--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You can put lipstick on a pig. It's still…" description: "\"You can put lipstick on a pig. It's still a pig.\" — Barack Obama" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da5/barack-obama-17_funny_you-can-put-lipstick-on-a-pig-it-s-still_2047789.jpg" --- # You can put lipstick on a pig. It's still a pig. ![“You can put lipstick on a pig. It's still a pig.” quote by Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da5/barack-obama-17_funny_you-can-put-lipstick-on-a-pig-it-s-still_2047789.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da5/barack-obama-17_funny_you-can-put-lipstick-on-a-pig-it-s-still_2047789.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da5/barack-obama-17_funny_you-can-put-lipstick-on-a-pig-it-s-still_2047789.jpg) > “You can put lipstick on a pig. It's still a pig.” [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Superficial changes don’t alter fundamental nature; true change requires deeper transformation. **In simple terms:** Lipstick on a pig stays a pig. Key Takeaway Focus on substantive change. Themes politics communication metaphor truth change Mood cautious direct Type political educational When to use this quote - campaign messaging - public health initiatives - education reform Key Concepts critical thinking public perception policy reform Questions to Reflect On - What deeper changes are needed? - How can we avoid superficial solutions? A Different Perspective Surface fixes may mislead audiences. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Funny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/funny/) [Sarcastic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sarcastic/) ## Related quotes > [I think they put some lipstick on a pig, but it's still a pig.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/i-think-they-put-some-lipstick-on-a-pig-but-it-s-still-a-pig/) [John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) > [“I've found that when someone is beautiful on the outside, but spiritually dark inside, all that outer beauty is just lipstick on a pig.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-paul-evans/i-ve-found-that-when-someone-is-beautiful-on-the-outside-but/) [Richard Paul Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-paul-evans/) > [“It was lipstick on a pig, as Nana Mae would say. Nothing changed the guts of the thing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharla-lovelace/it-was-lipstick-on-a-pig-as-nana-mae-would-say-nothing-changed-the/) [Sharla Lovelace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharla-lovelace/) > [When you have a 12-minute debate over whether lipstick on a pig refers to a demeaning comment about the vice presidential candidate, you know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/newt-gingrich/when-you-have-a-12-minute-debate-over-whether-lipstick-on-a-pig/) [Newt Gingrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/newt-gingrich/) > [The big story today, Barack Obama was accused of insulting Sarah Palin when he criticized Republican policies by saying, you can put lipstick on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conan-o-brien/the-big-story-today-barack-obama-was-accused-of-insulting-sarah-palin/) [Conan O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conan-o-brien/) > [“Tweaking bad Web content is just putting lipstick on a pig.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-meerman-scott/tweaking-bad-web-content-is-just-putting-lipstick-on-a-pig/) [David Meerman Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-meerman-scott/) > [I was watching a documentary that during the Bay of Pigs crisis JFK had about two weeks before anybody reported on it. Imagine that.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-was-watching-a-documentary-that-during-the-bay-of-pigs-crisis-jfk/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [I can be much more sarcastic and, I think, sometimes withering in my assessments of things than I allow to show in my public…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-can-be-much-more-sarcastic-and-i-think-sometimes-withering-in-my/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [years ago we would have been burned for this. 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Smile. And keep putting on lipstick.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-keaton/just-have-fun-smile-and-keep-putting-on-lipstick/) [Diane Keaton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-keaton/) > [“In 1770, British parliament banned lipstick, saying it had the power to seduce men into marriage, which was classified as witchcraft.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dianna-agron/in-1770-british-parliament-banned-lipstick-saying-it-had-the-power-to/) [Dianna Agron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dianna-agron/) ## More by Barack Obama > [So here's what I want you to know, and here's what I want all our men and women in uniform to know: Because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/so-here-s-what-i-want-you-to-know-and-here-s-what-i-want-all-our-men/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [The peaceful transition of power is one of the hallmarks of our democracy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/the-peaceful-transition-of-power-is-one-of-the-hallmarks-of-our/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [As opposed to getting into arguments about, well, these folks have been treated fairly so now we're going to be doing things that, very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/as-opposed-to-getting-into-arguments-about-well-these-folks-have-been/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Donald Trump is temperamentally unfit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/donald-trump-is-temperamentally-unfit/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [What we've said to the girls is: 'If you guys ever decide that you're going to get a tattoo, then mommy and me will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/what-we-ve-said-to-the-girls-is-if-you-guys-ever-decide-that-you-re/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Nobody is listening to your telephone calls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/nobody-is-listening-to-your-telephone-calls/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [All of us take offense to anyone who reaps the rewards of living in America without taking on the responsibilities of living in America.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/all-of-us-take-offense-to-anyone-who-reaps-the-rewards-of-living-in/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [The world is complicated and full of grays, but there's still truth there to be found.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/the-world-is-complicated-and-full-of-grays-but-there-s-still-truth/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [ That is another theme in the book \[Dreams from My Father\]. How do we exercise more empathy in our public discourse? How do we… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/that-is-another-theme-in-the-book-dreams-from-my-father-how-do-we/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [I can say across Europe that many principles that have been taken for granted here around free speech, and around civil liberties and an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-can-say-across-europe-that-many-principles-that-have-been-taken-for/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [So Americans understand the costs of war. 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I think that it refreshes our democracy. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/it-s-good-to-get-fresh-legs-in-the-white-house-i-think-that-it/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Believe it or not, entertainment is part of our American diplomacy, it is part of what makes us exceptional, part of what makes us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/believe-it-or-not-entertainment-is-part-of-our-american-diplomacy-it/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) [Explore all 3,624 Barack Obama quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) ## More Funny quotes > [You cant be controlling in improv.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-walsh/you-cant-be-controlling-in-improv/) [Matt Walsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-walsh/) > [When you step out and do a song in a musical, the easier thing to do is make it funny. 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This is a gift God gave me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracy-morgan/i-ve-been-funny-my-whole-life-this-is-a-gift-god-gave-me/) [Tracy Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracy-morgan/) > [Penis goes in , sperms cums out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikhil-saluja/penis-goes-in-sperms-cums-out/) [Nikhil Saluja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikhil-saluja/) > [If you were to send a werewolf to the moon, would he be a werewolf permanently?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristen-schaal/if-you-were-to-send-a-werewolf-to-the-moon-would-he-be-a-werewolf/) [Kristen Schaal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristen-schaal/) > [When you have a choice, choose happy!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pancho-barnes/when-you-have-a-choice-choose-happy/) Pancho Barnes > [If you can connect people, you can create the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-heiferman/if-you-can-connect-people-you-can-create-the-future/) [Scott Heiferman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-heiferman/) > [Don't think OF the market. Think AS the market.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-fishman/don-t-think-of-the-market-think-as-the-market/) Michael Fishman [Browse all 39,858 Funny quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/funny/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "You can put lipstick on a pig. 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