Sarah and Sarah sans Lipstick

On September 10, Jack Tapper posted a piece on the Political Punch Blog titled "Obama on Letterman: If That's What I'd Meant, Palin Would Be the Lipstick, 'McCain's Failed Policies' the Pig." The piece, containing mostly quotes from Obama himself, is worth reading.

Notably, it contains this account of Letterman's late-night TV dialogue with Obama:

To audience laughter, Obama says, "In Illinois, the expression connotes the idea that if you have a bad idea -- in this case, I was talking about John McCain’s economic plans -- that just calling them change, calling it something different doesn’t make it better. Hence, lipstick on a pig is still a pig."

"What I like about this scenario is because they -– the Republicans -- demanded an apology," Letterman says, "so that means there had been a meeting at some point somewhere along the line (of) they got together and said, 'You know what? He called our vice presidential candidate a pig.' Well, that seems pretty unlikely, doesn’t it?"

"It does," agrees Obama. "Keep in mind that, technically had I meant it this way –- she would be the lipstick!"

To-day, I posted this comment on Tapper's Blog:

All I wanted to say here and "right now" -- not discordantly I hope (yes, hope) -- is that Sarah Palin's first name makes her the namesake of Obama's Kenyan grandmother, whose first name is Sarah too. But you knew that already!

Would Sarah invite Sarah to Alaska, after Obama's inauguration January 20th next? That would be a truly wonderful global connect. In doing so, Sarah would have the opportunity to ask Sarah what her middle name is, or how it came about that there is such a meme at Kogelo.

There is a history there worth hearing: of journeys from Alego and sojourns in the Kendu Bay area and all the way back to Alego.

And Sarah would, graciously, accept an invitation to Kogelo. And it would be doubly wonderful.
But Sarah wouldn't stay more than a day or two in Alaska, far from it; and far as that place is from anywhere (except the Siberian permafrost)!

There is no permalink there!

Nor will she in Washington, D.C., glorious as what will have brought her to that world capital may be (she's made that abundantly clear to all who understand Kiswahili and Dholuo).

See, she doesn't care much for winter! Don't ask me if she has ever felt its full freeze -- its relentless squeeze upon the ear, outdoors -- as I have. And a bunch of "unaccomplished" thieves, knowing she is away, might try again (as they did this week) to break into her iconic home at Kogelo.

She has a home there, you see, not a house. The difference was settled long ago.

In D.C., however, she will not wonder why a whole nation, with all that wealth, will want her grandson to put up in a house, and not a home, even if it be the House. She knows the difference in these things, and she loves the thought.

Let me add: Alego's Sarah and Alaska's Sarah are worlds apart, but they share thir deep love of family -- though Mama is the more reticent. And they share another thing -- their belief in the value and durability of families. However, to Alego's Sarah, unlike Alaska's -- I dare say -- lipsticks are for others. For her they would be dwanyruok!