Controversial Romney AP photo, Dash's racy Tweetpic: Chat Room - Chicago News and Weather | FOX 32 News

On this edition of Chat Room, Sun-Times Editor Susanna Negovan and consultant Rochelle Trotter talk pictures and point-of-view.

First up, the Associated Press is under fire for a recent photo it released showing Mitt Romney bending down with his rear directly in front of a young schoolgirl during a visit to a Virginia elementary school. The photo had no explanation as to what Romney was doing (or why) -- and it soon went viral with all sorts of tasteless captions.  

Was it wrong for them to release the image? Susanna thinks that the Associated Press is the "butt" of the joke here. It shows a true lack of judgment on their part to have released such a photo. Clearly they had other photos to consider posting -- however they chose this one and she thinks it was an intentional decision. Susanna stated that more and more of these types of images are appearing in the press and it's not surprising that this one got released.

Rochelle agreed with Susanna, stating that Romney definitely looks foolish, but the real pain is going to be for the little girl in the photo. Her image is now forever associated with "Romney's behind" and it's all over the world. Rochelle thinks the AP is definitely partisan, and that the little girl's parents should sue them for what they have done.

Next up another viral storm, this one around Stacy Dash, the black actress from the movie Clueless who recently tweeted a sexy photo of herself along with her position of supporting Mitt Romney for President. The racist and sexist backlash has been top of the news and Dash is under severe attack from women and African Americans. Is she a sell out or did she have the right to do this?

Rochelle thinks that the response to her tweet is unwarranted, as Dash is entitled to her opinion as an American. Somehow a majority of people believe that all African Americans will vote for Obama and that is just not true. Rochelle believes that Dash knew what she was doing, and it was all a big publicity stunt to get her image back in the limelight -- after all not many even remember this 46 year old actress. 

Susanna thinks this is a dangerous slope on which we are traveling to believe that votes will be cast based on color alone vs. agenda. There is an overriding thought that people vote "like for like" i.e. a Greek person will vote for a Greek delegate, or women will only vote for women candidates. Susanna thinks while that's not always the case, it is often times the presumed stance.