Weighing in from the other side, this has been massively overblown. Especially when there's vast evidence that it's a
stock phrase . Slate looks at a dictionary. Then at the phrases resurgence in the 90s.
The whole quote is this for anyone who has only been exposed to the phrase:
OBAMA: Let's just list this for a second. John McCain says he's about change, too. Except -- and so I guess his whole angle is, "Watch out, George Bush, except for economic policy, health-care policy, tax policy, education policy, foreign policy, and Karl Rove-style politics. We're really gonna shake things up in Washington." That's not change. That's just calling some -- the same thing, something different. But you know, you can -- you know, you can put lipstick on a pig; it's still a pig.
. (Wonderful title by one of the trigger happy hordes).
To add to the cnn article Wendy posted:
Obama has used the phrase before Palin was in the race last September to decribe the situation in Iraq, see
here , along with other examples of people in politics using it.
Further, McCain himself has
has used the phrase before. Article from '07.
Media Matters checks up on the original article that started the storm with links to corroborate.
I think this gives anyone a much more rounded perspective than
her speech line--his line--"hmmm," which is what's circulating (I know because I see only the line quoted in the papers--I bet TV is the same). Anyway, judge for yourself.
Sarah Palin essentially appropriated the word, "lipstick," for herself. Or pitbull too.
So now all Dems need to clean out their vocab of key Palin words? You know, that wouldn't be a problem-- if it weren't with the inherent contradiction in Republicans and their attack against "political correctness" (which is understandable considering that when it comes to accidentally blasting minorities, women and LGBT, so many of them put their foot in their mouths--latest example being
Westmoreland with "uppity." --the article defends him) and victim narratives (see Palin clip). It's an amazing turn around to be so sensitive now. When others do it, it's
offensive, when one does it its an
honest mistake.
There's just no way to reason or have any sort of fair exchange.
I've only heard the clip once, so I might be paraphrasing, but the crowd immediately started chanting something like "no pitbull!." There were also a number of surprised gasps from the crowd as a few understood the ramifications of his words.
Just because these people thought of Palin doesn't magically mean he's refering to her. Especially in context of
policy and the fact that
it's something so widely used. That's like attributing Kos' smears to Obama's campaign, which would be...inaccurate (to say the least I'm keeping myself in check). Otherwise we launch into conspiracy theories and reason dies again.
Are smears and misinformation, a perpetual onslaught of he said/she saids and who meant what going to decide this election? Petty fighting over rank stupidity? No, wait. Don't answer that. I know. I know.
alcyone
