ABSENT MCCALLUM IS A TARGET AT CANDIDATE FORUM

Gov. Scott McCallum has not been attending candidate forums because the
events have turned into attacks on him rather than open discussions,
according to a spokesman.

But even as a no-show at a forum Saturday at PrideFest in Milwaukee,
McCallum was the subject of several verbal assaults.

U.S. Rep Tom Barrett (D-Wis.) said the fact that he and eight other
candidates attended a forum at a gay and lesbian festival shows that those
candidates have respect for gays and lesbians.

"It also says a lot about who did not come," Barrett said.

McCallum was the only major-party candidate who did not attend the forum.

Tim Roby, communications director for the governor, said McCallum attended
an earlier forum in which the other candidates spent their time attacking him.

"It just became too much of a bashing," Roby said.

Roby said it was decided that McCallum would wait until after the Sept. 10
primary when the number of candidates had been reduced before he would
attend forums.

All of the candidates attending Saturday's forum, including the four
Democratic candidates, expressed support for gay and lesbian rights issues.

The candidates said they supported creating a position in the division of
health for a gay and lesbian health officer as well as allowing local
governments to pass ordinances supporting same-sex relationships.

"It goes back to respect. . . respecting individuals and respecting love,"
Barrett said.

In response to a question about support services for gay and lesbian young
people, Dane County Executive Kathleen Falk said being a teenager can be a
very lonely time. She said she supports devoting resources to helping teens
who are trying to figure out who they are.

Attorney General Jim Doyle also said he supported gay and lesbian issues
and took a shot at the Defense of Marriage Act passed by Congress in 1996.
The bill attempted to head off same-sex marriages in 49 states after the
Supreme Court in Hawaii was about to overturn a ban on the marriages.

"I say, 'No thanks, I don't need you to defend my marriage,' " Doyle said.

The candidates also said Wisconsin's prison population had grown too big
and that the Department of Corrections budget was bloated.

Libertarian Ed Thompson said he favored releasing non-violent offenders
from prison.

"We could cut the prison budget in half and it would still be twice as big
as it was in 1989," he said.

State Sen. Gary George (D-Milwaukee) said first- and second-time
non-violent drug offenders should be allowed to go through drug treatment
rather than be sent to prison.