I’m not big on conspiracy theories (I live in Dallas and still believe Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone), but this one’s fun so I thought I’d share it.

Conservative blog-goddess Michelle Malkin and others suspect that USA Today intentionally altered an AP photo of Condoleezza Rice to make her look demonic.

See the original AP photo at top, and what USA Today published beneath it.

After the blogger uproar, USA Today removed the image from its Web site. “USAToday.com, like other news organizations, often adjusts photos for sharpness and brightness to optimize appearance,” a spokesman told Editor & Publisher.

Personally, I think it was unintentional. And I say this even though I can offer the following relevant anecdote:

In college, a friend of mine ran for student council. During the campaign, he coaxed a photographer at the school paper into running an unflattering picture of his opponent. He ended up winning the race.

So I know shenanigans can happen; I just don’t think they happened here.

(Via Romenesko.)