Democrats condemn anti-Franken mailer

MINNEAPOLIS, Oct. 29 (UPI) -- A Republican mailing against Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Al Franken of Minnesota has been condemned by critics who say it was obscene.

The mailer, which looks like a cartoon or comic book, outlines Franken's past. Even Franken's opponent, Republican Sen. Norm Coleman, condemned it, the St. Paul (Minn.) Pioneer Press reported Tuesday.

The mailer's cover says, "Come on in kids ... Senator Franken's going to tell a few jokes." Inside, cartoon characters are featured, sharing details about Franken's past, including that he "wrote a pornographic column in Playboy," and has "written so-called comedy routines about raping women," the newspaper reported.

"I was shocked when I saw this piece attacking Al Franken ... . This piece of mail would offend anybody," said mother and teacher Marcela Roos. "It targets our children and taunts them to open it and to find only very obscene and inappropriate language, which deals with rape and pornography."

Coleman said the mailer "should have never made it to the mail."

"A piece of direct mail, dealing with this subject matter, that could be viewed as a comic book by children is something that is just not acceptable. I'm astonished that anyone would have used such poor judgment," Coleman wrote in an e-mail sent Sunday to the National Republican Senatorial Committee chairman, Sen. John Ensign of Nevada.