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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

He Won’t Be Dragged Down To Dornan’s Level

Compiled By Staff Writer Rick Bo

Congressmen Robert Dornan, R-Calif., and Barney Frank, D-Mass., are fighting over Frank’s boyfriend.

During House debate, Dornan said he was “beyond annoyance” at the openly gay Frank’s mentions of his partner, Herb Moses, adding: “The only Moses we like to hear about on this House floor is … Moses the lawgiver, Moses of the Ten Commandments; commandments, Mr. Speaker, not suggestions about matters like infanticide and adultery and sodomy.”

And when Moses responded by organizing a fund-raiser for his challenger, Dornan said: “I couldn’t be that lucky, could I? To have him come out to my district. Maybe he can wear a dress. Maybe he can bring pedophiles with him.”

Replied Moses: “I’m 6 feet tall. I have a beard. I weigh about 190 pounds. I can’t imagine where he would come up with wearing a dress.”

Loose talk

Talk host Rosie O’Donnell, on revealing she supports President Clinton (in Entertainment Weekly): “I thought, ‘Uh-oh … I’m going to get letters from Republicans about this.’ Then I realized: What Republicans are watching daytime television?”

He may be retiring, but we bet he’ll rebound

Sen. Bill Bradley turns 53 today.

Didn’t Dad try to get a Grammy nomination?

Sen. Phil Gramm, R-Tex., has agreed to give his 21-year-old son, Jeff, one year to try to make it in the music world. Said Gramm: “I don’t want him to look back 20 years from now, when he’s lancing boils or doing wills … and say, ‘I wonder if I could have been a big rock star?”’

But we still kinda doubt she’s his first lady

Carolyn Bessette has left her job as a Calvin Klein publicist and is preparing to become Mrs. John F. Kennedy Jr., reports W magazine. The fashion rag quotes a former co-worker as saying: “She’s got Princess Di and Jackie O down pat. She does the wave. She knows how to get out of the limousine. But she’s modernized it. It’s Street Chic.”

Oh, it was just his standard rump speech

Why does former presidential speechwriter Grace Halsell call Lyndon Johnson “the worst boss I ever had”? An example, from “In Their Shoes,” her upcoming autobiography: “He had told his aides to hire secretaries with ‘good behinds’ so if he missed them coming in he’d enjoy ‘their rears’ as they were leaving.”

When it comes to food, all Bill does is inhale

In a New Yorker article titled “Nixon Off The Record,” former aide Monica Crowley recalls Richard Nixon telling her about a visit to the White House where President Clinton discussed his weight problem over Diet Cokes. “He really let his hair down with me,” Nixon said.

And like Dad, you can’t teach him Newt tricks

Like his master, Bob Dole’s dog, Leader, is no spring chicken at age 13. But canine nanny Mary Vincent, who created the miniature schnauzer’s home page (www.firstdog.com), tells the Washington Post: “Like his father, he is quite vigorous and in excellent condition. I have a picture of him on the treadmill in the Watergate gym.”

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: 2 Photo

The following fields overflowed: CREDIT = Compiled by staff writer Rick Bonino