http://twitter.com/#!/mikeallen/status/260755375916195842

Vanity Fair set off a small firestorm today by publishing a realistic-looking yearbook photo of a young Mitt Romney in a homophobic pose.

While the photo was meant to be a parody, such subtleties are often lost on many tweeters. This certainly isn’t the first time that lefties have fallen for something they’ve read. However, it may be the first time that they were aided by Politico’s Mike Allen. (Allen hasn’t posted anything else on the matter, so we’re left to wonder if he was in on the joke, or fell for it himself.)

The LGBT-interest magazine Out also tweeted the photo without a disclaimer, although its article did hint that its editors understood the picture was fake.

See (Young) Mitt Doing His ‘Best Liberace’: ‘Vanity Fair’ has uncovered silly high school yearbook photos of tee… bit.ly/Xahlou

— Out Magazine (@outmagazine) October 23, 2012

@outmagazine A vile, elitist, zoosadistic, bigot and bully. Does American want 2 give that man more power to abuse?

— ZiaMP (@Ziamp) October 23, 2012

@outmagazine @adamlambert Thx 4 sharing. A reflection of the man’s true bigoted character. Ranks up there w/ poor Shamus riding on the roof.

— Ali (@Texasplaything) October 23, 2012

(Psst. Ali. It’s Seamus. Woof.)

Vanity Fair confirmed the fakery…

@mikeallen VF confirms photos inc limp-wristed Liberace impression aren’t real – believable-looking-young-Romney VF assistant posed for them

— Chris Donovan (@chrisdonovannbc) October 23, 2012

…but, darn it, the people want to BELIEVE!

Not surprised since he was a bully: RT @queerty: PHOTO: A Teenaged Mitt Romney’s Limp-Wristed Liberace Impression- queer.to/RwZ8gV”

— Anne Stuneck (@HSKR_GRL) October 23, 2012

I think everyone gets a certain amount of slack for stuff they do in their youth but mannnn fuck Mitt Romney s2.guyism.com/up/2012/10/upr…

— mAX ROTTINGson(@DieRobinsonDie) October 23, 2012

Not cool @mittromney a shame to music and morals in general. Vanity Fair photo of “Mitt Romney” mocking Liberace huff.to/T9bMRm

— Katie Ball (@UGAHMJbyKMB) October 23, 2012

Mitt #Romney‘s homophobic yearbook photo: “Uproarious old Mitt does his best Liberace!” twitter.com/iamjakegreen/s…

— Jake Green (@iamjakegreen) October 23, 2012

Mitt Romney ‘Liberace’ Mock Up By Vanity Fair Goes Viral (PHOTO) huff.to/QEmjGl well THAT’S presidential now isn’t it….GIRL?

— Jonesy (@gwjonesjr) October 23, 2012

I am not a big Liberace fan but this is rude & offensive – not cool Mitt huff.to/QEmjGl

— Matthew Gardea (@Matthew_Gardea) October 23, 2012

So, that Romney “Liberace” yearbook photo. Almost everything about it strikes me as being fake, but I’d love it to be real. Evidence?

— Erik Stadnik (@sjcAustenite) October 23, 2012

Really? Wouldn’t it be better if you wished for your own candidate to do well, rather than grasping for scandal? This must be what desperation looks like. All that’s missing is a binder in Mitt’s right hand.

Read more: http://twitchy.com/2012/10/23/proof-that-romney-is-homophobic-say-what-oh-never-mind/