Democrats remove Internet ad poking fun at GOP Senate leader

AUGUSTA – The Maine Democratic chairman has yanked from the party’s Web site a cartoon ad that poked fun at the state Senate’s top Republican and chided his voting record.

Chairman Pat Colwell said he removed the ad out of respect for Democratic Senate President Beth Edmonds, who sent a letter earlier this week asking it be pulled. Edmonds, of Freeport, said the ad was not helpful at a time the two parties are trying to work together to solve difficult state problems.

The animated ad depicted a likeness of Senate Minority Leader Paul Davis of Sangerville repeatedly saying “No” to Democratic-backed proposals.

The ad, showing Davis on a rocking horse and in a cabin plastered with “No” signs, was similar to JibJab Media Inc.’s popular Web pre-election video last summer that parodied politicians and presidential candidates. The Maine Democrats’ “Just Say No” cartoon ran less than three minutes.

Colwell said the ad itself became more of a focus than the reason he used it, which was to contrast Davis’ voting record with Democratic positions on issues. Davis said he’s pleased Colwell pulled the ad, calling it “trash” and “ridiculous.”

The ad’s retraction didn’t come as a surprise to Jim Melcher, a political scientist at the University of Maine at Farmington, noting the state’s relatively genteel political past.

“It says something about what will be tolerated in Maine politics, and how that’s different from other places where something like this would be considered relatively tame,” Melcher said Friday.

Bangor Daily News writer Jeff Tuttle contributed to this report.