AZ-03: Shadegg Apologizes, Yanks Ad Misusing Picture of Vet

To my surprise, it looks like John Shadegg has been busy observing the Day of Atonement:

U.S. Rep. John Shadegg (R-Phoenix) has sent a letter of apology to a veteran upset over the use of his image in a Shadegg campaign ad.

“I have never supported you and I never will,” said Constantine O’Neill, a World War II veteran and former POW, at a press conference from the campaign headquarters of  Bob Lord, Shadegg’s Democratic opponent in the 3rd Congressional District. “I could never support someone who doesn’t represent my values or the values of veterans.”

O’Neill said the same in a letter to Shadegg, in which he demanded the ad be pulled and an apology be issued.

Here’s an excerpt from O’Neill’s letter (PDF):

I’m writing to you to demand that you take down your most recent TV commercial in which you use a photo of me and several other World War II POWs cropped together with a photo of you depicting that we support you.

The opposite couldn’t be more true.

At age 20, I joined the National Guard in 1939. then fought in the Army Infantry during five separate beach landings in World War II. I was captured in Italy as a war prisoner and taken to spend 22 months in a German prison camp. When they finally left me 10 fend for myself and find my American troops, at 87 lbs., I staggered my way for days and found a French hospital where I spent months recuperating.

Now I’m 89 years old and my wife Mary and I have been married for 63 years. We’ve lived through a lot. But when I saw a picture of myself in one of your ads, Mr. Shadegg, I began to cry because I was so angry.

I never have supported you and I never will – I could never support someone who doesn’t represent my values or the values of veterans. I have fought all my life but you never once have fought for me. Now you are exploiting me and my fellow POWs. You never asked my permission to use me in a photo, nor would I have given it to you.

To say this was a well-deserved laceration doesn’t begin to describe it. You know, if this were a few years ago, you almost wonder whether the GOP troglodytes would have descended into Swift Boat mode. Now it seems that they’re too scared to use such odious tactics. Good.