WAS JOHN KERRY’S PHOTO DIGITALLY ALTERED? Rich Galen thinks so, and it does look that way.

UPDATE: Reader Randy Paul is unconvinced:

I’m sorry, but this seems so silly. You’ll also notice the other colors in background of the “doctored” photo seem a lot richer, also. This is similar to what happened during this year’s World Cup feeds. The same images on ABC’s and ESPN’s feed were a LOT duller and flatter than Univision (the Spanish language) feeds, yet they were same cameras taking the same images. Indeed, that may explain why the audience for the Univision broadcasts beat the ABC broadcasts in many markets – and not just among Spanish speakers. I speak Spanish and watched Univision for the better images and the better commentary.

I also don’t think that the lousy pictures on ABC and ESPN were signs of a nefarious effort to trash soccer in the USA. I don’t think that anyone should think that Kerry’s picture was doctored for the same reasons. Maybe Galen needs a new television.

Hmm. Well, sadly there’s no tipjar on his site, so I guess there’s nothing anyone can do about that. . . .