Essential Estrogen

"It was one of most peculiar mailings I've received," said Cedar Rapids resident Gary Goldstein.

Goldstein was not the only Iowan confused by a full-color flier that arrived in Iowa mailboxes yesterday from the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME).

"I saw it, read it and my first thought was 'Who sent this?' I finally found the sender information on the back in small lettering," he said. "I figured it was some group that was supporting [former North Carolina Sen. John] Edwards' candidacy."

Given the language of the flier, which pulled a quotation from Edwards in order to attack Illinois Sen. Barack Obama's health care plan, it is easy to see why recipients might be confused. AFSCME has endorsed and is campaigning on the behalf of New York Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton.

Goldstein said the negative politics of the past few weeks are one of the reasons he's no longer a supporter of the Clinton campaign. He now supports Obama. In addition, Henry County Democrat Susan Klopfer had signed on to be a precinct captain for the Clinton campaign, but has since made a video outlining how negative politics pushed her to support Obama.

The Edwards campaign was quick to give voice to its disapproval: "There have been a lot of misleading tactics and tricks in the last few weeks, but we've just never seen anything like this before," said Iowa State Director Jennifer O'Malley Dillon. "Either they are trying to trick people, or they've realized that on health care, John Edwards is the candidate who speaks honestly about what it really costs and what will be required to have truly universal coverage. ... It's fine to have an honest debate about policy, but Iowans deserve better than planted questions and campaign fliers (sic) designed to fool them."

The mailing has also created a rift within the ranks of AFSCME. Some Illinois and Iowa members, angry over the mailing and what they view as an attack that goes against AFSCME's own statements, spent a portion of their afternoon on a conference call on behalf of the Obama campaign.

"I'm aware -- have seen and was dismayed to see it -- the direct mail piece that international union sent out under an independent expenditure that gives one the impression that AFSCME supports the mandates that are in Sen. Clinton's plan," said Henry Bayer, executive director of AFSCME Council 31 in Illinois (a local that has endorsed Obama). "Let me be clear: the opposite is true. We've always opposed individual mandates."

The angry members pointed to an AFSCME national health care resolution passed earlier this year that declared individual mandates are "incompatible" with the principles and interests of the membership. It is the lack of a mandate that the questionable flier refers to as a "band-aid solution." In addition, AFSCME President Gerald McEntee, a long-time friend and supporter of both Bill and Hillary Clinton, denounced mandates during Congressional testimony last spring, stating they would force families to pay more for their policies.

"[The mailing sent by international] is a desperate attempt to attack [Obama] and on unfounded reasons," said Carter Woodruff, former Iowa secretary-treasurer of Iowa AFSCME and a member of Local 3861. "The problem that I think most of the members here in Iowa will have with this mailing is that it assumes that people are supporting Hillary Rodham Clinton because our union endorsed her. Our union has an interesting demographic -- quite a few Republicans, Independents and Democrats. I think the people in Iowa ... are supporting Barack Obama at this point."

After being asked directly if he thought the mailing was hypocritical, Woodruff agreed that it was "definitely hypocritical, absolutely." He added that those responsible for the ad should be ashamed they "stooped so low."

AFSCME spent $34,000 on the direct mail piece. Inquiries to McEntee's office were not answered.