Politics

Fingergate! 2-Fingered Dem. Sen. Upset Over Attack Ad That Shows Him With 5 Fingers

HELENA, Mont. (AP) — U.S. Sen. Jon Tester of Montana isn’t happy about a Republican attack advertisement portraying him with all five fingers on his left hand – even though he lost three fingers in a childhood accident with a meat saw.

Tester, a first-term Democrat, is being challenged in his 2012 re-election by U.S. Rep. Denny Rehberg, one of the best-known Republicans in Montana. Polls have shown the race very tight, and it is expected to be among the most watched in the nation as the parties vie for control of the U.S. Senate.

Both Tester and Rehberg are expected to get plenty of outside help and money in a race that is already very heated early, and is expected to dominate Montana politics for the next 13 months.

The most recent hullabaloo comes over an ad from the National Republican Senatorial Committee that portrays Tester as cozy with Washington, D.C., lobbyists. It also shows a photo of Tester happily greeting President Barack Obama, no doubt aimed at sending a message to Montana voters about the ties between the two.

John Tester Upset Over Attack Ad Showing Him With All Five Fingers

A screen grab showing the ad portraying Tester with all five fingers.

But the edited photo erroneously portrays Tester as having a left hand with all five fingers. Three of those fingers were taken when Tester, as a child, was working in the family farm’s butcher shop.

Tester spokesman Aaron Murphy said “from the made-up photo to the misleading message, the whole ad is an inaccurate picture of Jon and his record of transparency and accountability.”

Republicans said Thursday that someone else’s left hand was accidentally left in the photo when people in the background were cut out to show just Tester and Obama. The NRSC argues the mix-up doesn’t change the message of the ad.

John Tester Upset Over Attack Ad Showing Him With All Five Fingers

A photo of Tester's left hand showing his missing fingers.

The Republicans have been hammering Tester for taking a lot in campaign donations from lobbyists even though he campaigned in 2006 against the corruption of Washington D.C. They have also been tying him to a president whose popularity has waned in the red-leaning state of Montana.

The NRSC alleges Tester, with his criticism of the photo, wants to shift the conversation away from the content of the ad.

NRSC spokesman Chris Bond said “it’s understandable that his campaign would want to distract voters with a phony controversy.”

Tester’s camp said the senator has made several moves to increase accountability standards in Washington D.C, such as by refusing meals and travel paid for by lobbyists and by becoming the first member of Congress to publicly post his schedule.

Comments (62)

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  • Tom21773
    Posted on September 30, 2011 at 9:35am

    Why are 98% of all oSama supporters morons?

    Report Post »  
    • forthepeople
      Posted on September 30, 2011 at 10:21am

      Almost 98%, some are smart people who are thinking with there heart instead of the brain / gut .

      Report Post » forthepeople  
    • RepubliCorp
      Posted on September 30, 2011 at 11:03am

      I have often wondered why it is that Conservatives are called the “right” and Liberals are called the “left.”

      I stumbled upon this verse in the Bible:

      “The heart of the wise inclines to the right, but the heart of the fool to the left.”
      Ecclesiastes 10:2,

      Thus sayeth the Lord. Amen.

      Can’t get any simpler than that.

      End of lesson. Test to follow in November, 2012

      Report Post » RepubliCorp  
    • jb.kibs
      Posted on September 30, 2011 at 1:29pm

      nice. that is the best bible quote for these days…

      Report Post »  
    • Liberals are Zombies
      Posted on September 30, 2011 at 2:12pm

      Because they are brain dead.

      Report Post »  
    • Hermano
      Posted on September 30, 2011 at 2:58pm

      Republicorp – another possibility is that the Latin word for left is the root of “sinister.”

      Report Post »  
  • ddowell
    Posted on September 30, 2011 at 9:30am

    As Glenn says “Watch the other hand!” it’s probably full of grafty cash….

    Report Post »  
    • Benbit
      Posted on September 30, 2011 at 12:42pm

      Just give him the “Finger”
      He’ll get a lot of them in 2012 !!!!

      Report Post »  
  • WatchOutForTheRINOShills
    Posted on September 30, 2011 at 9:24am

    I don’t even see a need for that “hand” to be in the photo. There is no “arm” attached so it seems to me that it would be easier just to “photoshop” the whole left hand out of the pic…I was going to say “just cut it out” but that would be insensitive…

    Report Post »  
  • donh2
    Posted on September 30, 2011 at 9:10am

    If a butcher who lost 3 of his fingers cannot cut government…no Democrat can ever slice Government down to size.

    Report Post »  
  • Humnbrd
    Posted on September 30, 2011 at 9:10am

    Just another left ploy to garner the sympathy vote and draw attention away from the real issues and FACTS. Tester, Odrama and the rest of the left losers wouldn’t have a chance in hell of being elected if not for their hold on the biased MSM, corrupt unions and racist, clueless Sheeple. I’m ashamed to be associated with Americans that elected our Dictator in Chief (DIC).

    Report Post »  
  • Gonzo
    Posted on September 30, 2011 at 8:57am

    “shaka, brah!”

    Report Post » Gonzo  
    • motonutt
      Posted on September 30, 2011 at 9:12am

      I live in the state where he was elected. By most of us here Johnny is considered a lapdog joke. He was voted in by the college student vote and the ag vote. It’s so unfortunate, most farmers and ranchers I know are conservative but vote for these libs because they are affraid of losing all the subsidies they get from the government. The finger thing is no surprise, he’s a phony lieing wiesle and with this he is just showing it for all to see.

      Report Post » motonutt  
  • SilentReader
    Posted on September 30, 2011 at 8:47am

    Wow! As if anyone would even notice. If, as the makers of the ad say, that the photo wasn‘t doctored but just someone else’s hand after the background was photoshopped out then I’ll take their word for it. It’s ludicrous to think they would do something like that intentionally. For what reason?

    On the other hand, this Democratic candidate might have a reason for bringing this up. Could it be his cry for sympathy? As much as I have sympathy for him in losing his fingers when he was a child. We Republicans do have hearts you know.

    I think concentrating on the issues would be a good thing and I hope they will do that. Bringing up things like this only clouds the issues. This country is in dire straights if we don’t change the dialogue and get down to the nitty gritty it might be too late for America.

    Report Post » SilentReader  
    • cemerius
      Posted on September 30, 2011 at 8:54am

      Yes a definite distraction! I am sure he gets “special” votes cause he is handy capped! :)

      Report Post » cemerius  
  • HanginChad
    Posted on September 30, 2011 at 8:44am

    Someone needs to get the headline corrected on this article.

    The congressman lost three fingers on his left hand, leaving him with two.

    Report Post »  
  • hersey10
    Posted on September 30, 2011 at 8:35am

    That hand is disgusting , I‘m glad they put a fake one in it’s place .

    Report Post » hersey10  
    • Van Bones
      Posted on September 30, 2011 at 12:12pm

      I heard he lost the fingers working out the final details of a bill with Barney Frank.

      Report Post » Van Bones  
  • Rached Madcow SHOW
    Posted on September 30, 2011 at 8:32am

    Make an ad with Obama being altered to look 100% Caucasian instead of the 1/8th that he is. That shouldn’t be a problem. Just wouldn’t want people to feel sorry for him, that’s all.

    Report Post » Rached Madcow SHOW  
    • cemerius
      Posted on September 30, 2011 at 8:55am

      Actually if he were white he wouldn’t be the President today…..

      Report Post » cemerius  
  • pwatkins
    Posted on September 30, 2011 at 8:26am

    At least we know the democrats are taking Glenn’s advice and watching the other hand. Should tell Glenn his show is getting to their bases too….lol.

    Report Post »  
  • Meyvn
    Posted on September 30, 2011 at 8:14am

    I don’t blame him. It’s kinda lame.

    Report Post » Meyvn  
    • Servant Of YHVH
      Posted on September 30, 2011 at 8:38am

      Maybe so but it is pretty ridiculous since if he lost those fingers when he was a child, he would have adjusted to it by now. The only reason that he would “throw a fit” about it is like they said to try and detract from the actual talking points. I know that if I had lost two of my fingers on my hand when I was a child then I couldn’t care less if they showed me with 3 fingers, 5 fingers or 50 fingers. I would be more concerned with if what they were saying about me was the truth or not. This is one of their primary and used to be most effective things that they do.

      Report Post » Servant Of YHVH  
    • Servant Of YHVH
      Posted on September 30, 2011 at 8:40am

      Also, if he is that sensitive about his fingers after all these years, then he has a bigger problem than what the ad says about him.

      Report Post » Servant Of YHVH  
    • motonutt
      Posted on September 30, 2011 at 10:00am

      Word in Montana is that fat Johnny lost his fingers working on his families farm/ranch when he was a kid. I’ve heard that he never really liked the ranch life anyway, it’s very hard work….so he became a politician, and now he’s working hard to take away many of our rights. You can see he’s never far from the hog trof buffet. He’s the type of guy that when the men are out working on the ranch, he’s in the house with the woman making and eating dognuts (no disrespect to the hard working women). The enviromentalists own this guy. He has been trying to pass legislation to lock up thousands of square miles of forest to appease his owners the whacked mother earth worshipers.

      Report Post » motonutt  
  • Justus39
    Posted on September 30, 2011 at 8:05am

    He wants the voters to think he lost those fingers fighting for them.

    Report Post »  
  • Profx72
    Posted on September 30, 2011 at 8:03am

    While I acknowledge that this is nothing more than Political Playhouse Theater, there’s a simple solution for the Republicans if their claim that this was simply “someone else’s left hand was accidentally left in the photo when people in the background were cut out to show just Tester and Obama.”: Show the ORIGINAL Picture. The whole “Holier Than Thou” shtick is wearing thin, but so is the empty “mudslinging” of political campaigns. They may be effective, but they’re still wrong. We need to demand HONESTY in the Advertising. I’m not talking about a “Kinder, Gentler“ ”Can’t We All Just Get Along” kind of a change, but a little integrity would go a long way to restoring the Trust of the People in the People we Elect!
    http://www.maverickvoice.com

    Report Post »  
  • WireWizard
    Posted on September 30, 2011 at 7:57am

    I grew up in Montana, I don’t see how ANY democrat swings any weight there.
    I remember ranchers coming to town (Great Falls) still wearing their six-shooters as they did their business, even in banks and bars.

    Report Post » WireWizard  
    • motonutt
      Posted on September 30, 2011 at 11:04am

      WireWizard…..Then you shoud know….it’s all about the money. Farm and ranch subsidies are huge. Some of those guy‘s with the 6 shooters are great guy’s, but vote democrat for the money they can’t go on without. They can’t survive without it. In a way you can’t blame them.
      Even though I think most ranchers are conservative they can’t give up the government money that helps them maintain their businesses. And don’t forget the out of state college students that come here and are allowed to vote. Most are little socialists from the eastern states that think they need to come here and save Montana from conservatisum. There has been attempts made that are trying to make it so a temporary resedent college student would not be able to vote here. They would be provided with the means to vote for stuff in their home states but not here in Montana. When you have up to 30,000 little socialist skulls of mush voting for socialists like their parents in their home state it can really swing a vote. Look at Max…without the college know nothings he would not be there.
      Great little bit about MadMax…..they had to move his office in the town I live in to an interior office, away from the windows….I’m sure you can guess why….he‘s really not all that popular and his staffers were worried about a stray bullet from a terrorist tea partier making it’s way into his head.

      Report Post » motonutt  
  • I.Gaspar
    Posted on September 30, 2011 at 7:54am

    When he passes a bill, does he say “Give me a high two”?

    Report Post »  
  • BONETRAUMA
    Posted on September 30, 2011 at 7:48am

    Lefty.

    Report Post »  
  • FREDD The WILSON
    Posted on September 30, 2011 at 7:46am

    Just another Demoncrat trying to “finger’ a Republican

    Report Post » FREDD The WILSON  
  • Exrepublisheep
    Posted on September 30, 2011 at 7:41am

    Both sides always scream about the other taking lobbyist money and yet both sides line up tp take the money.

    Report Post » Exrepublisheep  
  • Zorro1
    Posted on September 30, 2011 at 7:38am

    Can Tester play guitar like “Three-fingered Lightning” Django Reinhardt?
    Now that would something!

    Report Post » Zorro1  
    • billjac
      Posted on September 30, 2011 at 9:25pm

      Great reference to Django Reinhardt! Don’t know if The Tester plays guitar but he might be popular in Texas. HOOK’EM HORNS!

      Report Post »  
  • drago
    Posted on September 30, 2011 at 7:32am

    Guess hes more worried about his fingers, than the fact he is missing half his brain. Whats next?………

    Report Post »  
  • On The Bayou
    Posted on September 30, 2011 at 7:31am

    Everybody`s upset over something, I`m sure this guy blames his Dad for letting him run the family meat cutter.

    Report Post » On The Bayou  
  • SpankDaMonkey
    Posted on September 30, 2011 at 7:28am

    .
    Went to school with a kid that ran over his foot with a lawn mower, and cut off 2 of his toes. When he came back to school we called him the 3 toed bandito. After those racist Frito Bandito comericals LMAO. They need to bring that lil guy back………

    Report Post » SpankDaMonkey  
  • BrandyWilson
    Posted on September 30, 2011 at 7:28am

    So what…what is the man going to say,: He fingered me”?

    Report Post »  
  • bikerr
    Posted on September 30, 2011 at 7:27am

    A little to picky for grownups.Although I‘m glad it’s not the middle finger(even though the policy’s seem to say it)

    Report Post »  
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