In an interview with late night host David Letterman on Wednesday, Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama maintained that his controversial “Lipstick On A Pig” comment was not directed toward Republican VP nomiinee Sarah Palin.

“This is a sort of silly season in politics, not that there’s a non-silly season, but it gets sillier. And it’s a common expression in at least Illinois. I don’t know about New York City. I don’t know what you put lipstick on here.”

“Just calling [ideas] change, calling them different doesn’t make it better, hence lipstick on a pig,” the Illinois senator explained.

“Keep in mind, technically, had I meant it this way, she [Palin] would be the lipstick … The failed policies of John McCain would be the pig … just following the logic of this illogical situation.”