Anti-gay postcard is denounced by Greer
10:58 PM 11/01/02
Anita Clark Wisconsin State Journal

Republican congressional candidate Ron Greer denounced an anti-gay postcard aimed at incumbent Tammy Baldwin and said his campaign had nothing to do with it.

"It's been a distraction and a waste of time and energy to deal with it," Greer said Friday.

Baldwin, a Democrat who is seeking her third term from Wisconsin's 2nd Congressional District, is a lesbian who has supported anti-discrimination legislation for gays and lesbians.

Her campaign manager, Karin Johanson, said hundreds of people had called Baldwin's campaign headquarters to say they are disgusted with the postcard.

"This is just not what people do in Wisconsin," Johanson said. "It's also against a person the public knows pretty well, so they're offended."

About 20,000 bright red postcards were received by households throughout the district. Each card depicts two men embracing, one kissing the other's cheek, and asks, "Is this Tammy Baldwin's vision for Wisconsin?"

On the other side, the postcard urges readers to call Baldwin and "tell her to keep her personal sexual preferences to herself" and to call Greer and "thank him for standing up to protect marriage and Wisconsin families."

It was paid for by Public Advocate of the United States in Merrifield, Va. The group's Web site says it was founded in 1978 as a non-profit organization "to fight hypocrisy and big government boondoggles." Its executive director is Eugene Delgaudio, who, according to the Washington Post, targets "pro-homosexual" politicians and sometimes uses street theater to vilify gays as pedophiles.

Public Advocate spokesman Jesse Binnall said Friday the group used various lists for the Wisconsin mailing and tried to target people who are "pro-family in some way."

The mailing was not coordinated with the Greer campaign, he said, nor was Greer told of the effort. He said he did not know yet how much the mailing cost.

Greer said Friday he has not made homosexuality an issue in his campaign, although he has sent fund-raising letters referring to Baldwin's "radical homosexual agenda."

Johanson said Greer's statements "are what encourages this."

Baldwin has "run a positive campaign and treated him respectfully and debated him all over the district," she said.

The election is Tuesday.