Saturday, September 13, 2008

Word Up

For several days this past week, the right has tried to stir up a faux controversy about Obama's use of an everyday phrase, "lipstick on a pig," and have tried to portray it as a sexist comment by Obama against moose-hunter, Bridge-to-nowhere builder, and jet-seller Sarah Pallin. They fail to recognize that the head of their presidential ticket, John McCain, used the same expression about Hillary Clinton's healthcare plan. Somehow, this never raised a stink with them. Go figure.

Some of the more notable locals that have fed into the histrionics is MisTruth Squad gang leader Margaret Farrow, and her ever-faithful sidekick, Alberta "Golf Pro" Darling.

Darling's comments are exceptionally classic of the typical hysteria that the right has been making:
"As a mother and working woman, I am offended by the sexist remarks made by Barack Obama comparing Governor Sarah Palin to a pig wearing lipstick. The nation was energized by the nomination of Sarah Palin, a mother of five who's risen to the level of Governor and is poised to become America's first female Vice President. It's shameful that Obama and the Democrat smear machine would destroy and belittle a qualified woman so they can win an election, while sacrificing decades of achievements of working women in America."

Heh. I wonder when she started working. Maybe she's carrying her own golf bag these days. To add to the frivolity of it, Darling further added this classic:
"Right now we think Sarah owns the name of lipstick."

The alleged offense that Darling feels (Is there ever a time in which she is not being allegedly offended?) is based entirely on a comment that was taken out of context. Obama's speech went like this:
"We've been talking about change when we were up in the polls and when we were down in the polls," Senator Obama told a rally in Virginia as surveys suggested Senator McCain and Mrs Palin have overhauled his lead for the election to be held on November 5 (Australian time).

"The other side, suddenly, they're saying 'we're for change too'. Now think about it, these are the same folks that have been in charge for the last eight years.

"You can put lipstick on a pig. It's still a pig. You can wrap up an old fish in a piece of paper and call it change. It's still going to stink after eight years. We've had enough," he said to instant applause.

Ironically, it is the same members on the right that cry sexism on a comment out of context, that also cry sexism, claiming a comment by Palin was taken out of context, when in reality, it wasn't.

The way I reckon it, if Palin "owns" the word lipstick, and Obama owns the word "change," then Darling and her sort can be the proud owners of the word "hypocrisy."

Tip of the crown to Our Blue Wisconsin, who owns the word "juxtaposition."

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