins with the MSM. I am MAD AS HELL AND I"M NOT GOING TO TAKE THIS ANYMORE!

Howard Beale could not have said it any better:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dib2-HBsF08

Get mad and regain your reason

[ecbot]

Words have an impact not when sent but when received. While the reference to lipstick and pigs was probably just an unfortunate choice of expressions, numerous people I spoke with today, immediately made the connection.

The wise thing for Obama to do would be to make an apology phrased something like, "I can understand how some would think that I was intentionally referring to Gov Palin, but I assure you it was simply an unfortunate choice of expressions. If Gov Palin or others were offended by this, I do apologize because the last thing I want to happen is have our campaigns lower itself to the point of name calling".

A statement such as this would show honor, would defuse the whole situation and be a positive for him. The failure to address the issue leaves the impression that it was intentional and that is a negative.

[daverr]

Get a clue. No apologies. Has McCain apologized for all the half-truths he's spoken in the last 2 weeks?

[faithfully]

No apology-put McCain on defense for his phony indignation; his big fat lies; his perverse distortion of facts; his lack of specifics; and his own (McCain's) sexism and lack of respect for women.

[kayfacefl]

apology, I guess McCain shoul of apologized for saying the same phrase while discussing Senator Clinton's Health Care program this spring. He owes no one an apology. If you listen to the whole statement he was talking about McCains policies and if you are truly looking for a fare debate about what is important in this election you will point out the difference to the people you are talking to.
NO APOLOGY NECESSARY!

[ecbot]

Thanks for making my point. In another thread last week, I made a comment that many women (note that I didn't say most women or all women) are seeing the personal attacks on Palin as attacks on women in general. Now look at the shift in the polls of white women. Up to this point, the election has been Obama's to lose and guess what, it's stuff like this that is going to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. You may see an apology as weakness or giving in to McCain, but believe me, it would be the smart move. It can be rationalized all day long; "McCain did it too." "Did not." "Did too." But what the heck, you can be remembered for getting in the best insults even if costs you the election.

Now don't get me wrong - I don't really care who wins because my wife (an Australian) and I are moving down under in 2010 and the ever degenerating state of politics in the US will take a back seat to sitting under a palm tree on a beach. But as a long-time observer of human behaviour, I'm just offering an opinion of what I believe would be best for Obama's campaign.

[grata2ude]

Why should he apologize when McCain has used the same phrase on several occasions when he was talking about Hilary Clinton?

Is McCain actually admitting he was being sexist when he was talking about Hilary?
If Palin wants to run with the big dogs then she shouldn't cry.

[tempting]

Barrack Obama doesn't need to prove to anyone (ecbot included) that he is honorable. People are gonna think what they want regardless. Sexism and racism have been embedded in our society and psyche forever. It takes everything in (some of us)our power to rise above.
However, republicans could care less about SP and the fact that she's a woman. They're just using her for their own agenda. And by claiming that she is such a victim and whining that all of us should treat her with kid gloves THAT IS SEXIST!!!!!!!!!

[ecbot]

Thanks for the mention, tempting :)

I found your last paragraph interesting, "...[republicans,] by claiming that she is such a victim and whining that all of us should treat her with kid gloves..."

Now, I'm not trying to put words into your mouth, only to express my perception of what you said... (I'm not singleling you out because this is widespread) Your statement comes across like it's a sports competition such as Yankees vs Red Sox. (Obama camp vs McCain camp) and the people in the stands (voters) are ignored. One shouldn't be worried about how McCain reacts, only how voters react. The purpose of the campaign is to sell yourself to the most voters in the most states in an attempt to win the election. Who cares what the other campaign thinks. And after a week of white women flight, some of it due to insults towards Palin (and I've personally overheard comments to this effect because those women take it personally as women), don't you think that if something is working against you, it's time to change gears?

Let me put it another way. You're on a first date. Would you rather listen to the other person sell themselves or listen to them insult their ex? Then put yourself in the place of an undecided voter rather than a hardcore Obama supporter.

[rock2casbah]

He also said a fish wrapped in a newspaper called change still stinks after 8 years. He never even mentioned Palin throughout the whole speech. Only McCain and right before this sentence he was referring to the economy, The economy is the pig with lipstick. The truth is being revealed even to your friends today who haven't heard the truth if all they saw was a statement neatly taken out of context. They will see it and be even more offended by the cheap shot taken by McCain's people. I will bank on that. No one is jumping to quick fast conclusions fed through MSM anymore.

[thecanadian]

The previous Poster Beachrunner. Your comment about Obama "If he can't take the heat Now." Everyone is frustrated. But agree that he needs a full day off - kick back and get some sleep But How about this. He has been fighting and campaigning for almost 2 years, basically alone. Have you seen him back off his posture of not attacking a person - rather just political. Don't think anyone could hold up like that. He is also raising money for his own Campaign, The No money in the kitty Democrats and on and on. Go Home Obama - take a day off - switch your head around and get fighting now!
We are all behind you - ignore the BushieMcCain sidekick. Don't belittle yourself with the Zero IQ
ATTACK THE BUSH/MCCAIN CAMPAIGN. PERIOD.

[rock2casbah]

What are you talking about go homw. The only tired one is McCain. He never does more than one campaign stop and never worked on the weekends throughout this campaign. He was offf most of the last 5 months before this whole RNC . The only people tired are the McCain camp holding pops together with spit and glue. Obama did not show any wear and tear in that statement. Stop trying to make it some sort of win, win for McCain. It isn't. It's pathetic.

[TRWSEW]

I wonder what Mr. BO's employment plans are after the election?

Maybe he can work for Hillary on her next campaign..........

Maybe then the Dumocrats can get elected.

[LongBeachDave]

His employment plans are putting his policies as President into action. Just wait...you'll see.

[JimReed]

It's time to change the discussion. How about lipstick on Dick Cheney.

[biglith]

Don't bring up the Jeff Gannon thing again.

[BrighterStar]

The crowd of Obama Suporters sure seemed to take it as a smear against Palin.

[RhinoCrossing]

And the republicans at their convention sure hooted and hollered at every direct insult made by their honorable McCain and Palin ticket.

[SailFree]

Direct insult? Can you NAME ONE? If disagreeing with a politician is an insult, this website is FULL OF INSULTS!

[deliriousgod]

what do you call lipstick on a pitbull? a South Park episode

[BillForObama]

Maybe even s a r a h

[DHC]

You are wrong, BS. The Obama supporters were listening to his speech, they knew he was referring to McCain's economic policy. How long do you think "you" would put up with a Democratic VP candidate not speaking to the press since the nomination? You'd by all over it and so would the media.