Obama Strikes Back on Contrived Lipstick Controversy

Posted by Sam Stein, Huffington Post at 1:01 PM on September 10, 2008.

"The McCain campaign would much rather have a story about phony and
foolish diversion than about the future."

Barack Obama addressed the controversy (widely regarded as contrived)
over his "lipstick on a pig" remarks during an appearance in Norfolk,
Virginia on Wednesday, accusing the McCain campaign of childish
distortion and deliberate distraction from more substantive issues.

"I want to address the latest made-up controversy by the John McCain
campaign," Obama said. "What their campaign has done this morning is
the same game that has made people sick and tired of politics in this
country. They seize on an innocent remark, throw out an outrageous ad
because they know it is catnip for the media. It would be funny except
for the news media decided that was the lead story yesterday. The
McCain campaign would much rather have a story about phony and foolish
diversion than about the future."

Video: http://www.alternet.org/blogs/video/98327/

The counter attack -- both against the media and McCain -- was
quintessential Obama, positioning himself on the high ground while
bemoaning the fact that political history is littered with examples of
senseless and counterproductive attacks. For some Democrats, it may
not be enough. A month ago, when Obama told voters that the Republican
opposition would paint him as someone too different to elect, the
McCain campaign responded by accusing the Democratic nominee of
playing the race card "from the bottom of the deck." It was a drowning
offensive and immediately put Obama on the defensive.

While Obama spokesperson Anita Dunn accused the McCain camp of using
the gender card in a statement Tuesday night, the Senator himself
never went there. Rather, he stuck with the script that has gotten him
this far.

"Enough," he said of the focus on the contrived lipstick controversy.
"I don't care what they say about me. But I love this country too much
to let them take over another election with lies, phony outrage and
swiftboat politics. Enough is enough. These are serious times and they
call for a serious debate about where we need to take the nation. We
can't take another four years that were like the last eight. Spare me
the phony outrage. Spare me the phony talk about change. We have real
problems in this country right now and the American people are looking
to us for answers. Not distractions, not diversions not manipulations
they are looking for real answers. That's the type of debate I attempt
to have."

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