Wednesday, September 10, 2008

Lipstick On Your Collar

This signed photo has nothing to do with the current circus clown pie-fight over lipstick, pigs, mavericks, and pit bulls. I just wanted to show you how nice Connie Francis is. When I was a little kid, I got hold on one of my big sister's "Teen" Magazines, and found some publicists' addresses for the current stars and I chose to write my beloved Connie. Weeks later, when I had forgotten about it, I received this picture in the mail proving that Connie had not forgotten me. Since she sang "Lipstick on Your Collar," I figure she knows more about it than most and, in any case, I believe she is far more qualified to be Vice President than Sarah Palin. Concetta Franconero rose from her small town roots in Newark to make albums in over 13 languages, including Yiddish and Russian, and has travelled all over the world. She once appeared in Romania and did a concert in the native tongue. She's dealt with some of the toughest men of her generation; Dick Clark, Ed Sullivan, Don Kirschner, and Bobby Darin, who learned about her family's position on gun control the hard way when Connie's father brandished a shotgun and threatened Darin's life. That's more hard core than shooting wolves from a bi-plane with an AK-47.

The collar that bears the lipstick in this current nastiness sounds like it belongs to Karl Rove, who has admitted "assisting" the McCain team and would prefer the media indulge in another tabloid campaign than one of substance. So, first the Murdock machine jumps on the false outrage concerning Obama's "lipstick on a pig" remark about McCain's economic policies and then the rest of the media, being in the entertainment and ratings business, follows suit. It's too juicy a story not to say that Sen. Obama referred to Governor Palin as a "pig," and then let him deny it, without reporting the full context and the asininity of the assumption. They're fortunate the language of the Nashville songwriter was avoided. When we found ourselves trying to dress-up something that was fundamentally flawed, we called it "polishing a turd." This campaign trick equivalent of throwing sand in the referee's eyes only deprives people of a serious debate on the real issues.

The GOP seems so giddy over their V.P. nominee, they don't quite know how to behave. The last time I witnessed public hysteria like this build over a public figure in a period of ten days, it was called Beatlemania. Only it's the adults doing the screaming this time over their working class hero. But when they throw big Fred "Hoss" Thompson in front of the cameras to rage about "vicious" attacks on the Governor, and McCain insists she is owed an apology, it merely illustrates how they know nothing of feminism, and are even oblivious that their frantic leaps to "defend the little lady" are nothing but chauvinistic insults to women who actually think for themselves. Still, Obama was forced, first thing, to address the "Old White Men Gone Wild" videos, which the cable networks, in turn, spent the rest of the day gnawing on and the politics of Rove lived to fight another day.

This is why Obama made a mistake in waiting a month to reach out to the Clintons. Only today, will he be having lunch with the former president, while Hillary begins to campaign on his behalf. A valid point that Hillary made during her primary run was her experience in dealing with the Republican attack machine. During Bill's two Presidential campaigns, the "Rapid Response Team" was a hallmark of his organization, and an unsubstantiated claim rarely lasted a news cycle before being firmly addressed. Maybe Obama did not feel the urgency to mend fences, but on a day like yesterday, he badly needed Hillary Clinton on the stump to explain how the other party was exploiting their own nominee. Forcefully saying "Enough!" is not sufficient. It's time to release the hounds.

The saddest part of this is that it seems to work. These irrational GOP attacks become water cooler fodder and blend into the general hum of election discussion. The party apparatchiks, like Marsha Blackburn (a genuine Republican woman), go on talk shows with talking points, screaming "sexism" every time Governor Palin's qualifications are questioned, just like John McCain deflects criticism with his POW credentials. McCain promised a dignified campaign, but I suppose it's clear how this is going to go. The baffling giddiness over Sarah Palin will even out after she answers some tough questions about her vision for the country's direction and some explanations regarding her personal beliefs, but the sneering, self-righteous attacks from the GOP will not stop. Meanwhile, both Palin and McCain have repeated their St. Paul speeches for a week now. It's time to get some new shtick.

I have no doubt that the Governor will do well with reporters, having once been one of them, but I hope no one falls for this Sir Walter Raleigh defense that is now filling the airwaves. I'm sure Sarah is entirely capable of leaping over her own mud puddles, and it will be interesting to watch. Then, women offended by "lipstick" references will see that Palin stands pretty much in opposite of the causes for which others struggled so mightily for so long. At present, her party is trying to portray her as the heroine of another song about lipstick, Benny Spellman's New Orleans classic, "Lipstick Traces," where he says:
"Lipstick traces on a cigarette/every memory lingers with me yet/I've got it bad like I told you before/I'm so in love with you, don't leave me no more."
Sort of like Governor Palin, I disagree with most of what she says, I abhor everything she stands for, yet somehow, I can't quite seem to get her off my mind.
If the McCain/Palin campaign really believes that stunts like this are not going to backfire on them in this important election, I've got another Connie Francis hit for them to listen to. It's called, "Who's Sorry Now?"

29 comments:

Anonymous said...

It is unnecessary to comment on the nonviability of a Sarah Palin Presidency. The mere fact that she believes in creationism is the most anti-Jeffersonian church-equals-state state of affairs imaginable. The fact that it seems that she is plugged into divine intervention for all things including getting a pipeline laid is about as yoohah as it gets.

But, wait!! Remember this cheerleader and wannabe beauty queen likes the limelight. Don't underestimate this important part of her character. It may be her greatest mover. She's pretty popular in AK because she brings in $3200 for every man, woman, and chile from the energy revenues. That pipeline that God is going to bring to AK, as well as any oil revenues from digging up the back 40 up there on the north slope, will make her even more of a beauty queen for all those whiskered beer drinking men and women who live gladly in 40 below zero. She finally made it!! She's Ms. Alaska.

Uh! Oh! This bimbo wants to be Ms. America, too. Let's all hope that pride cometh before............

Would you buy a used car from this lady? If you do, don't ask her how it works. She wouldn't know. She just loves to sell.

Anonymous said...

So far we have only heard from the committed. The Republicans would vote for Anna Nicole Smith, if she were alive and their candidate. I am glad we are getting this nonsense out of the way early. Sarah Palin will not be allowed to hide for the rest of the campaign. She WILL be exposed!

To be honest, it would be very difficult for me to vote for anyone but a Democrat. This is because the Republicans are, for the most part, nazi pigs. This election and next president will be chosen by the real undecided, which is a very thin wedge of society.

I will also say this. McCain is too old to be president and Palin is too stupid. There, I said it. This is just a scientific fact.

So have some faith. We WILL prevail or my name isn't.........davethedog

Anonymous said...

Obama committed another error in judgment with the lipstick quip. He surely knew that Palin's 'lipstick on a bulldog' comment scored a lot of points with certain folks. The juxtaposition of his comment so recent in time to hers had to get a backlash. He did it in a spirit of humor as is obvious by the fact that the audience howled with laughter as soon as he mentioned the word lipstick. The obvious association was in reference to Palin's remark. His attempt at humor backfired on him. He should have known better than to choose those words in such close context to hers. He may have been talking in the main about putting lipstick on Bush's abysmal presidency, but he was also poking fun at Palin and it bit him on the ass. Don't get self-rightous, Randy, because the Democrats play the same games. And, you said that things could get testy when her core religious beliefs are examined. You seem to have blown off the fact that Obama has been seeped in black liberation theology which teaches that white men collectively are the Anti-Christ. If any white candidate went to a church for 20 years that taught that black people are the Anti-Christ, that candidate would be banished from the planet. Your double standard is glaring, but then our biases tend to blind all of us. And finally, feminism has morped into many different subgroups since the militant 60's with all of the bra-burning radicalism. Many feminists are more moderate these days and many of them are Christian, conservative and are attracted to Palin. So be careful lest you insult them like many of your ilk and cause more of them to cross over to Palin. If the far left doesn't cool it in her regard they may unwittingly throw the election to McCain/Palin.

Anonymous said...

not to mention Connie Francis knows something about womens' rights.

Anonymous said...

Liberals are finding out that they too have to walk through the mine field of political correctness that they have created over the years to force conservatives into conformity to certain liberal ideological positions. They are being ensnared by the very tomfoolery that they have created. How I long for the days when America was a free country where one could freely speak his/her mind, but alas, we are all sinking in the politically correct morass that the libs have been fashioning for the past 40 years.

Anonymous said...

I think the over-arching issue for Dems and Republicans in this election is that Mrs. Palin is the Gov of "THE" oil state. The latest Business week mag has an interview with her and she answers the question of first priority; "Energy/National Security" and states that Alaska is quite ready and cabable of drilling and producing oil, (she said she ought to know as gov etc..) anyway the point being, the latter half of the republican ticket is an Oil hawk from the biggest oil reseve state in the US, and I think the idea of drilling oil and producing gas for the American masses, will sell very well to the populace. I think that is/was the # 1 strategy that was pursued when picking Mrs. Palin. I believe they will be selling the idea of security/oil/conservation and they are the Folks (Mrs. Palin anyway) that have experience in these matters.
Pat R.

Father Farken said...

Okeh! Obama was speaking about the McKane policies but the "pig in Lipstick" remark was a clever way of shooting the bird at McKane's choice for veep as well...kind of like when he was really giving Hillary the finger during their debate...pretending that he was just scratching the side of his face! Frayser boys pick up on these things. If McKane had said that Obama's policies were as sticky as a "Tar Baby"...you would probably notice that something deeper was going on. Something like Racism. Let's face it ...women & blacks have reason to be a bit sensitive...but if Obama loses it will probably be not the color of his skin but because of the thin-ness of it.
But I have a confession to make...even though Obama gave one of the most inspiring acceptance speeches of all time I...uh...uh... have a crush on(O LORD forgive me!)Sarah Palin. I have always had a thing about Lipstick & Dynomite! Just last night I dreamed I had lipstick on my clergy collar...I won't even mention the sqealing! Peace on yah & also on you! FrFergusFarken

Anonymous said...

Don't feel bad Fr. Farken,I think she's HOT too and I'm a girl(who likes boys) She's hot but I don't want HOT in the Big House.I want Smart,very smart in the Big House. The sad thing is, is that we don't know if girlie-girl is smart. Cute,yes, but hell I'm cute and you for sure don't want my ass in office.

Anonymous said...

Dear Anon.9/11(2:52)! Please don't count yourself out so quickly! I have this Big Office in Harlemmm-mmm-mmm-mmm.

Anonymous said...

Did you mention Harlem? Hit it boys! "Up in Harlem there was a table for two! There would be the 4 of us! Me...your Big feets & You! above dem ankles you sure are sweet...but down below there are just too much feet. I Sez your feets too big! YA DAH YA DAH! YAH YA DAH!

Anonymous said...

I bet Obama talks like Fats when he is out of sight of whitey.

Anonymous said...

I wonder how intelligent Obama would be if he got black genes from his mother rather than white genes. He would probably be as stupid as a brass pig. Herrnstein and Murray's book The Bell Curve just about guarantees that would be the case. And another thing, how come when anyone is half black and half white they are always considered to be black. Why not white?

Anonymous said...

Due to the findings of The Bell Curve, it is a natural fact that blacks are less intelligent than the rest of humanity. I wonder if there is a correlation between intelligence and violence. That may explain why blacks are so violent. I read where some scientist has proposed that blacks may be a sub-species of Homo sapiens (knowing or intelligent man) and if that is the case they should be designated as Homo stupidiens.

Anonymous said...

Obama's father was an irresponsible, womanizing alcoholic and his mother was a free-spirited hippy girl who evidently would screw a snake. He did pretty well at overcoming his gene pool. So let's give the guy some credit.

Anonymous said...

Here is a confession from a former Bush supporter. Bush's presidency has been an unmitigated disaster. The bogus war aside, he has been asleep at the wheel while the corporate crooks on Wall Street have ransacked the country due to lack of regulatory over sight. This could only have happened because he was in bed with them. He is a Judas who has sold out every man, woman, and child in this country for a few pieces of silver. The most liberal person in the world could not have done worse. I'll bet you libs are having involuntary orgasms by reading such a thing from a die-hard conservative.

Anonymous said...

Dear Anonymous Racist of the "cognitive elite"! Have you raised your ugly head just to energize the base & to preserve the mansions on the hills from the menace of the slums. Maybe a Kluxer like you needs a bigger hood for your tie-dyed robe and pen-headed noggin. We feel privileged that you left your secret meeting of The National Longitudinal Study of Scientific Bigotry, Bullshit and Hatred to spew Naziesque propaganda about how Caucasoid intelligence is so much superior than everyone else's on this planet. What happened at the Stock market yesterday? Too many of what you would call the collective biological illiterates in the wood pile? Why not? You blame us for everything else anyway! Isn't it funny that you the so called Superior don't know a damn thing about being human...YOU SOULESS BASTARD! Why don't you try to excell at being human! FOR THE SAKE OF THE WORLD! To all those who have ever felt excluded, rejected, turned back, cast out, sent on their way, refused admittance...THIS WAS FOR YOU!Truly! SIREEN

Anonymous said...

Sireen, you gave him what he wanted. The best response to negativity is simply to ignore it.

Anonymous said...

Ignore my foot. Sireen you should have told him, 'I cut yo haid muh fuh!' But on second thought that might have provided him with more evidence for his position.

Randy Haspel said...

A postscript to this GOP stunt: After the McPain campalin team was ridiculed from all sides, no "official" surrogate brought the subject up again, proving they knew it was horseshit but shoveled it anyway. After the Wall Street panic, however, the fun and games are over and when the debates begin, "lipstick" won't be on the list of topics to discuss.

Anonymous said...

The current financial crisis is due to pressure from both the Bush administration and congress to make home loans available to low and marginal income people. They were called 'ninja loans' meaning the recipients had no income, and no jobs or assets. Bush wanted to be able to say that more people owned their own homes under his administration than any other, but it backfired on him. The low or marginal income folks couldn't keep up with their payments and then walked away and were foreclosed on. The loans should never have been made in the first place. We are a country without adequate leadership. However, both parties were guilty of pushing for these irresponsible loans. And just wait until universal health care is added to our fiscal mess. Can you spell 'depression'?

ol hippie said...

Mr. Sputnik
I used one of your articles on my website at http://HippiesToday.com it just seemed to fit so well and I had been struggeling to find what a hippie is and how to get old hippies to rise up again. I have not been able to reach you to ask your permission to use your piece, so I guess thats what I am doing now although it is already published. It could be removed if you object to it being used on the site.Let me know,sir.--Ol' Hippie

Anonymous said...

Dear anonymous formerly known as racist! I am most sorry for the name calling that I participated in & beg forgiveness...I extend my hand to you in peace. Not so long ago I made a deal with The Watcher that we would try to bridge our relationships with the peeps of different races. I do not want this to become another BRIDGE TO NO WHERE. They say when it comes to the size of the brain SIZE MATTERS! And I must say with your over sized bell curved shaped noggin you are most well endowed intellectually. I do hope that compensates for any shortfall in any other area of your manhood! And though The Watcher & I have made great strides in peacemaking we still have a lot a work a head of us...for instance he blamed the current financial crisis on loans made to low & marginal income people...loans to 'ninjas'. Watch it! Watcher! I know a code word when I see one! I knew it wouldn't be long before we would be blamed for burning down Wall St. Now a word to Mr. Ol Hippie! You are a thief & a charlatan! Get your hands off Mr.Sputnik's brilliant material unless you are willing to shell out the big bucks. And by the way! Your website can't compare with Randy's Born Again Hippies blog. And what's all that Pink-Power! Don't get me wrong... I pitch for a ladies league softball team & some of my best friends are...uh never mind. About your website...Lose the hot pink...it is just way to loud & boisterous. Yours in Christ! SIREEN

Anonymous said...

Sireen, volume-wise I am sure that many more bad loans were made to poor whites than to any other group. I wasn't thinking of blacks, I was thinking of all of those who could not make their motgage payments. Foreclosures are the source of the problem and in my opinion the blame goes to greedy, wealthy people who hood-winked the poor into signing for loans that they were not in a position to handle. So, the ones who should be bull-whipped over this issue are the greedy assholes the vast majority of whom are in my clan. I do not fault the poor who were duped. It was the CAPITALIST PIGS who brought this economic mess on and it was Bush and his gang of dolts who allowed them to do it.

Anonymous said...

Forgive me for running around half cocked. I will try to keep my hormones in check. Mr. Watcher! You have explained the situation beautifully but please refrain from using the word clan while addressing me! It makes me fill a little bit uneasy. Question! Do these capitalist pigs where lipstick & which of these candidates do you think can help our ailing nation the most?
Yours truly, SIREEN

Anonymous said...

Capitalist pigs come from all parts of the spectrum. Call them what you will- liberal, conservative, Republican, Democratic, etc. Some of the biggest capitalist pigs are very wealthy, and otherwise, very liberal people. I shudder to think about the future in regard to either of the candidiates. I am quite libertarian and blue collar at heart. My guy apparently doesn't exist. But I wanted someone with some economics sense, so I was kind of pulling for Romney. Whip me, beat me but, I think that we are up a creek with either of the current candidates.

Anonymous said...

Dear Sputnik:

I wrote the music to "Lipstick On Your Collar" and really got a big kick out of your blog! It's awesome! Thanks for posting your autographed picture of our beloved Connie! (She changed my life with 5 words - "Ok I'll take this one!") I also wrote the music to "Half Heaven - Half Heartache" (Gene Pitney) "Please Don't Talk To The Lifeguard" & others. Was part of the Brill Building scene. It's great knowing you're also a fellow songwriter as well as a fellow Born-Again Hippie! How cool is that!
Cheers! George

Randy Haspel said...

George,
So happy you wrote. I had the occasion to work with Jack Keller when I lived in Nashville in the 80s, but nothing ever got written because I was always asking about the Brill Bldg. and trying to convince him that the Baionne beat would work in country music. I listen to Gene Pitney about every week on my personal disc, and as my wife will attest, when "Half Heaven" comes on, I jack up the volume and no one can talk until the final note. I think "Half Heaven, Half Heartache" is one of the finest pop songs of all time, as Pitney was one of the greatest singers. You should be rightly proud of the great artistry in that record. From the strings to the back-up vocals, that is one hell of a composition. Bravo, sir, and I hope you keep checking up on the blog.
Best,
Randy Haspel

Anonymous said...

Randy, I think that George is saying that he is a born again hippie in the spiritual, Christian sense. I guess that he will realize soon enough that you are using the term in a completely different sense.

Anonymous said...

Dear Randy: Very glad to hear back from you! I just Googled you and am very impressed. Just ordered both "From Sun To Sun" and "Memphis Beat" CD's. Looking forward to hearing them.

Yes, I remember Jack Keller. What a talent. He certainly did well with Connie too with those 3 top 10 country songs. My favorite is "Breakin In A Brand New Broken Heart!" Love that tune!

Randy, I'm glad you like "Half Heaven" so much. Yes, I'm really proud of that song. Can you imagine how I felt hearing Gene's recording for the first time? When those strings you mentioned appeared I just about fell off the chair. Definitely a PEAK experience! (Which reminds me, Anonymous, you'll be happy to know I'm a Born-Again Hippie in the HIPPIE sense!)

Peace!

George