Walberg calls altered image in his ad ‘not a biggie’

Tim Walberg, the Republican candidate for the U.S. House from the 7th District of Michigan, told the Michigan Messenger Monday evening as he was going into a public event that the Photoshopped image at the end of one of his campaign commercials wasn’t “a biggie.”

Michigan Messenger reported last week that the image was taken from the Michigan State University website, and had originally featured members of the MSU debate team. They were in Washington, D.C. being honored by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi for winning a national title in debate. That photo was altered by the Walberg campaign to remove the team members and coaches, and put Pelosi and Democratic Rep. Mark Schauer (D-Bedford) side by side.

“I’ll tell you what … if you guys want to make an issue of this … well it’s not a biggie, now is it?”" Walberg said as he entered Parkside Middle School in Jackson.

When pressed about the ad, Walberg asked why the media was not writing about a Photoshop image in a Schauer commercial which put Walberg and Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. The ad was produced by Blue Green Alliance of Conservation voters, an independent group. The Photoshopped image puts Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in a fake poster frame with Walberg and Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah, reports the Jackson Citizen Patriot. It does not, however, attempt to make it look as though they were actually embracing each other in a real photograph.

The Photoshopped image of Schauer and Pelosi appears in an ad created by Walberg’s media team, Jamestown Associates. That company was recently fired by the National Republican Senatorial Committee for posting a casting call for actors with a “hickey blue collar look.” The ad they were casting was an attack ad to be run in West Virginia, reports Politico.

Federal Elections reports show since July 2010, Walberg has paid Jamestown Associates $101,885.50 for services including television ads, literature and mailings.

Messenger asked Walberg if he was concerned that he offended MSU students and debate officials with the image, and he responded, “The concern for me is that Mark Schauer votes for more taxes.”

Walberg closed the conversation by saying he “appreciates” the MSU students and “looks forward to seeing them in Washington, D.C.” after he is elected.

“Congressman Walberg’s message to college students is clear – his job is more important than yours. After all, this is the same extreme candidate who supports abolishing the Department of Education, and said he sees ‘no place for the federal government in education,’” responded Schauer spokesperson Zach Pohl. “While Congressman Walberg is busy Photoshopping pictures in a desperate attempt to win back his old job, Mark Schauer will keep working to make higher education more affordable for Michigan families and students.”