“Lipstick” - - A “Macaca Moment” For Obama?
Author: jay1949
About the Author: I am an ex-urbanite who escaped the city life and has lived for the past 27 years in a rural, mountainous area of Virginia that in colonial and early-American times was part of the "Backcountry." Politics: Democrat by tradition, but moderate-to-conservative views on most issues; I fit the description of "traditionalist." Please visit my Web site, Backcountry Notes, at http://www.backcountrynotes.com/ Read more from this authorposted by jay1949
In 2006, Republican Senatorial candidate George Allen, a former governor of Virginia, visited Southwest Virginia on a campaign swing. The video of Allen’s “macaca” remark is credited with being a factor in his loss to Jim Webb. In 2008, Democratic Presidential candidate Barack Obama visited Southwest Virginia on a campaign swing. Is the video of Obama’s “lipstick on a pig” remark his own “macaca moment?”
The term “macaca” is “a pejorative epithet used by francophone colonialists in Central Africa’s Belgian Congo for the native population.” George Allen claimed he was unaware of this meaning when he referred to a dark-skinned Webb supporter who was at an Allen campaign rally; see: Allen Quip Provokes Outrage, Apology; Defending Allen’s Macaca Remarks. Intentional or not, the “macaca” remark was credited with being a factor in the close 2006 Virginia Senate contest.
The Obama campaign was quick to claim that the “lipstick on a pig” remark which Obama made on Tuesday in the town of Lebanon, Virginia, was not intended to refer to Sarah Palin. But even giving that claim the benefit of a doubt, what is the meaning of the remark? This definition is from the Urban Dictionary:
LIPSTICK ON A PIG: slang for when someone tries to dress something up, but [it] is still that something, usually used on ugly broads, when they put on a skirt and some lipstick and well, they still look like the same disgusting pig. “You put lipstick on a pig, it’s still a pig.” [Entry dated Jan. 9, 2004]
So there we go . . . Obama wasn’t referring to Sarah Palin at all, or even to pigs, for that matter. It was simply a reference to “ugly broads” who still look like “disgusting pigs” when they put onlipstick. See?
There is a case to be made that the Urban Dictionary entry reflects a modern usage and that there are older examples of the usage. See Wordwizard - - Put Lipstick On A Pig. Perhaps Barack Obama made some study of those older usages. But I wonder, since the word “lipstick” refers to a cosmetic used almost exclusively by women, does that really make it better? Is there really some meaning other than, “you can try to make a pig look like a woman with lipstick but it is still a pig?”
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Only sexist pigs make this kind of comment.
Obama was not referring to Sarah Palin. “Putting lipstick on a pig” is a common figure of speech, and calling yourself an agent of change when you are not is PUTTING LIPSTICK ON A PIG! The pig is NOT Palin, the pig is McCain.
Are you going to trust a source that uses “ugly broads” in its definition?
Adam: First, Obama HIMSELF later admitted that he was referring to Sarah Palin, not as the “pig” but as the “lipstick.” And he didn’t say the “pig” was McCain. So how’s this: you are putting an interpretation on the words that may not be what Obama meant and certainly was not how his audience understood it.
Second, there are many “common figure[s] of speech” which are inappropriate in a specific context.
Third, in what way should I not “trust” the Urban Dictionary? The entry I cited was made in 2004 - - years ago, in other words. What is the un-trustworthy part?
Say it ain’t so!! Say it ain’t so!!!!
All that Soros-funded astroturfing in the caucuses, all the valiant effort of NBC&NYT&WP, all for nothing!!
I’m going to pull the shades down, cling to Barack’s picture and chant: Change-Hope-Change-Hope-Change-Change-Hope-Hope.
And yeah, it came out just like he meant it although it was also an attempt to schmooze them simple country folk with a real farm-like metaphor. Sort of like when he, a private-school-educated man who hasn’t even seen an inner city for the first 20 years of his life, starts dropping g’s like he stepped out of a Chris Rock sketch.
That’s the New Left for you, continuously craving Authenticity.
For everyone out there rankling at the injustice of the “lipstick on a pig” dustup - - where were you when Obama and his campaign officially LIED about John McCain not knowing how many houses he owned? You, and Barack Obama, and everyone at Obama Central knew that (1) that was not the question asked and (2) that was not the answer given. But Obama had no hesitation about lying about it (just like when he lied about McCain wanting to be at war in Iraq for another 100 years) and his supporters had great fun with it. Now, Obama is being taken to task for something he DID say, and he just can’t stand it! What a wuss! What a wimp! What happens when, say, Vladimir Putin calls him a wussy-bum . . . is he going to pout and sniffle and sulk? If he can’t take it, he shouldn’t have been dishing it out. Okay, how’s this for fair: I’ll take back everything I said on the “lipstick” business the moment Barack Obama apologizes to John McCain for the how-many-houses lies he told. Fair enough? And if not, why not?
This was definitely a ‘Macaca’ moment. The vitriol being spewed by the left is an orchestrated attempt to bring this woman down because they’ve looked at their internal polling, and it doesn’t look good. White women had made a wo point shift prior to his comment. Where do you think they will be next week? They ain’t coming back.
twelve point shift
Jay did you see the latest Drudge headline ?
Obama On Letterman: ‘McCain Policy Is The Pig’
“Keep in mind, technically, had I meant it this way, [Palin] would be the lipstick. The failed policies of John McCain would be the pig, just following the logic of this illogical situation,”
Does this make this statement any less idiotic ? He calls it silly. The rest of America calls it asinine !
He’s a narcissistic freak show !
http://wcbstv.com/campaign08/barack.obama.david.2.814491.html
NoBama’08
The fact that Obama needs so many people to try to make sense of his never-ceasing nonsensical statements is proof enough of his lack of judgment.
Only a fool would have used the locker room lines suggested by his amateurish staff: pigs and old fish.
You know what’s REALLY interesting? McCain himself used the term “putting lipstick on a pig” a few months back, referring to Hillary Clinton and healthcare. Did it get any kind of media coverage at all? No. Palin hangs out with anti-American separatists that want to form their own country, and it’s hardly a blip. How many times have we heard about Tony Rezco or the Weathermen? Palin’s church welcomes a pastor that teaches that terrorism in the Middle East is God’s judgement on Jews for rejecting Jesus and it doesn’t even make the bottom of page 6. Obama’s preacher makes a few questionable statements and it’s page one news for a month. Man…don’t you just LOVE that “liberal media”? Palin is getting a free ride. All the ignorant hillbillies supporting her and McCain want to hear is “maverick! Hockey Mom!”
You know, I think it’s a “macaca” moment for McCain-Palin.
It’s been reported on drudge….
Obama on Letterman:
“Palin is the lipstick….McCain’s policies are the ‘pig’ ”
Also (it gets better) Joe Biden loses it!!!! Admits Hillary would had been the better choice!!!
http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalradar/2008/09/biden-hillary-a.html
Folks, you can’t right it better than this…..OMG!!!!
“Make no mistake about this,” Biden responded. “Hillary Clinton is as qualified or more qualified than I am to be vice president of the United States of America. Let’s get that straight. She’s a truly close personal friend, she is qualified to be president of the United States of America, she’s easily qualified to be vice president of the United States of America, and quite frankly, it might have been a better pick than me. But she’s first rate, I mean that sincerely, she’s first rate, so let’s get that straight.”
SAY IT AIN’T SO JOE….SAY IT AIN’T SO!!!!!!!!!!!
LMAO ROFL!!!!!
Personally I just think it’s hilarious how much effort the Obama campaign is putting into smearing Palin. It’s almost like they have forgotten about McCain completely they are so scared of her.
As far as I have seen, the McCain campaign isn’t taking any swipes at Biden. When was the last time one Presidential candidate was so scared of the others running mate?
That’s a sincere question, I haven’t been following the political scene this close since Bush has been in office.
If you think Obama was being sexist re: the pig remark, then the joke is on you.
The sexism is in YOUR mind. That’s YOUR interpretation.
Of your own VP candidate.
Checkmate “my friends.”
Now stop voting against your needs. Then we’ll talk.
Tim: “Now stop voting against your needs.”
You presume to tell me what my “needs” are???
You are as arrogant as your overweeningly-prideful narcissistic candidate.
What I “need” is for officious intermeddling government bureaucrats to stay out of my house and off my case. Clear enough?
NEPAConservative - - I hadn’t seen that, and thanks for the link.
The Bald Monkey: “When was the last time one Presidential candidate was so scared of the others running mate?”
Quick answer: never.
There are people I know who don’t know what Dick Cheney looks like - - and others who know only because they watched the 2004 VP debate. If Al Gore hadn’t run for President, they wouldn’t know what he looks like, either.
BA: “The fact that Obama needs so many people to try to make sense of his never-ceasing nonsensical statements is proof enough of his lack of judgment.”
I call these people “Obamapologists.” Seems to be the fastest-growing sector of our economy
I noticed “Jay1949″ had no reply to me. You can’t argue with the facts. And “Bald Monkey”…no one in the Obama camp is “afraid” of Palin. This is Presidential politics. What is there to fear from a woman who has been the governor of a state with more moose than people for less than 2 years? Oh, and before that she was the mayor of a tiny little hamlet of 7000 and hired a CITY MANAGER to actually run the city. No…what we’re “afraid of” is the stupidity of the American public. It’s frightening that so many people might actually fall for this obvious bit of pandering and not take the time to look into this woman’s record, because it’s not a very impressive record. She only opposed the “bridge to nowhere” AFTER congress killed it, and she kept the money the state got to build it. Fiscal conservative? Come on! This woman is a fraud. Much like another fraud that was pushed on us 8 years ago, only then it was “compassionate conservative” and now it’s “hockey mom”. Truly amazing that these two Republicans are trying to run against the Republican party and no one seems to notice. Of course, they CAN’T run on a platform on success and leadership, can they? Not their own, or George Bush’s.
Rico965: You want a response? Normally, I don’t bother to respond to commenters who are simply repeating the nonsense spewed out by pathological liars such as DNC Chairman Dean and the Daily Kos posters. Your assertions amount to a steaming pile of merde. My answers to such drivel can be found in the articles I post; I don’t joust with trolls.
It’s YOU who is deleting my posts, isn’t it, Jay? You’re a coward. Why can’t you just debate me straight up? You have no answers. You don’t want to look foolish debate an intellectual superior.
Rico965: That last sentence should read, “You don’t want to look foolish debating an intellectual superior;” not, as you wrote, “You don’t want to look foolish debate an intellectual superior.”
Editor’s note. Rico, flame somewhere else.