The broiling brouhaha over Barack Obama's "lipstick on a pig" comment the other day is showering both sides of the political debate with industrial strength stupidity. One would hope it's obvious he wasn't calling Sarah Palin a pig, and the prefabricated outrage ranking his comment alongside such genuine offenses such as the recent comment by a Democratic party official that Palin's sole qualification for her job consisted of not getting an abortion is an embarrassment for those of us who adhere to a conservative ideology. On the other hand, it was a classic example of opening mouth just long enough to change feet.
A candidate for any public office, especially the highest in the land, must be mindful 24/7 to not say anything subject to any interpretation save the direct intention. Given the vitriol of the attacks against Palin by the left and the furious backlash against same by not only the right but women regardless of political affiliation enamored with Palin's status as Everymom along with members of the left disgusted by the double standard being shown by their ideological brethren when it comes to sexism, Obama has to mindful his every word involving her in any fashion had better be scrubbed clean of anything outside the realm of political philosophy and corresponding policies.
Obama's subsequent fumbling of the issue is doing him no favor. Instead of his current mishmash of weak explanation, a simple statement would be in his best interests: "My comment about putting lipstick on a pig was in no way a personal reference to Governor Palin. It was an allegory to how attempting to disguise what in my view is a promised continuation of existing failed policies does not change the fact these policies are failures. That said, I should not have used an allegory that could be interpreted as an insult of or demeaning to Governor Palin as a woman. It will not happen again. As I have made clear in recent days, my differences with the Governor are strictly of a political nature. I have nothing but respect for and admiration of Governor Palin as a person, a wife, a mother, and despite our differences a politician. I again make clear that the recent personal attacks against Governor Palin and especially her family are offensive, uncalled for, inexcusable, and will be no part of my campaign. Also, I again urge all my supporters to both immediately stop such behavior and unfailingly condemn those who continue to speak and act in such a pathetic manner. This election is far too important to be wasting time on such things, and it is my hope that going forward all of us, Democrats and Republicans alike, will devote ourselves to addressing the challenges that face our nation and laying the foundation for a brighter today and even brighter tomorrow." (I really ought to go into the political press release business, don't you think? But I digress.)
And while all y'all know who I'm voting for, some recent comments by Obama deserve mention as opposed to stony silence from the right:
"Why don’t we join with the Republicans and agree that children, families of the candidates, religion of the candidates, is off limits," asked a Virginian tonight at a town meeting with Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill.
"Let me be very clear about this, and if there are members of the media who are listening, I hope they hear me loud and clear," Obama said. "I have said already that people’s families are off limits. They are civilians and they didn’t choose to run for office, and how qualified we are for office … isn't determined by what our children do. And I’m very protective of my two kids. They’re 10 and 7 and at some point I expect they’re gonna make a mistake. They’re not perfect, although I think they are and I don’t want them, particularly if I’m successful and I end up being in the White House — I don’t want them to not be able to make mistakes or live … out their childhood without it being in the papers.
"So, family, particularly children, I believe are off limits," he said.
"Now the second thing," Obama added. "I’m a Christian and I believe deeply in my faith."
The crowd applauded.
"So, the fact that Gov. Palin is deeply religious, that’s a good thing," Obama said. "You know, I give her all the credit in the world for that, and for people to start poking around and trying to, you know, paint that as if it’s, as if it’s strange and wrong, I think that’s offensive. I don’t think we should be doing that.
"Now if she’s got positions or John McCain’s got positions or I’ve got positions or Joe Biden has positions, public policy positions, that … are part of government’s function, then I think it’s legitimate to have a debate about those positions, but don’t give people some sort of religious litmus test," he continued, "because I don’t want somebody to question my faith and I’m certainly not gonna question somebody else’s.
"I feel very strongly about that," Obama said. "This is a nation of believers. This is a nation of believers, and I’m one of them, and we may not agree on every single aspect of our faith, but what we can agree to is that faith is important in our lives and it shapes our values, and we should be respectful of each other’s faiths."
Since no one else on the right seems willing to say it, I will. Senator Obama showed grace and class in that statement along with the courage to publicly identity himself as a believer. Thank you, sir.
