WEB-SPE@K: Should Obama apologize for calling McCain’s policies “lipstick on a pig”?

By Collegian Staff | September 12, 2008

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Earlier this week, Barack Obama used the phrase “lipstick on a pig” to dismiss the policies of the Republican ticket, a phrase John McCain himself used to describe Hillary Clinton’s health care plan. The McCain camp is demanding an apology for the comment, saying it was intended as a slight toward Sarah Palin. Should Obama apologize?

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Comments

5 Responses to “WEB-SPE@K: Should Obama apologize for calling McCain’s policies “lipstick on a pig”?”

    Lin Blair:
    September 12th, 2008 10:32 pm

    You have asked the wrong question. It should not focus ont Barack Obama’s ‘lipstick’ comment, but rather on McCain’s conduct in launching a false attack. That is the real issue which has been buried in how the media has covered this story. See Privileging The Lie http://mediamatters.org/items/200809120021?f=h_latest

    Lin Blair

    Pedro Ramirez:
    September 14th, 2008 4:07 pm

    This is the full quote.

    Obama poked fun of McCain and Palin’s new “change” mantra.

    “You can put lipstick on a pig,” he said as the crowd cheered. “It’s still a pig.”

    “You can wrap an old fish in a piece of paper called change. It’s still gonna stink.”

    “We’ve had enough of the same old thing.”

    Basically the McCain Campaign has now caught on to the idea of “Change” as attracking voters. The old republican campaign slogan of experience and a maverick has not appealed to much voters. So in a desperate move he picks Sarah Palin as a VP and adopts the Obama Campaign slogan of Change. That remark just shows that no matter what McCain sets himself as it will just be a mask to hide the reality and keep the same politics of the past.

    Thank You

    “Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we’ve been waiting for. We are the change that we seek. “- Barack Obama

    Pat Murray:
    September 15th, 2008 5:46 pm

    There is no need for Barack Obama to apologize. He didn’t say anything wrong. His remark was referring to McCain’s economic policies. The fake “outrage” from the McCain campaign just shows how ridiculous they are. McCain has been running a very negative and mean-spirited campaign where they lie about Obama and spread false rumors about his record and positions. After 8 long and painful years of the Bush administration, we don’t need another 4 years of those same policies under McCain. This country is in a deep mess (economic and otherwise), and we need a major change in direction to get things on the right track again. That’s why I’m voting for Obama, and that’s why I switched from a registered Republican to an Independent a couple of months ago.

    Charles W. Frank:
    September 17th, 2008 10:09 pm

    As pointed out several times in media source … McCain used something similar … shouldn’t he apologize as well? Or is using a well-known expression, because candidates are female, completely unwarranted … don’t some men (dragsters) wear lipstick as well, and shouldn’t they be offended? What about broadcasters (male and female) who wear makup (including lipstick) be offended because they know very well that what they have to say is manipulated by their bosses?

    Caitlin Sawatsky:
    September 23rd, 2008 3:07 pm

    The comment was not intended to offend Sarah Palin – it was not said in regards to Palin. How on Earth could they require him to apologize if he blatantly has nothing to apologize for.