Sep 11, 2008 2:18 am US/Eastern
Obama On Letterman: 'McCain Policy Is The Pig'
Presidential Hopeful Says Media Took His Words And Ran; Defends Bush Policies On Afghanistan, AIDS In Africa
NEW YORK (CBS) ―
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Presidential nominee Barack Obama was featured on The Late Show with David Letterman on September 10, 2008.
CBS
Presidential hopeful Barack Obama appeared on the "Late Show with David Letterman" in New York on Wednesday after a day of heated debate by media and political pundits over comments some took as a slam against Republican vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin.
Obama spent much of his visit talking about Palin and clarifying his earlier comments.
"This is sort of silly season in politics, not that there's a non-silly season, but it gets sillier," Obama said. "And it's a common expression in at least Illinois. I don't know about New York City. I don't know what you put lipstick on here."
Obama told Letterman the expression "lipstick on a pig" in this case applies to having a bad idea and trying to pass it off as change.
"Just calling [ideas] change, calling them different doesn't make it better, hence lipstick on a pig," Obama said.
He then clarified his statements even more.
"Keep in mind, technically, had I meant it this way, [Palin] would be the lipstick. The failed policies of John McCain would be the pig, just following the logic of this illogical situation," Obama said.
Earlier in the day, Obama accused Republican McCain's campaign of using "lies and phony outrage and Swift-boat politics" in claiming he used a sexist comment against Palin.
Calling it "the latest made-up controversy by the John McCain campaign," Obama responded to the Republicans' charge that he was referring to Palin when he used the phrase "lipstick on a pig" at a campaign stop Tuesday.
"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 and phony outrage and Swift-boat politics. Enough is enough," he said.
During his visit with Letterman, Obama talked about visiting Disneyland, boyhood memories, joking with his 87-year-old grandmother and embarrassing his daughters on their first day back to school.
Obama said his grandmother's reaction when he won the nomination was pretty simple: "That's nice, that's nice."
Obama praised President George W. Bush's efforts to send aid to countries in Africa. Obama, whose father was Kenyan, visited the African country in 2007.
"People there are more energetic and optimistic than you could possibly imagine," said Obama.
Regarding rumors of former president Bill Clinton's future as part of an Obama administration cabinet, the senator downplayed that possibility.
"If you're a former president, I don't think you settle for a cabinet position," he said. "It's sort of like Mickey Mantle playing AAA (baseball).
"There's nobody smarter in politics," Obama added. "I think he can be a great advocate for the campaign."
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