May 12, 2004

MADISON, Wis. -- Faced with a scarcity of letters praising the president, a newspaper in a Republican-leaning district appealed for pro-Bush letters, then backed off the request Tuesday amid complaints of blatant politics.

Last week in an editorial, the Post-Crescent said most of its letters had been coming from one side and asked readers ''to help us 'balance' things out.''

On Tuesday, the newspaper, located in Appleton, Wis., with a daily circulation of just over 56,000, stepped back from the appeal. Executive editor Andrew Oppmann said the paper's intentions had been misinterpreted.

Reader Ellen Kunz of Neenah, Wis., accused the paper of ignoring local sentiment.

''If you are receiving so many letters, indicating an imbalance of opinions, it is because your readers feel they need to do your job for you,'' Kunz wrote.

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