Obama, McCain camps jab over 'lipstick'
— -- The presidential race turned a few more notches negative Wednesday, despite promises by the candidates to run a "civil" campaign.
"This was the real kickoff of a nasty, negative campaign that will become ever more familiar in coming weeks," said Larry Sabato, professor of politics at the University of Virginia.
Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama and his Republican counterpart, John McCain, traded acerbic accusations that began after Obama likened McCain's promise of change to putting "lipstick on a pig."
As part of its response, the McCain campaign released a Web video Wednesday that accused Obama of indirectly insulting vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin. "Ready to lead? No," the video says of Obama. "Ready to Smear? Yes."
Later in the day, Obama said McCain and other Republicans are guilty of spreading "lies and phony outrage."
Back in June, Obama predicted a "civil, substantive" debate when McCain called to congratulate him after the Illinois senator wrapped up the nomination.
Since then, "the race has heated up," and the rhetoric and the ads will continue to reflect that, predicts William Benoit, communications professor and political advertising expert at the University of Missouri.
"A lot of politicians are drinking their own Kool-Aid and they really believe some of these twisted or incorrect facts that they're spouting," adds Brooks Jackson, director of the non-partisan FactCheck.org project of the Annenberg Public Policy Center. He heads a team that "truth-squads" assertions in campaign ads and by candidates during debates and in speeches.
The tempest began during a campaign stop in Lebanon, Va., Tuesday. Obama said that he believes McCain would continue many of President Bush's economic policies, and would not bring "change" to Washington.
"You can put lipstick on a pig. It's still a pig," Obama then said, employing a common expression that politicians of both parties, including McCain and Vice President Cheney have used before.
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