This phrase has caught national headlines. If you haven’t heard this phrase before all the media coverage you aren’t the only one. This is a phrase used by politicians for effect and there is a book with this title. I saw the book in a book store before this phrase became headlines. I got a good chuckle out of the title with all the images that came to mind but never bothered to pick up the book to see what it was about. One thing I did know was that it wasn’t a book about farmers and dressing up pigs but I still thought it was a catchy title.

This catchy title and phrase caused a media sensation with its effectiveness being used by Barack Obama in Virginia. This is all because Sarah Palin had previously used a phrase similar in her acceptance speech of VP at the Republican Convention. In case you haven’t heard what her joke was let me tell it again, “What is the difference between a hockey mom and a pit bull? Lipstick!” and the crowd went wild..

This whole drama was played out all over the news for days. Ironically, John McCain had used the same phrase on numerous occasions as late as May and even directed it towards Hillary Clinton’s proposal at the time. I have a phrase that is well known too, “pot calling kettle”. I don’t get into the whole Republican vs. Democrat issues on right or wrong but like to call it like it is.

Lately the media has been having a field day with sound bites of who said what and then analyzing what was meant and what they said. I really have to think, is this what elections have come down to? We have been talking about lipstick people! Barack Obama, right after the lipstick comment said “You can wrap an old fish in a piece of paper called ‘change’ , it’s still going to stink”. Now why wasn’t that comment picked apart and getting as much attention? I guess that one stunk too bad but I thought it was funny and effective.

I have to admit, to decide who to vote for puts me in a panic. I look to where this country is right now and I really don’t have to go there to explain it. Finger pointing and the blame game is just a huge waste of energy and will accomplish absolutely nothing. All those ads being seen on TV is like getting an updated soap opera fix. It is like watching a game of twister with words. I don’t read too much into those and don’t put too much faith in the truthfulness of them. I am sure there might be some truth to them somewhere but seriously do they think every voter believes everything they see on TV especially from those?

After the latest elections I have become a skeptic to say the least. The voting debacle with the ‘new’ way of voting with those computerized scanning machines to make things easier and efficient is downright scary. I would gladly go back to the old way of voting to make sure my vote was the way I voted. If there is one thing I am proud of, it is my right as an American to vote. It doesn’t matter who I vote for but the fact that I can and have the right to make my own choice.

To me it doesn’t matter what the general public votes, it is who “I” think is right. I will even admit I voted for Ross Perot. Heck, that man had all the charts didn’t he? At the time he made sense to me and he was a business man who had a plan of plans with a goal. Off- topic but speaking of businessmen, the latest “oops” that was said was from a Republican trying to put out some fires (spin) was that none of the candidates have CEO business experience to be able to run the country. Yeah, she said it! Good luck to her trying to get another interview.

The idea that the system now is flawed in any way, shape or form is just so mind boggling I can’t even come up with the description of how bad it is because it is so bad. If you haven’t watched the HBO special about the elections and black box voting it is something you should see. I can’t believe that the media isn’t screaming more about the voting machine scandals and deceased voters along with missing and uncounted votes. But I guess talking about lipstick is more important. Now that is what I can call flawed, no wait, even better smeared!

This is history in the making as we speak. I can’t imagine 10-20 years what will be said about this election and campaigning but I know the word lipstick will be there somewhere.

This election will stand out like no other as it should. We have the first African American nominated for President and the first Woman nominated for Republican Vice President. That in itself is quite a milestone achievement but it will be overshadowed by the negativity and controversy surrounding it.

The way the media has been playing it out, it looks like we have a handicapped geriatric veteran, a vengeful lying woman, a terrorist-linked cult member black man and a scandalous, plagiarist man, and that is being nice. One would wonder why even vote at all except to put none of the above.

They are all politicians and the dirty laundry is going to be aired out, twisted and turned for everyone to see. Unfortunately, it will be the dirty stuff and not the accomplishments, good deeds and achievements by the candidates remembered. Somehow the messages with the help of the media will have been muddied along the way and what will be left is a message of lipstick and change.

It is an investment and your money. You decide and you get to choose but know what your getting involved with and the only way to do that is to educate yourself better. The media has its own way of presenting the election but the facts are out there without all the slants. The campaign message has been said loud and clear. This election is about change. I think that is the one truthful thing that has been said and both parties can agree upon. I would love to see a change and a dramatic one but is that expecting too much?

I guess only time will tell and we have time, so make the best of it and get your popcorn.