Congressman Brian Baird accepted an invitation to a living-room chat with a local Republican leader who volunteered Friday to be his bodyguard, and agreed to a national radio appearance with a conservative talk-show host.

Baird was scolded for his choice of words in an ongoing political storm, and was both supported and criticized for holding a "telephone town hall" instead of an actual town hall meeting.

And then there was the fax that the Vancouver Democrat characterized as a death threat.

Friday added several new chapters to a story that started this week when Baird said he wasn't going to schedule a town hall meeting with his Southwest Washington constituents during the August recess.

Baird cited disruptions in recent town hall gatherings in other parts of the country, including a Michigan event where police were summoned.

He's not afraid of opposing voices, Baird said after Friday's telephone event.

"We understand politics is raucous," Baird said. "When a small group of people is dedicated to disruption for disruption's sake, it puts you in an untenable position. The choice is not to have it — call off the meeting — or have police intervention to clear the room, which leads to the possibility of people getting hurt."

In a Wednesday interview, Baird had compared the people who generated that sort of disruption on a national scale with Nazi Brownshirts in Germany before World War II. On Friday, Baird emphasized that he wasn't calling his constituents Nazis; he was referring to people organizing national campaigns.

"I didn't call any constituents Brownshirts. It's the activities of Web sites," Baird said.

Randy Behrendsen said he doesn't see a distinction.

"It came out of his mouth, and was a wrong thing to say," the Woodland farmer told The Columbian. "Regardless of how he meant it, who really knows? It's easy to say that after the fact. I'm a Republican, but I've never had an ax to grind with him. But all he's done has been wiped out by the statements he's made."

Baird said Friday that he was talking about people who make death threats, someone "who faxes a picture, 'Death to Marxists, foreign and domestic.' That happened to me today."

Baird's office forwarded a copy of an image of President Obama that's already been circulated, showing him made over in the style of the Batman villain "The Joker." The fax to Baird featured two new wrinkles — a hammer-and-sickle symbol on Obama's forehead and the words, "Death to All Marxists! Foreign and Domestic!" under the photo.

Baird said he wanted to focus on content, not controversy, in scheduling the hour-long "telephone town hall" Friday.

One of Friday's callers was Nansen Malin of Long Beach, Republican 3rd District co-chair. She invited Baird to a town hall meeting in her own living room.

"I assure there will be civility and discourse. I'll be your bodyguard," she said.

"I thought it was a great offer, a very generous offer," Baird said of the not-yet-scheduled meeting.

Baird also said he accepted an invitation from conservative radio personality Lars Larson, a Vancouver resident.

"Lars invited me to a two-hour session on his national show," Baird said. "I will listen to his side, talk about what is or is not in the legislation. We haven't scheduled it yet."

Still, some locals don't want to just hear Baird's voice on the phone or over the radio. They're still looking for a face-to-face meeting.

"I was under the impression the congressman worked for the people of the United States, particularly this area," said Kathe Seibert of Vancouver, who called The Columbian to support a local town hall meeting. "I don't care if he's held more meetings than any other congressman. We need to talk to him.

"I really think he needs to man up. I don't think we have bunch of anarchists," Seibert said. "People need to be heard. Get it done."

Other callers to The Columbian supported Baird's approach.

"Extreme conservatives like Rush Limbaugh have worked people up," said Battle Ground resident Bill Jackson. "I don't want to be in a meeting where people act like mob. It's good for people to have different opinions, but I think conservatives are trying to drive a wedge between people in our country."

"I think it's crazy what the far right is doing," said Donna Lien of Vancouver. "'Just say no! Just say no!' How can you have a town hall meeting that way? I think it's being orchestrated."

Party lines aren't the only source of heat in the health-care discussion, Baird noted.

"The differences are not always between parties," he said. "I had a chat with a fellow, and even when we agreed, he was trying to shout me down."

On the Net:

Congressman Brian Baird: www.baird.house.gov/index.php?option=com_frontpage&Itemid

Audio recording of Friday's telephone town hall meeting: www.baird.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=102&Itemid=111

Baird on health care reform: www.baird.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=974&Itemid=99