Putting Lipstick on Pigs

I am not one who believes that Barack Obama was referring to Republican VP candidate Sarah Palin when he made his “put lipstick on a pig” comment. I think it was ridiculous for the Republicans to spin it as if it was meant as a misogynistic slur, but I know that the game has to be played that way sometimes and both sides do it.

Let this Mouse get back to the original context in which Obama used the much maligned phrase. He was referring to “change.” I’m getting sick and tired of hearing about “change” from him. He’s now saying, in essence, “My change is better than your change!”, or perhaps more accurately, “Your change is not change at all!”

It was in that connection that he accused the Republicans of espousing conservative economic and social policies, as well as Karl Rove politics. “You put lipstick on a pig… and it’s still a pig!”

It was not a cut-down of Sarah Palin.

“Change” is this campaign’s big rhetorical boondoggle. Obama’s version of “change” is to bring in a Washington old-timer as a VP candidate. What’s going to change? Talking about “change” is not going to change the Way of the Beltway Boys. Meanwhile, McCain says that Palin represents “change” from business as usual, as she is a Washington outsider. Change, change, change! Enough, already!

Biden, McCain, and Obama all have been complicit in the congressional logjam and the expansive spending of the congress. What about that suggests that any “change” is on the horizon? However, McCain has promised to veto spending bills; Obama has only promised to create new ones. The former would indeed be change, whereas the latter is business as usual.

McCain has reached across the aisle in rather graphic fashion to co-sponsor a couple of bills with which I disagree, but he nevertheless reached. Obama has never reached across the aisle for anything, even for a cigar offered by the opposition. Which candidate would be more likely to be a uniter in the White House? Certainly not Senator Obama, with the most liberal voting record of all senators. He would achieve unity with Pelosi and Reid, but not with the right side of the aisle. That’s not the kind of “uniter” we need.