Thursday, September 11, 2008
Lipstick and pigs
I have to say that I think it's a ridiculous phrase no matter who uses it or about what. But what was Obama thinking to use the word lipstick at all right now, only ten days after Palin's popular speech? More to the point, why isn't he completely focusing on McCain? Why isn't he saying over and over that voting for McCain/Palin is like continuing the Bush administration? Why is he engaging in personality politics? There are important and serious issues for voters to weigh and this election shouldn't come down to who is better liked. And Obama shouldn't be playing into that possibility.
And although his use of the pig/lipstick analogy was silly, it was also neither meaningless nor irrelevant. He wants hundreds of millions of Americans to trust his judgment enough to elect him president. So either he didn't realize what effect the phrase would have (in which case his perception is questionable) or he did realize it and used it anyway (in which case he was abandoning his avowed intent to keep above the silly fray and was exercising questionable judgment). (Which is not unlike the whole Jeremiah Wright fuss, come to think of it. He says he attended Wright's church for twenty years, during which Wright said and wrote many of the things he says and writes now. He says Wright was a close friend and mentor. So either he didn't hear what Wright said and wrote (in which case he was wearing his iPod the whole time or just being inattentive or maybe not actually attending church when he said he was) or he did hear what Wright said and wrote (in which case he was exercising very bad judgment in continuing to ally himself with Wright given his political plans).)
But back to the pig and lipstick. I was almost able to blame extemporaneous speechifying and on-the-stump tiredness for Obama using the silly phrase. It seemed foolish to have used it and the video shows him pausing and seeming to consider whether to say what he's about to say. He could have skipped right over to the fish wrapped in newspaper analogy, after all. But last night on the David Letterman Show, Obama wasn't the least bit apologetic or embarrassed or regretful. Instead, he clarified the goofy thing by saying that the pig represented McCain's policies and therefore the lipstick was Palin (as in: you can't pretty up their policies). But for the life of me I can't figure out why he didn't just smile and say something along the lines of "silly me for engaging in schoolyard taunts, now let's get back to serious discussion of the (very serious) issues we have to confront."
Why isn't Obama asserting (re-asserting, actually) the dignity and seriousness that excited so many of us because he seemed to be bringing a new kind of politics and politician smack dab in the middle of the new election? If he doesn't get back to that and if he continues these nervous and, let's face it, nasty, little jabs, it will indicate that he may just be the same old politics in new sheep's clothing and all those many of us may have to accept being deeply disappointed.
And although his use of the pig/lipstick analogy was silly, it was also neither meaningless nor irrelevant. He wants hundreds of millions of Americans to trust his judgment enough to elect him president. So either he didn't realize what effect the phrase would have (in which case his perception is questionable) or he did realize it and used it anyway (in which case he was abandoning his avowed intent to keep above the silly fray and was exercising questionable judgment). (Which is not unlike the whole Jeremiah Wright fuss, come to think of it. He says he attended Wright's church for twenty years, during which Wright said and wrote many of the things he says and writes now. He says Wright was a close friend and mentor. So either he didn't hear what Wright said and wrote (in which case he was wearing his iPod the whole time or just being inattentive or maybe not actually attending church when he said he was) or he did hear what Wright said and wrote (in which case he was exercising very bad judgment in continuing to ally himself with Wright given his political plans).)
But back to the pig and lipstick. I was almost able to blame extemporaneous speechifying and on-the-stump tiredness for Obama using the silly phrase. It seemed foolish to have used it and the video shows him pausing and seeming to consider whether to say what he's about to say. He could have skipped right over to the fish wrapped in newspaper analogy, after all. But last night on the David Letterman Show, Obama wasn't the least bit apologetic or embarrassed or regretful. Instead, he clarified the goofy thing by saying that the pig represented McCain's policies and therefore the lipstick was Palin (as in: you can't pretty up their policies). But for the life of me I can't figure out why he didn't just smile and say something along the lines of "silly me for engaging in schoolyard taunts, now let's get back to serious discussion of the (very serious) issues we have to confront."
Why isn't Obama asserting (re-asserting, actually) the dignity and seriousness that excited so many of us because he seemed to be bringing a new kind of politics and politician smack dab in the middle of the new election? If he doesn't get back to that and if he continues these nervous and, let's face it, nasty, little jabs, it will indicate that he may just be the same old politics in new sheep's clothing and all those many of us may have to accept being deeply disappointed.
Labels: 2008 election, people, politics
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