ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Thursday, October 10, 1996 TAG: 9610100103
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: A-1 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: RICHMOND
U.S. Sen. John Warner admitted Wednesday that his media consultant had doctored a photograph in an effort to put his Democratic opponent, Mark Warner, in closer proximity to "liberal politicians."
The John Warner campaign issued a statement saying the 18-year Republican had no knowledge that the photograph featured in his new TV ad had been manipulated.
A corrected version of the ad will replace the one with the fake photo today, the campaign said.
The altered photograph shows a smiling President Clinton standing witness to a handshake between Mark Warner and former Virginia Gov. Douglas Wilder.
The real photo, taken at an October 1994 Democratic dinner, shows Wilder shaking hands with Democratic Sen. Charles Robb. Mark Warner was on the stage that night - standing behind Robb.
By placing Mark Warner's head on Robb's body, the John Warner campaign created a more convenient image for its ad that claims Mark Warner is a friend of "the country's most liberal politicians."
A spokesman for Mark Warner said he was outraged by the photographic sleight-of-hand and by the fact John Warner waited 24 hours before admitting the photo was a fake. The Warners are not related.
"This is a dirty political trick, and how can Virginians believe anything coming from his campaign?" said Eric Hoffman, spokesman for Mark Warner.
John Warner's campaign stands by the accuracy of the ad's content except for the photo. "It is important to point out that the substance of the ad is factual and documented, unlike those being run against Sen. Warner by his opponent," said Eric Peterson, John Warner's spokesman.
It remains to be seen what - if any - effect the faked photo will have on John Warner's commanding lead during the final four weeks before the Nov. 5 election.
Doctoring photographs is becoming more common in Virginia politics as computer technology makes it easier to manipulate images.
Last fall, then-Del. Howard Copeland of Norfolk erased fellow legislators from a photograph with Gov. George Allen, an embarrassing disclosure that contributed to Copeland's defeat. Just last month, the Allen administration doctored a photo to make it appear that sausage king Jimmy Dean was sitting next to the governor during a rafting trip.
Ethics experts say that, while the public expects politicians to twist each others' words and records, people think photographs accurately depict events.
"Photographs that look real are supposed to be real. When you change a photograph, you create a visual lie," said John Long, past president of the National Press Photographers Association.
The John Warner campaign stood by the photograph when first contacted by a Roanoke Times reporter on Tuesday. "All these photos are authentic," spokesman Eric Peterson said.
As evidence began to mount Wednesday, John Warner's aides continued to deny the photo had been doctored.
"Are they denying that Mark Warner shook hands with ethically challenged President Clinton?" asked Greg Stevens, the campaign's media consultant, who also works for Republican presidential candidate Bob Dole.
Stevens said he bought the photograph from a news service, but he refused to identify the source or let reporters examine a copy. "I'm not going to show you anything," he said before hanging up the phone.
Later, John Warner's spokesman issued a statement admitting the photo had been altered by placing Mark Warner's head on Robb's body.
"From the very beginning of this campaign, Senator Warner gave strict instructions that all references to Senator Robb be deleted as a matter of senatorial courtesy, as they work together for the good of Virginia," the statement said.
Stevens took the instructions literally and "deleted the reference to Senator Robb from a picture," the statement said.
Earlier in the day, Wilder argued that the fake photograph was part of a secret nonaggression pact between John Warner and Robb.
"Is this the payoff for Robb saying nothing bad about [John] Warner in this election? Is there a quid pro quo down the road [in 1990] when there is a contest between Robb and a Republican, where Robb could exact the same payoff?" 1. The Washington Post. BEFORE: The original photograph shows Sen. Charles Robb as the handshaker. Mark Warner's face is at the far right (B&W). 2. Landmark News Service. AFTER: The doctored photo seems to show Mark Warner and Douglas Wilder shaking hands as President Clinton beams. color.
LENGTH: Medium: 85 lines KEYWORDS: POLITICS CONGRESSby CNB