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| Obama rejects 'lipstick' charge | Obama rejects 'lipstick' charge |
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| The US Democratic presidential candidate has denied claims of sexism after likening his rival's promise of change to putting "lipstick on a pig". | The US Democratic presidential candidate has denied claims of sexism after likening his rival's promise of change to putting "lipstick on a pig". |
| Barack Obama said Republican John McCain's outrage was "phoney", a diversion from debating real issues. | Barack Obama said Republican John McCain's outrage was "phoney", a diversion from debating real issues. |
| The controversy began on Tuesday after Mr Obama said his rival was advocating change while pursuing the politics of the current Bush administration. | The controversy began on Tuesday after Mr Obama said his rival was advocating change while pursuing the politics of the current Bush administration. |
| Mr McCain's campaign accused him of smearing running mate Sarah Palin. | Mr McCain's campaign accused him of smearing running mate Sarah Palin. |
| Mrs Palin joked last week that lipstick was all that separated a "hockey mom" and a pitbull. | Mrs Palin joked last week that lipstick was all that separated a "hockey mom" and a pitbull. |
| 'Made-up' controversy | 'Made-up' controversy |
| Mr Obama made the remark during a rally in Virginia where he accused the McCain campaign of trying suddenly to adopt the promise of change - a platform he himself has been running on for months. | Mr Obama made the remark during a rally in Virginia where he accused the McCain campaign of trying suddenly to adopt the promise of change - a platform he himself has been running on for months. |
| Drawing a link between the Republican senator for Arizona and President George W Bush, he suggested change would be impossible for Mr McCain to achieve. | Drawing a link between the Republican senator for Arizona and President George W Bush, he suggested change would be impossible for Mr McCain to achieve. |
| The famously thin-skinned porcine population of the US is up in trotters about the imputation of cross-dressing Matt FreiBBC World News America Pigs and lipstick | |
| "You can put lipstick on a pig. It's still a pig. You can wrap up an old fish in a piece of paper and call it change. It's still going to stink after eight years. We've had enough." | "You can put lipstick on a pig. It's still a pig. You can wrap up an old fish in a piece of paper and call it change. It's still going to stink after eight years. We've had enough." |
| Mrs Palin, a self-described "hockey mom", made her joke about lipstick during a speech at the Republican National Convention last Wednesday. | Mrs Palin, a self-described "hockey mom", made her joke about lipstick during a speech at the Republican National Convention last Wednesday. |
| Soon after Mr Obama's comments, McCain aides produced an election campaign ad referring to "sexism in American life", and accusing the Illinois senator of "smearing" Mrs Palin, governor of Alaska. | Soon after Mr Obama's comments, McCain aides produced an election campaign ad referring to "sexism in American life", and accusing the Illinois senator of "smearing" Mrs Palin, governor of Alaska. |
| And there was speculation that Mr Obama might apologise, but he took a more aggressive line, says the BBC's Kevin Connolly in Washington. | And there was speculation that Mr Obama might apologise, but he took a more aggressive line, says the BBC's Kevin Connolly in Washington. |
| He dismissed the "made-up controversy" on Wednesday - defending his remark as an "innocent expression". | He dismissed the "made-up controversy" on Wednesday - defending his remark as an "innocent expression". |
| Mr Obama said his comments had been taken out of context. | Mr Obama said his comments had been taken out of context. |
| Advertisement | Advertisement |
| Republican advert attacks Obama | Republican advert attacks Obama |
| "The McCain campaign would much rather have the story about phoney and foolish diversions than about the future," the Illinois senator said. | "The McCain campaign would much rather have the story about phoney and foolish diversions than about the future," the Illinois senator said. |
| Republicans may well try to keep the controversy going, although one difficulty for them is that John McCain has himself used the offending phrase, our Washington correspondent says. | Republicans may well try to keep the controversy going, although one difficulty for them is that John McCain has himself used the offending phrase, our Washington correspondent says. |
| Mr McCain had used the same analogy to criticise a health care plan presented by former Democratic presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton last year. | Mr McCain had used the same analogy to criticise a health care plan presented by former Democratic presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton last year. |
| The row erupted as a new poll by the Wall Street Journal and NBC News suggested that Mr Obama and Mr McCain were in a statistical dead heat. Mr Obama held a lead of several points earlier this summer. | The row erupted as a new poll by the Wall Street Journal and NBC News suggested that Mr Obama and Mr McCain were in a statistical dead heat. Mr Obama held a lead of several points earlier this summer. |
| Another poll by CNN and the Opinion Research Foundation also put the rival candidates in a statistical tie, with Mr Obama polling 49% to Mr McCain's 48%. | Another poll by CNN and the Opinion Research Foundation also put the rival candidates in a statistical tie, with Mr Obama polling 49% to Mr McCain's 48%. |
| The latest Gallup daily tracking poll of registered voters gave Mr McCain a lead of 49% to Mr Obama's 44%. | The latest Gallup daily tracking poll of registered voters gave Mr McCain a lead of 49% to Mr Obama's 44%. |