By now many of you fanatical Web gossip hounds have come across the story of a photo faux-pas involving NJ Republican Bret Schundler. It turns out a photo on the merch section of his primary campaign site had featured a photo that had been doctored by DC marketing company Big Fish. The image originally featured Howard Dean backed by a throng of supporters. The altered pic replaced Dean with Schundler and replaced Dean related paraphernalia -- a ballcap and poster -- with Schundler shtuff. PoliticsNJ.com has a comparison of the original and subsequent bastardization.

Honestly, I don't think this reflects poorly on Schundler at all as a candidate. I highly doubt he was involved with the decision making process for an image on his website, which he couldn't possibly have time for in the midst of a very contentious primary campaign. However, it's a big foul for Big Fish (or "big fowl" if you like puns). According to the firm's website, it created direct mail and other collateral for Republican and Democratic candidates and issue advocacy groups before the 2004 election (including Dean's primary campaign).

I'm not sure whether the image was used anywhere other than the one page on the site, but it's kinda obvious that the photo was doctored. If it was that necessary to have a photo of the candidate and his supporters, surely there was one or two floating around the campaign headquarters, no? If not and they just HAD to have that sort of image, there are plenty of places to find non-copyrighted images for free or purchase copyrighted images. I mean...hello...hadn't the Big Fish lackey who created the image heard of Photodisc? Of course, concocting images from found parts wouldn't be too kosher in this case either.

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