Lipstick on a Pig

I found this caricature interesting because there was alot of debate whether or not Obama meant to personally attack Sara Palin with his comment regarding her and McCain's policies. He stated, "You can put lipstick on a pig, it's still a pig. You can wrap an old fish in a piece of paper called change. It's still going to stink after eight years." Hinting towards the fact that we have been under Republican rule for some time, and it hasn't exactly led us to good standing, America was obviously in need of a change. This statement was easily turned around and presented as offensive by the press, in order to make Obama look bad.

After coming across many political cartoons regarding this issue, I choose this one because it was mocking politics in general. The Pig represents U.S. Politics, obviously shown by its title as well as Uncle Sam's hat on its head. The much debated saying is put in a context that mocks both sides of the party, implying that American politics in general are ridiculous, and no matter which party is running, there is always going to be propaganda. Everyone is going to make empty promises they can't keep, in order to get as many voters on their side as they can. Everyone is going to lie, and the press is ALWAYS going to try and make one side look worse than the other. It is sad, but true, U.S. politics are ridiculous, and always will be, no matter how much you try and dress them up. "You can put lipstick on a pig, it's still a pig."

In the Caricature reading, it is stated, "medieval art knew how to use laughter to enforce a moral lesson." This caricature supports this idea by taking this twisted statement, and almost shoving it back in the press/polition's faces, showing them how ridiculous they were being. It is easy for the public to laugh over, because we all know its true. It makes those who distort statements like this one, in order to make someone look bad, feel ashamed. ((Or at least it should.))