Obama: 'Lipstick' Comment Not About Palin

Copyright 2007 Bryan Bedder / Getty Images
Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama has denied that his controversial "lipstick on a pig" comment was any reference to Republican VP candidate Sarah Palin and accused John McCain's campaign of resorting to "lies and phony outrage."

Speaking this morning at an event in Norfolk, VA, Obama said the Republicans created a "made-up controversy" by suggesting that his use of the phrase "lipstick on a pig" was a sexist comment against Palin.

Obama also called for an end to personal attacks in the campaign so the candidates can focus on serious issues for "serious times."

On Tuesday, Obama took a dig at his Republican presidential rival by comparing McCain to George W. Bush, saying McCain would not change Washington D.C. as promised. "You know, you can put lipstick on a pig, but it's still a pig," Obama said.

Palin famously joked in her RNC speech: "I was just your average hockey mom. I love those hockey moms, you know, they say, 'What is the difference between a hockey mom and a pit bull? Lipstick.'"

McCain's campaign has accused Obama of "smearing" Palin in "offensive and disgraceful" comments.

Published 9/10/08 by the Insider

Comments (199)

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  • SEnator McCain i havent heard you say a thing about what you would do for the senior citizens & low income families .it always the middle income & higher up it is as the the senior citizens & low income families doesnt exit Think you
    Anna
    Anonymous 10/13/08 Reply
  • My comment is a question for Senator Obama .you talk about the middle class what do you plan on doing for the senior citizens tha just dont have the means to really get by .you talk about the middle class as if the the senior citizens on fixed...
    Anonymous 10/13/08 Reply
  • I still believe Obama is a Muslim and will bring down the USA. He shows no passion for the country, the pledge of allegence,or anything patriotic. Sorry I don't want him and his kind running my country.
    Anonymous 10/5/08 Reply
  • well i know your so depress with the way he say that we all make mistakes.. please support him because i can feel he will win this campaign..
    Lovelydee 9/19/08 Reply
  • It really doesn't matter what he meant. The comment will be interpreted as sexist. I'll be he wished he had not used that analogy.
    Anonymous 9/13/08 Reply
    • why is this pathetic woman getting so much publicity? What can she bring to America, apart from alienating it from the rest of the world. If someone had come to you 2 weeks ago and said they wanted to make the mayor of your nearest small town the...
      Anonymous 9/14/08
    • why is this pathetic woman getting so much publicity? What can she bring to America, apart from alienating it from the rest of the world. If someone had come to you 2 weeks ago and said they wanted to make the mayor of your nearest small town the...
      Anonymous 9/14/08
  • Aside from the "lipstick on a pig" comment (which was definitely a jab), I am amazed that the Democratic VP nomineec came out and said that Hillary was as qualified as he to be the Dem. VP nominee, and then went further to say that Hillary is MORE...
    Anonymous 9/13/08 Reply
  • What will be more offensive and disgraceful is if MCcain/Palin receives votes just because Palin is a "women"... It would be great to see one of my own in office but for the right reason's. It just seems that Palin was picked to attract women voters...
    Anonymous 9/13/08 Reply
  • Earth to you all: McCain has used the lipstick on a pig phrase several times. At least once in regards to Hillary Clinton's health plan. Obama used it in reference to McCain's economic program not in regards to Sarah Palin. In her comment she...
    Anonymous 9/12/08 Reply
    • We do need a pitbull in Washington to get things done the right way. Yes, the comment was used in regards to Hillary. Obama used them because Palin has used it a week before about being hockey mom. THERE IS A DIFFERENCE!!!!MCAIN/PALIN ALL THE WAY
      Anonymous 9/12/08
  • NO,IT WAS NOT A JAB TOWARD HER. IF YOU WOULD WATCH THE NEWS,IT SHOWED MACAIN USING IT AND
    OTHER PEOPLE RUNNING FOR OFFICE OR SOMTHING ELSE HAD USED IT! I DON'T CARE FOR MACAIN OR HER. IT WOULD BE ANOTHER 4yrs. OF BUSH. WHO WANTS THAT. NOT ME. WAKE...
    cioneb 9/12/08 Reply
    • You need to wake up. Obama is not good for our country and you need to learn how to spell. Are you English?
      Anonymous 9/12/08
  • Whether Obama meant it is a jab or not, it should have been! I believe it fits the whole disaster perfectly! You go, Obama!
    BGonzalez772004 9/12/08 Reply
  • The comment was directly aimed at Palin. Obama's attempt at damage control on Letterman looked silly. Note to Hollywood...Good Will Hunting...you too: you mnake your candidates of choice look CHEESY.
    Anonymous 9/12/08 Reply
    • If anybody is a pig it would be Obama.
      Anonymous 9/12/08
  • "Politically advantageous"? What could Obama have possibly stood to gain by such a cheap and ugly attack? Just try to imagine him thinking to himself, "I know--I'll call Palin a pig! THAT'LL win me some votes. Because, you know, everybody loves a...
    Anonymous 9/12/08 Reply
  • So.... it's okay for McCain to use the phrase, but not Obama. Yes, I saw the comments, "it was a jab because Hillary never talked about wearing lipstick' Sorry, I call BS on that. Whether or not Hillary talked about lipstick as Paln did, either...
    Anonymous 9/12/08 Reply
  • i watched it and he wasnt making a degrading remark, although havent palin and mcain made many towards obama? and what about palins church saying the war with iraq is about god when we all know its all about oil and lining bush's pockets
    Anonymous 9/11/08 Reply
    • You are as bad as Charlie Gibson. Can't anyone get Sarah Palin's actual quote right?

      I'm wondering how many people really believe that Barack Obama would have still made the lipstick on a pig remark if John McCain had chosen a black woman as a...
      Anonymous 9/12/08
  • Of course it was a jab at Gov. Palin's reference to the only difference between a pit bull and a hockey mom was 'lipstick'. She was referring to herself. Sooo, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to know that Obama was making a jab at Sarah Palin....
    Silverchex 9/11/08 Reply
    • Obama was referring to McCain's economic plan. Go back and listen to the tape on U-tube and get your facts straight. McCain has used it several times and no one complained when it was directed at Hillary Clinton's health plans.
      Anonymous 9/12/08
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