The national media is taking the easy way out.
Late Tuesday, Senator Barack Obama went on the attack. He called the McCain/Palin campaign's reformist image "putting lipstick on a pig".
"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," Obama said to the crowd.
"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 exclaimed.
Watch the video here:
Instead of covering the issues, the press is covering a darned pig statement.
Something stinks. I think it's the reporting barnyard they're wallowing in.
Obama may be a bit unnerved that new polls show him losing support among voters since the announcement of Gov. Sarah Palin as John McCain's running mate.
I'm actually alarmed that the "lipstick on a pig" comment is taking up so much time on the ever-redundant, talking-head-laden national cable news shows.
Some folks are actually rushing to judgement and defending Sarah Palin because of the remark. Jane Swift, the former republican governor of Massachusetts, is quoted by the National Review calling for an Obama apology.
Why?
Obama didn't say anything about Palin.
"Putting lipstick on a pig" is a familiar saying in this country. Why are "journalists" even sticking a microphone in front of a person who says it's an attack on Sarah Palin?
Sure, the republican governor--who has yet to take one question from a journalist-- made the country laugh at the Republican National Convention by quipping that lipstick was the difference between a pitbull and a hockey mom (she fancied herself the latter).
Furthermore, why would anyone contend that looking into Sarah Palin's record, past statements and actions is "attacking" her?
She wants to be the Vice President of the United States, folks.
Anyone in that position understands this is what happens. She's vetted in the public eye for a reason. If she were to become president--the pressures are enormous. Taking some questions from journalists should be like a PTA cakewalk.
Frankly, I'm appalled there isn't more scuttle about her not answering questions.
So far, she's gotten off easy with her one-liners and prepared stump speeches.
Palin has said in the past that female candidates should be held up to the same if not higher standards than male candidates.
The national press is running scared so far. Why not call the "attack" talk what it is-- the same game that's been played in the past when tough questions about the war were being called "unpatriotic".
Call Palin out. Grill her. The story should be the very important issues that this country faces.
Make sure she's the example of change and reform this country seems to want.
