WASHINGTON (AP) — Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry is appealing for donations in an e-mail accusing college Republicans of allowing the sale of racist and anti-gay T-shirts at a convention this summer.

“I need you to join me in showing we reject the divisive politics some in the GOP are passing on to a new generation of Republicans,” Kerry wrote in the e-mail, also posted on his campaign web site.

The e-mail includes a photo of the shirts. One says, “No Muslims No Terrorism.” Another has a photo of black filmmaker Spike Lee and the message, “Bring back the blacklist.” A third shows a photo of lesbian TV personality Rosie O’Donnell and her partner with the line “Mr. (?) and Mrs. (?) Rosie O’Donnell.” Another says, “The Clinton Legacy” and shows the World Trade Center after a plane crashed into it.

Kerry’s e-mail said the T-shirts, from a company called Ocents, were displayed and sold at the College Republicans National Convention in Washington in July.

“The divisive slogans and graphic pictures are not to be laughed off as campaign rhetoric — they are racist, anti-gay and violent,” Kerry wrote. “I support the First Amendment, and I am using my right to free speech to protest their politics of division. But our protest must come in actions not words. Click here to contribute now.”

Kerry told prospective donors he’s “taken the high road in this campaign” and needs their support “to send George Bush and his right-wing friends back to Texas.”

Kerry wrote that donations were especially important before the third fund-raising quarter ends Sept. 30.

David Joyslin, spokesman for the College Republican National Committee, said his group had nothing to do with the T-shirts, and was unfamiliar with the company that sold them.

“We sold over 50 tables to vendors. We didn’t monitor every single product of every single vendor,” Joyslin said. “Obviously our organization wouldn’t endorse any statements of the sort that I saw on the Internet.”

Bush campaign spokesman Scott Stanzel condemned the T-shirts and referred The Associated Press to the college Republicans for further comment.

The T-shirts were spotted at the GOP convention by a Kerry supporter who was staying in the same hotel, Kerry spokesman Robert Gibbs said.

Kerry is among several presidential hopefuls making last-minute e-mail pitches for contributions before the current fund-raising period ends next week.

Besides being cheaper to collect than donations gathered through direct mail and fund-raising events, Internet donations mean instant money for the campaigns because contributors donate with their credit cards.

Bush campaign manager Ken Mehlman sent an e-mail citing the third-quarter deadline and telling potential donors next year’s race could be as close as the 2000 election.

“Democratic presidential candidates are so desperate they’ll say anything to get elected,” Mehlman wrote. “Special interest groups have committed to raising over $400 million in soft money specifically to defeat President Bush.”

Democratic hopeful Dick Gephardt cited support among labor unions and in early-voting state Iowa in an e-mail to supporters Tuesday, also making an oblique reference to fund-raising front-runner Howard Dean. Dean has raised more than $1 million online so far this week.

“While many in the news media are obsessed by the ‘flavor of the month’ candidate, my campaign is staying on plan and building strength in the early states,” Gephardt wrote. “If you’re like me, you want to keep Karl Rove up at night knowing that George Bush’s days are numbered.”

Democrat Joe Lieberman’s campaign sent an e-mail alerting supporters to two television appearances he was making.

“And don’t forget,” the e-mail said. “You’ve got just five days left to help Joe score a 3rd quarter touchdown by making a contribution today!”