The Color of Lipstick...

The Republican National Campaign committee with the release of a TV ad, has decided that Obama's recent description of "a pig wearing lipstick" was not an innocent gaffe as he protested, but rather, a not so subtle and clumsy personal slam against Republican VP candidate, Sarah Palin, who had famously remarked a week before that the difference between her, and other "hockey mom's" and a pit bull was - lipstick.

On the defensive, Obama cried that it was he, who was victemized by the "manufactured" outrage of the Republicans over his remarks; but the controversy has not subsided despite Obama's call of, "Enough !" and for it to end. His subsequent explanation, to many, sounded like more indignation and a further attack. Other observers have commented that the more Obama tries to denigrate Palin, the more popular she becomes with the electorate; since they say, she, unlike either Obama or Biden, is more representative of the American working class population.

At best, Obama can claim that the remark was unintended, and thoughtless - an unfortunate metaphor with respect to timing; but then, if that were really the case, it's also probably reasonable to conclude that he would have been more conciliatory rather than as combative as he was, in acknowledging his remarks could and would have been perceived as personally offensive by Palin's supporters.

Or, shucks --- at worst, Obama intended the slam all along --- something similar to the time he leveled one against former President Clinton during the primaries; that the Clinton's were playing the "race" card against Obama, who again protested he was the victem.

Many have observed that Obama is a shrewd and calculating individual who prefers to remain aloof and at times can be petty.

In the video, during his Palin remarks, and after the audience reacts, groans and Obama sees that they "get it", he allows himself a wry smile of satisfaction.

In the end, the entire episode may have more to do with a reflection upon the poor quality of Obama's judgment and lack of political accumen in dealing with Palin - engaging her, a Vice Presidential candidate, in the first place, while failing to recognize that because of her obvious popularity, a cheap personal attack would be poorly received by the electorate. Especially, when he, himself, claims to be above that sort of dirty political manuever. By allowing his advisors to pressure him into being more "aggressive", he has, ultimately, only presented the image of a candidate successfully "rattled" by an opponent.