Date: Sat, 19 Oct 1996 23:02:39 +0000 From: NGLTF Policy Institute To: Multiple recipients of Subject: RNC AD TARGETS GAY VOTERS ******************************************************** PRESS RELEASE ******************************************************** National Gay and Lesbian Task Force 2320 17th Street, NW Washington, DC 20009-2702 CONTACTS: Robert Bray, rbray@ngltf.org, 415-552-6448, pager: 800-757-6476 Tracey Conaty, tconaty@ngltf.org, 202-332-6483 ext 3303 RNC AD TARGETS GAY VOTERS TASK FORCE CALLS AD "CYNICAL AND IRONIC" Washington, D.C. October 18, 1996... The Republican National Committee (RNC) is airing a radio ad highlighting the contradiction between Bill Clinton's stated support for gay rights and the Clinton campaign's boasting of the President's opposition to gay marriage. The RNC ad is reportedly running on gay-oriented radio stations in Northern California. The RNC advertisement marks the latest twist in the week-long saga of radio ad revenge. Originally, the Dole campaign launched an ad on Christian radio stations attacking the President's morals. The Clinton campaign responded this Monday with a radio ad, also airing on Christian radio stations, touting the President's support of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA). The Clinton ad created an uproar within the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (lgbt) community. The campaign withdrew the ad on Wednesday. The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force (NGLTF) has asked President Clinton to publicly repudiate the ad. In addition to requesting a statement disavowing the ad, the Task Force asked the campaign to produce an ad highlighting the President's opposition to anti-gay discrimination and violence. The Task Force called the RNC ad "cynical and ironic" and disagreed with claims by some gay republicans that the ad represented an effort by the GOP to reach out to gay voters. The following is a statement from NGLTF executive director Melinda Paras on the RNC ad: The RNC ad is as cynical and ironic as the Clinton ad was offensive and hypocritical. Bob Dole was a co-sponsor of DOMA and opposes the Employment Non-Discrimination Act. While some gay Republicans interpret the new RNC ad as the GOP extending its hand to gay voters, this is not the case. This ad is an attempt to undermine support for Clinton, not gain gay votes for Bob Dole. Both the Clinton and RNC ads are attempts to exploit issues and manipulate voters. These ads represent politics at its worst. The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force is a progressive organization that has supported grassroots organizing and pioneered in national advocacy since 1973. Since its inception, NGLTF has been at the forefront of virtually every major initiative for lesbian and gay rights. In all its efforts, NGLTF helps to strengthen the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender movement at the state level while connecting these activities to a national vision for change. ###