Let's say, for the moment, that this was exactly as they portray it. Let's assume he didn't consciously say it that way, and that it was a borderline case.

1. Would any Republican get the benefit of that doubt?
2. Would reporters assure voters that it was innocent, or would they push the "it raises questions" approach?

Remember this case for later. Inevitably, some Republican is going to say something that will sound borderline racist. Watch the commentators sprint to the microphone to slam the speaker. Knowing this, is this McCain's way of playing the refs? Maybe. And if so, good.

She is given her talking points and even ticks them off using her fingers to make sure she hasn't forgotten any. IF Obama wins in November (GOD, please no.) she will be rewarded with a nice little position in the new administration

The day that "politician" became a career choice is the day we started losing the Republic. Let's get it back! Alan Keyes '08.

"all of them asked McCain representative Jane Swift "are you serious?""

Are these the same un-biased reporters that broke out into laughter when McCain announced Palin as his VP?

When asked if he went to war with Iraq  to derail the impeachment vote:  “I don’t think any serious person would believe that any President would do such a thing." - President Clinton (Dec 1998).

What I take from Obama is his speech comes from a cartoon caption.

"every reporter on the McCain conference call dismissed the notion that Obama was speaking about Palin"

Well, there you go.    The debate is over.   Every like-minded reporter had the same point of view.   Everyone who agrees agreed.  Concensus.

When asked if he went to war with Iraq  to derail the impeachment vote:  “I don’t think any serious person would believe that any President would do such a thing." - President Clinton (Dec 1998).

Senator Obama just effectively had his Clayton Williams moment of the campaign. Regardless of intent, the crowd took it as a joke towards Gov. Palin, and Senator Obama, knowing the typical reactions to his stump speeches, should have quickly issued a disclaimer.

Damage will depend on how well the media circle the wagons to protect him. I can see the questions now:

Larry King: Senator Obama, in light of the uproar by right-wing bloggers stretching to make you a sexist, I must ask...is there anything I can get you? Are you comfortable?

Meet the Real Sarah Palin blog, has a poll about the pig and lipstick comment, you can vote here.

http://sarah-palin-2008.blogspot.com/2008/09/campaign-rhetoric-hits-new-low-with.html

Does anyone remember the consequences of MACACA!

There is no question that this was calculated and planned for the maximum effect.

Women (and smart men) everywhere should be appalled and insulted by his lack of judgement and resort to personal attacks on Sarah Palin.

If he IS elected as POTUS (God forbid!) he will not be representing me.

Here are some links of comments said before Obama said it.  It's obviously their theme

Democrats.org page Palin pig in lipstick

ebay Palin lipstick Pig

whitenoise bolog Biden lipstick Pig

Biden talking about dressing up Palin's record with Lipstick

How does Barack know what a pig looks like with lipstick?  Does he have experience 'community organizing' pigs?

Oh wait, he gets to watch Michele Obama get dressed every morning ...

I think it was a stupid, erroneous comment because of it's lack of clarity. If I were Barry I'd fire that speech writer. My thought is that he was trying to say, McCain can put a women on the Republican ticket, but, he's still George Bush.

However, based on his audiences response to "lipstick on a pig", that's not how they heard it. Since the RNC convention - I'm basing this notion on how the MSM and Bloggers have responded in force - the campaign has been Obama vs Palin. 

Obama: "John McCain says he's about change too, and so I guess his whole angle is, 'Watch out George Bush -- except for economic policy, health care policy, tax policy, education policy, foreign policy and Karl Rove-style politics -- we're really going to shake things up in Washington,'" he said.

"That's not change. That's just calling something the same thing something different. You know you can put lipstick on a pig, but it's still a pig. You know you can wrap an old fish in a piece of paper called change, it's still going to stink after eight years. We've had enough of the same old thing."

Where's the reference to Sarah Palin? There isn't any. It's a common phrase and Obama even explained the context. So common even John McCain has been known to use it.

John McCain: In Iowa last October, McCain drew comparisons between Hillary Clinton's current health care plan and the one she championed in 1993:"I think they put some lipstick on the pig, but it's still a pig."

He used the same line in May 

John McCain would be an even worse president than Bush. He seems to be trying to prove it by the dishonest way he's running his campaign. He'd rather lose his honor than lose a campaign.

Even if Barry didn't mean the pig comment against Sarah, the reaction of the audience showed how they took it. Again, such a lack of judgment by the gaffe-boy himself. No way John McCain would say "a monkey in a $2000 suit is still a monkey". He has the mature sense of judgment that Obama lacks. Barry will be on with his buddy Letterman tonight, explaining away the remark with his ususal "uh", "uh". But ironically, the more he opens his mouth, the deeper he sinks in the polls. I love it.

NEVER,NEVER trust a "liberal"

Was Hussein O's media whore Andreas Mitchell with Hussein yesterday when he visited what Mitchell stated was 'real redneck' country on his and her last visit to the area? Both the 'real redneck country' and 'lipstick on a pig' remarks occured within 20 miles of my home and I'm surprised they survived to get out of 'real redneck country'. Could they be wrong in their description of the people in this area? Real rednecks shoot first and ask who were you later, at least that's the idea the elitest democrats spread around. Evidently they are as wrong about this as they are about everything else.

Old, Retired and glad of it.

Great post in outing closet liberals to their pig fettish, but this is far worse as Obama was dusting off a talking point of the Dukakis campaign in which he termed Reagan a stinking dead fish and all Americans who loved him as the rotten body.

He did this in the Bush 41 and 41 called him out on it in debate.

I suggest Newsbusters get on this video and post it, because this is far worse than the insult to all women, because Barack Obama dug up a dead body and drug it through the streets of Falujah looking to lynch all the old people who smell of death.

*HIC IACET ARTORIVS REX QVONDAM REXQVE FVTVRVS