TPMDC
« Former Sestak Aide Now Working On Political Campaign...For Joe Sestak | Home | New National Review Cover Features Dr. Obama -- Putting On A Glove... »

Republican Columnist Uses Fake Franken Photo

Here's yet another example of how Republicans across the country are becoming just a little unbalanced over the victory of Sen.-elect Al Franken.

Last week, soon after Franken's win became official, Cincinnati Enquirer columnist Peter Bronson put up a blog post that included a curious photo of Franken in an adult diaper, wearing bunny ears and holding a teddy bear. Bronson suggested Republicans use this photo for an ad, with the heading: "Is this who you want making decisions about your health care?"

The thing is, though, the photo is a fake. It was doctored up by the Ohio Republican Party back in 2006, in an attempt to attack Democrat Sherrod Brown for campaigning with Franken in Brown's Senate race, using Franken's face from a 2004 AP file photo of him at his radio show desk. And the Enquirer itself reported this at the time. In an indication of just how successful the attack was, Brown easily won the race.

Funny thing: The title of Bronson's blog is "Bronson is Always Right." I'll also say that I have something in common with Republicans, in that I kind of wish this photo were real -- but probably for a much different reason than they do.

Late Update:: The Enquirer has now replaced the photo, with a pic of Franken in the role of Stuart Smalley. "Note: This picture replaces an earlier one that was photoshopped (Franken in a diaper)," the editorial note says. "We don't knowingly use false pictures."

Late Late Update: The Enquirer now appears to have taken the whole post down -- the link above resolves to the main page of Bronson's blog. Bronson -- who is always right, of course -- has put up a new blog post (for now) admitting that the diaper photo isn't real, and explaining that he replaced it with a Stuart Smalley pic. This new post, in which he admits his own error, is entitled "Changing Al Franken's diaper."


15 Comments

| Leave a comment
user-pic

Perhaps they just photo-shopped Franken's head on David Vitter if it is someone in a diaper.

user-pic

Bronson's blog has been updated with a different phot - one of Franken as Stuart Smalley. Below that photo is this note:

Note: This picture replaces an earlier one that was photoshopped (Franken in a diaper). We don't knowingly use false pictures.

I like how they still (uneccessarily) describe the fake photo...and claim they didn't know the photo was fake (so much for fact checking).

Cleary, Mr. Bronson is an asshole.

user-pic

That photo must have come from Larry Craig's collection.

user-pic

"We don't knowingly use false pictures".

No, you unknowingly use false pictures. This absolves the Enquirer how, exactly? They weren't deliberately trying to smear Senator Franken, but thanks to their own ineptitude, they did, anyway?

user-pic

We're not dishonest. We're just incompetent. That's soooo much better.

user-pic

"Reckless disregard" is the apt term here, I believe.

user-pic

This reminds me of Fox "mistakenly" putting a D next to any Republican who has an ethics problem...

user-pic

I am particularly enjoying this as my idiot Senator Cornyn (Big John, Mr. Big Hat who got the big BOOS this weekend at the Tea Party)swore that Senator Franken (I like that) would never be seated.

I hope what really frightens the RIGHT is that great wit is a sign of a good thinker. Senator Franken has proven his great wit. Let the games begin!

user-pic

We don't knowingly use false pictures?!? Sure you do. A kindergartner could take one look at that picture and see that it is photoshopped.

user-pic

The post appears to have.... vanished. Even the purported link in Bronson's follow-up post that's "supposed" to link to the original is dead. Gee, I wonder what happened over at the Enquirer. Getting roasted in the comments, Petey boy? Is disappearing the post yet another example of the Republican fighting spirit?

"Bronson is always right." I guess that depends on the meaning of the word "right".

user-pic

Yes, it seems to have been axed. But now there's this:

http://tinyurl.com/mtbhno

"Changing Al Franken's diaper"

I mean this is just so friggin' juvenile. Unbelievable!

user-pic

And "is", "always" and "Bronson".

user-pic

Is it any wonder than the idea and function of "parody" is totally lost on rightwing nitwits like Bronson?

(Let's also not overlook the implied homophobia here.)

user-pic

They removed Jonah Goldberg's head and replaced it with Franken's?

user-pic

Now is the time for of us to work together to heal our country.
Stop this ridiculing every body and thinking all the time how to insult and hurt those who have a diffrent picture from others. Things can be corrected by kindness and tolerance.
And lets help so called christians to be real christians. This all is possible with some tolerance and kindness.

Leave a comment

Advertisement
Please disable your adblocker!
Ads are how we pay the bills!

Subscribe

Josh
Marshall

Bio

Matt
Cooper

Bio

Eric
Kleefeld

Bio

Brian
Beutler

Bio

Advertise Liberally
Share
Close Social Web Email

"To" Email Address

Your Name

Your Email Address