Maine GOP demands apology from Democrat for blogger's lewd soundtrack
Decrying it as "outrageous," "shocking," "appalling and completely inexcusable," the Maine Republican Party is demanding an apology from Democratic gubernatorial candidate Mike Michaud for a lewd lyric included in a video that an independent blogger produced.
Created by Bangor Daily News blogger Alex Steed via his production company Knack Factory, the four-and-a-half minute mini-documentary showcases Michaud's life on the campaign trail. Halfway through, a rap soundtrack plays and at one point, the musician drops an objectively uncouth lyric about Maine's senior senator, who's a Republican.
"I'm the King of Maine, I'm the King of Maine. I've got Susan Collins giving everyone brain," the lyrics say over footage of Michaud climbing out of an SUV and greeting a voter. "Giving brain" is slang for oral sex.
While the Maine GOP's press release flatly stated that the video was produced by Michaud's team and "is a collaboration" between the candidate and film makers "designed to promote the congressman's gubernatorial campaign," a spokesman for Michaud insisted otherwise. Corroborating that, campaign finance reports show the campaign has made no expenditures to Steed or Knack Factory.
"This is an absolute lie. We had no control over this video just like we have no control over news coverage - it's crazy," Michaud spokesman David Farmer told the Portland Press Herald. "Mike doesn't even listen to rap."
Matt McTighe, Michaud's campaign manager, condemned the reference to Collins, who's not seeking the governor's seat but running for re-election to the Senate in November: "We do not condone the offensive song lyrics included in it," he said in a statement. "As soon as we were made aware of the meaning of the lyrics, we contacted the producer of the video and the Bangor Daily News and asked them to remove it. Both promptly agreed."
Steed took to Twitter on Friday morning to back up the campaign's defense: "I woke up this morning to find I was named in a dishonest press release issued by the Maine GOP," he wrote on the site. "Michaud had nothing to do with it, despite the GOP's ill-informed suggestion."
Even so, the Maine Republican Party continued to link Michaud to the video. Spokesman David Sorenson told the Press Herald that Michaud's staff had given Steed access to the candidate, and was therefore involved in the resulting product. He also noted that the Michaud campaign promoted the video on its Twitter account.
"All we're asking is for the Michaud campaign to apologize," he said.
A source with knowledge of the Maine political scene told CBS News that Michaud and Collins enjoy a positive working relationship. When contacted about the video, Collins' campaign spokesman Lance Dutson made this official statement: "No comment."
