Obama Talks Lipstick, Change With Letterman

Presidential candidate Barack Obama appeared on the Late Show with David Letterman and continued to speak out against the "phony outrage" of the McCain-Palin campaign over the lipstick on a pig remarks. Letterman asked Obama if he ever actually put lipstick on a pig at about the 1:00 mark in the clip above. Obama was playful, and eventually pointed out that if one were to actually follow the logic of the McCain-Palin camp illogic, Palin would be the lipstick in the situation. Letterman, for his part, enjoyed the fact that the Republicans actually had to have a meeting to demand an apology from Obama.

Obama also poked fun at himself at not being media darling du jour. But there were some serious questions: Letterman asked whether Obama would have chosen someone different (Hillary Clinton?) if John McCain had picked Palin first (Letterman also called the selection of Palin "calculated...no doubt about it"). Obama said he wanted someone who can give him good ideas and good advice when he's making big ideas--and that's Joe Biden.

In the clip after the jump, Obama discusses Sepetember 11 and gives Giuliani credit and discusses some foreign policy.

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By Jen Chung in News on September 11, 2008 8:49 AM

Comments [rss]

huffybike

And see, this right here is the salient point!

There's more from the interview here.

dr zippy

I've got no love for McCain/Palin but anyone thinking they are going to "get destroyed in their respective debates" doesn't understand the nature of the debates.

These will not be debates where there is back and forth between candidates as they explore issues in-depth, these are contests to see who can hit their talking points the best without saying something perceived as really dumb. McCain is a long-time senator who knows how to do be glib in this format as well as anyone (see the Saddleback Church forum). Obama, while giving much more thoughtful and visionary responses comes off as ponderous.

TooTallJeff

@9: The interesting thing about the Nixon-Kennedy debate is that those who heard it on the radio thought it was even. It was the Sweaty TV Nixon (now with kung fu grip!) that people remember. The people who watched the debate thought Kennedy won handily.

Dirk

McCain and Palin are going to get destroyed in their respective debates.

It's disappointing to see what happened to McCain. He is a broken man who sold himself out to the religious right.

spiritross

The debates my friends

wait for the debates

The old man doesn't stand a chance

Its gonna be like Nixon vs Kennedy

handsomedevil

The is a good example of Barack speaking well extemporaneously. You say "um" a few times and people jump all over your shit, but he's actualy miles better than Blinky McMonotone.

zodak

faprilano, you're suggesting the naive strategy that sunk kerry.

fugothamist

it be nice if you guys didnt cover politics so much, i come here to get away from all that

i dunno, maybe i'm in the minority here

TooTallJeff

*grandmother sorry

TooTallJeff

Letterman's best line: "At 86, are you worried your mother might vote for someone closer to her age?"

brooklyngeorge

Well played on both sides. Great interview. Recall! Letterman for VP!

faprilano

he needs to stop talking about this ridiculous play on words and get back to hammering the issues. by continuing to deal with this petty little issue, he is lowering himself to the mccain campaign tactics and he is not helping is cause in any way. move on barack!!!!!!!