The Atlantic Monthly is apologizing to the McCain campaign for photographer Jill Greenberg's deliberate manipulation of a photo shoot to take unflattering pictures of the senator, and for her subsequent alteration of pictures taken during the photo shoot. She also claimed to alter the photo used on the Atlantic Monthly cover, however the magazine's editor claimed that photo was fine.
Photographer Jill Greenberg, who is vehemently anti-Republican and expressed glee that the photos would stir up conservative ire, took pictures of McCain for the cover of The Atlantic’s October issue.
During the shoot, she took several other backlit pictures, which she then doctored and posted to her site. In one photo, she added blood oozing from McCain’s shark-toothed mouth and labeled it with the caption “I am a bloodthirsty warmongerer.” In another, a caption over McCain’s head says, “I will have my girl kill Roe v. Wade,” an obvious reference to his running mate Sarah Palin’s anti-abortion positions.
Editor James Bennet said Greenberg behaved improperly and will not be paid for the session. He said the magazine is also considering a lawsuit.
“She has violated the terms of our agreement with her, of our contract with her so we’re taking steps. So we’re looking into what steps we can see to do something about that,” Bennet told FOX News, adding that he is “already drafting a letter of apology” to McCain.
“I mean this photographer went in there under our auspices to take a cover shot for us … but while she was there she behaved in an incredibly underhanded and unprofessional way,” he said.
Greenberg’s dislike for the GOP is not new. In 2004, she held an art exhibit in Los Angeles in which she displayed pictures of toddlers crying with the caption “Four More Years.” Greenberg admitted she intentionally made the toddlers cry so she could create a visual slam against President Bush.
Add this to the ravings and anti-Semitic musings of Andrew Sullivan and the Atlantic Monthly's reputation is in danger of becoming collateral damage this election season.
