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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

In Other Words, Women Should Just ‘No’ Better?

Compiled By Staff Writer Rick Bo

None other than 60-something sex expert Dr. Ruth Westheimer says ousted Oregon Sen. Bob Packwood’s purported sexual improprieties are nothing to get all worked up about.

Women are attracted to powerful men, Westheimer told the Los Angeles Times, and the newly divorced Packwood “was even more likely to succumb to the temptations that were around him.” But she said Packwood’s problem probably was that “he couldn’t distinguish those women who appreciated his advances from those who did not.

“When some women literally throw themselves at you, it’s easy to get confused and think that every woman is eager for your attentions. Yes, he was wrong for being overly aggressive, but could any of us who might be put in his place guarantee that we wouldn’t make the same mistake?”

Loose talk

Spin magazine publisher Bob Guccione Jr., on GOP presidential wannabe Bob Dole: “This is a guy who laments the disintegration of America and yet supports the reversal of a ban on assault weapons. He’s a bad human being. And he looks like Darth Vader.”

Birthdays? You could say he’s had his quota

Chief Justice William Rehnquist turns 71 today.

Which is probably why Clarence went for it

Former New York governor Mario Cuomo, who has his own radio talk show these days, says he has no regrets over turning down President Clinton’s offer of a Supreme Court seat - although he calls the court “the best job.” Explains Cuomo: “You have absolute privacy, nobody bothers you, you don’t need to wear a tie. You don’t even need to wear pants - you’ve got the robe.”

Guess she’s just a chip off the old PLOck

Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat’s wife, Soha, says their two-month-old daughter is definitely Daddy’s little girl. “When she wants something, she gets it,” Soha says. “She shouts, she doesn’t cry.”

Hopefully, he’ll be on the road to recovery

The good news: Veteran CBS newsman Charles Kuralt did not suffer a heart attack when he checked into the hospital last weekend, complaining of chest pains. The bad news: Kuralt, 61, is going back in this week for triple bypass surgery.

Well, Chevy did do a pretty good Ford

The straight scoop on Republican presidential hopeful Lamar Alexander, courtesy of John F. Kennedy Jr.’s new magazine, George: His favorite Beatle is Ringo, his favorite film is “Forrest Gump,” his favorite vegetable is okra and if the campaign were a movie, he’d want Chevy Chase to play him.

Honestly, folks, we are not making this up

Among author-cum-candidate Gen. Colin Powell’s top 10 list of favorite books: Ulysses S. Grant’s “The Personal Memoirs”; David McCullough’s “Truman”; Joseph Persico’s “Nuremberg: Infamy on Trial”; Garry Wills’ “Lincoln at Gettysburg”; David Halberstam’s “The Best and the Brightest,” and Dave Barry’s “Complete Guide to Guys.”

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: 2 Photos

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