Maine Gov. Candidate Apologizes For Posing In Picture Labeling Bush 'International Terrorist'

BANGOR, Maine -- The Democratic candidate for governor of Maine is apologizing for posing with a photo of former President George Bush that labeled him as an "international terrorist."

The campaign of Libby Mitchell issued the apology following a Monday night debate in Bangor in which her Republican opponent Paul LePage accused her of being a hypocrite and disrespectful of the former president.

In her statement, Mitchell said she regretted "the possible disrespect" the photo "may show to the office of the President. I am very sorry for having posed with this item."

The Maine Democratic Party called the photo lighthearted. The party called LePage, who has been criticized for saying he would tell President Barack Obama to "go to hell," desperate.

According to Maine's WCHS:

The Democrats also explained the origin of the photo. They say it was taken in a private home and neither the home nor the photo belong to Mitchell. They say the owner of the photo received an official letter from President Bush and applied the "International Terrorist" sticker himself.

"Paul LePage is beyond desperate," said Arden Manning, Victory 2010 campaign manager, according to WMTW. "Instead of focusing on the issues that Mainers care about or conducting himself in a manner befitting the office he is running for, LePage is digging through old photos and taking them completely out of context. The truth is Paul LePage publicly cursed at the president of the United States and publicly cursed at reporters."

But the Maine GOP says that the picture shows her to be "extreme":

"Libby Mitchell showed herself in the worst of all lights tonight," Charlie Webster, chairman of the Maine Republican Party, told WMTW. "Her lecturing was hypocritical, her denial was untruthful, and her actions captured in this photo show her to be as extreme as it gets."

Click here for a full resolution version of the picture.

Comments

[sdmills27]

03:21 AM on 10/13/2010

I want people here calling Bush a war criminal to think about something. Would you call Clinton a war criminal?

[John Boyle]

05:45 AM on 10/13/2010

NO!

[Elyriaohio]

06:00 AM on 10/13/2010

If he started a war based on lies...yep. What's your point?

[FACTISFACT]

02:09 AM on 10/13/2010

I suppose Americans have nothing to hide or be ashamed of. Yes, for a puppet President installed by Rove the criminal strategist we do feel ashamed for his doings. His doings is worse that the terrorists could do to the country therefore why apologies.

Whoever has labeled Bush as International terrorist is 100% correct. She should not have apologized for posing with the photo. May be in future the entire country address him Bush the terrorist, which he in fact is. Any doubt any body.

[John Boyle]

05:49 AM on 10/13/2010

No doubt Bush= Tax cuts,Torture and Terrorist.

[FACTISFACT]

06:17 PM on 10/13/2010

Hi! My Friend John Boyle thank you for your comment on FACTISFACT'S comment.

FACTISFACT has gone through your comment and said the comment equalized beautifully with the three words with the name BUSH for which he thanks you for your witty comment.

However, thank you once again, Take Care.

[Ascoli]

05:52 AM on 10/13/2010

No doubt whatsoever.
One day someone will slap the smirk off his face.

[parlimentMike]

01:54 AM on 10/13/2010

Could there be a better softball issue to raise for a Democratic candidate than to put the onus of defending the Bush record on a Republican candidate? That she didn't see this, and that her handlers didn't have her poised for the opportunity, points out a certain ineptness.

That said, the Republican was defending Bush.

[Vince Weiguang Li]

01:42 AM on 10/13/2010

Current polling reveals that Obama and Bush are at a dead heat, as far is

Who is/was a better President?

I am sure that will garner a few well worded comments, but it is clear that Libby Mitchell is dumb as a box of rocks. When running for office, one should not intentionally drive off any potential voters. Comparing an ex-President to a terrorist with a big smile on your face, does not present yourself in an attractive manner to the voters.

Surely, posters herein will love it, but it is no different than a candidate posing with a big smile in front of an Obama in an German SS uniform. Both acts are equally offensive.

[yikesmcgee]

02:28 AM on 10/13/2010

The big difference is that Obama hasn't done anything at all to substantiate any comparison to Hitler. Bush did break our laws and International laws by attacking a country preemptively, with what he described as "shock and awe." He still defends illegal torture, and during his administration America was considered the greatest threat to world peace. Bush deserved the criticism he got and he got it once he started down that warpath in 2002; he did not get much of it before that, and even had a comparatively cooperative Congress in spite of the fact that he had come to the office somewhat ambiguously. Still the media called it "Bush-bashing" and Bush's critics were ridiculed and belittled. Obama, on the other hand was subjected to irrational demonization and a "movement" drummed up by corporate lobbyists and mobilized by fear-mongering almost immediately upon taking the office he was actually elected to. No other president since Lincoln has been so vilified just for being elected. The media treats it as legitimate criticism - death panels, charges of Socialism by people who can't define Socialism, birthers, Republican's unprecedented obstruction . Obama-bashing? Never have heard the phrase.
You can't really compare the two as far as who is "better or worse." They are not in the same league. The right will probably never be honest about Bush - just live on in their dream world.

[Randy Wetzel]

05:29 AM on 10/13/2010

One of the better posts on that that I have read.

[SolarArray]

01:20 AM on 10/13/2010

It's true so don't apologize. Bush is a criminal and should be in handcuffs.

[Ascoli]

05:54 AM on 10/13/2010

It's America's shame that he's not in cuffs.
There are no 'bad guys' in this country.

[IfIonlyknew]

11:39 PM on 10/12/2010

Stand up for your right to say how you feel lady.

[Aerows]

11:39 PM on 10/12/2010

This is why Democrats end up looking weak. They apologize for telling the ugly truth.

[Amy Keshe]

12:09 AM on 10/13/2010

Lets look on the bright side... at least she doesn't dress up in a Nazi uniform or a diaper. At least she isn't a witch, or a grizzly!

[Aerows]

12:14 AM on 10/13/2010

So true, fellow female archer, so true indeed!

[Anonymous17]

10:44 PM on 10/12/2010

1. The use of violence and threats to intimidate or coerce, esp. for political purposes.
2. The state of fear and submission produced by terrorism or terrorization.
3. A terroristic method of governing or of resisting a government

Doesn't that describe the Bush Administration? I don't think she needs to apologize.

[senatortruth]

10:33 PM on 10/12/2010

NEVER apologize for telling the TRUTH about the TRAITTORS Buhs and Cheeney.

NEVER...

[Dr Jimmy and Mr Jim]

10:33 PM on 10/12/2010

??? Why would anybody apologize for the truth ???

I mean, it is true. Notice W hasn't been out of the country much.

[Ascoli]

05:55 AM on 10/13/2010

Only USA will protect him.
Says a lot about the USA
Disgusting and #1 hypocrites.

[sviolette]

09:40 PM on 10/12/2010

I was going to vote for her but now that she apologized I'm having second thoughts.

[IMOPINIONH8D]

09:39 PM on 10/12/2010

w will go down as one of the worst presidents ever. He is the worst of all living

[krikkit 1]

01:01 AM on 10/13/2010

worst living former president for about two more years, then he'll be second worst

[IMOPINIONH8D]

04:34 AM on 10/13/2010

Why did they figure out a way to bring Nixon or Raygun back to life.

[Felipe Vasquez]

01:36 AM on 10/13/2010

B. Hussein Obama will go down as the worst president ever! If he wasnt a black president even the liberal media would be going after him right now. But, he's black. Everyone wants him to succeed. Yeah.

[Randy Wetzel]

05:39 AM on 10/13/2010

You need to give the Fox news talking points a rest.

[onegandolf1]

09:36 PM on 10/12/2010

Frankly, I can't figure out why Former bush Administration members aren't heckled every time they leave their houses. They deserve to be publicly shunned.

[krikkit 1]

01:02 AM on 10/13/2010

heckled or shunned? make up your mind

[Felipe Vasquez]

01:39 AM on 10/13/2010

Probably because Bush was Awesome!

[Peter Mazzoni]

09:26 PM on 10/12/2010

Sure she had nothing to do with this photo, the look on her face is pure joy. More proof liberals and the left are in need of some serious soul searching after November when they you go back to the minority.

[margoharris]

09:37 PM on 10/12/2010

You people are really funny. Not haha funny but "funny". Like funny in the head.

[AwakenYoshikawa]

09:41 PM on 10/12/2010

yes, the rabbit says, Look how fast I run, I win, I win, watch me win....he didn't.

[springsm]

09:11 PM on 10/12/2010

Tasteless but truth have it...Bush unleashed this level of terrorists and shall be held accountable for much of what is happening now. His illegal pre-emptive attack on Iraq did not endear any of us to anybody. Bush/Cheney...Ugh. However, this candidate was being somewhat classless by stooping to the levels mostly used by the party of tea and the party of no ideas.