Pearl Jam concert poster supporting Democrat has Republicans in a tizz

Republicans have sprung to condemn a poster by Pearl Jam that shows the White House in flames and a bald eagle pecking at a skeleton they say is meant to depict President Donald Trump.

The rock group are well known for their colourful advertising their concerts – and the latest was prepared for Monday’s gig in Missoula, Montana.

A collaboration between bassist Jeff Ament and Bobby Brown, aka Bobby Draws Skulls, it plugs the show at Grizzly Stadium.

The “Rock2Vote” concert was aimed at encouraging young people to vote in the November midterm elections and support Democratic Senator Jon Tester of Montana, who is from Ament’s hometown of Big Sandy.

However, the National Republican Senate Committee have taken exception to the artistic destruction of the White House – an even compared it to the now-infamous photo of comedian Kathy Griffin holding a fake decapitated Trump head.

However, Ament was unapologetic in an emailed statement.

“The role of the artist is to make people think and feel, and the current administration has us thinking and feeling. I was the sole conceptualist of this poster, and I welcome all interpretations and discourse.”

He ended the statement, “Love, from the First Amendment, Jeff Ament.”

The poster shows Senator Tester in a tractor flying over a burning Washington DC, framed by the letters “P″ and “J,” with smoke forming the word “Vote” in the background.

Several objects and people are in the foreground, including a skeleton with a full head of hair lying face down, an eagle pecking at the bones of its foot.

Tester’s Republican opponent, Montana State Auditor Matt Rosendale, also is depicted with a crab claw for a hand and carrying a “Maryland” flag, a reference to Rosendale’s native state.

The message from Ament accompanying the poster included the description: “DC burning. Tester Evel Knievel on tractor... over the cesspool below. Russian money, golf courses, hookers? Maryland Matt. Stars and Stripes as flames.”

Rosendale called the poster “disgusting and reprehensible” and called on Tester to “denounce this act of violence and blatant display of extremism”.

The National Republican Senate Committee, which is supporting Rosendale’s campaign, also blamed Tester for not speaking out against the poster it called “gory.”

Tester officials said the campaign had nothing to do with the poster.

“We never saw the poster before the show and we don’t like it,” Tester spokesman Chris Meagher said. “And we don’t condone violence of any kind.”