The Democratic National Committee enlisted Al Gore to write a fundraising letter on behalf of the party's presumptive presidential nominee, Sen. Barack Obama, and the former vice president has answered the request by adding to the bottom of the DNC letter: "P.S. - Visit AlGore.com to read my journal and learn more about our movement to solve the climate crisis."

The Web site created by Mr. Gore provides a link to Amazon.com and his book "The Assault on Reason," a complete list and links to the former vice president's several projects and causes; a just-issued warning Tuesday about the presumptive Republican nominee, Sen. John McCain, suddenly changing gears and calling for an end to the federal ban on offshore oil drilling while raising the ire of environmental groups in the process; and last but not least "Tipper Gore's Photographs."

Mom sighting

That was Roberta McCain, mother of Republican presidential contender Sen. John McCain, enjoying the chef's table in the kitchen of Teatro Goldoni on K Street Monday night with Washington publicist Janet Donovan (who in the world of celebrity and politics doesn't Miss Donovan know?).

After a tremendous eight-course feast personally served by the restaurant's new chef, Enzo Fargione, the 96-year-old Mrs. McCain, widow of Adm. John S. McCain Jr., was promptly surrounded by numerous admirers. She entertained them with stories stretching from her time in China to hilarious cases of mistaken identity that she orchestrated with her twin sister, Rowena.

If Mrs. McCain's stamina is any indication, her 71-year-old candidate-son should have no age problem granted he wins the White House in November. She closed down the place around midnight.

Ambassador Mondavi

The U.S. Senate this week passed a resolution crowning California winemaker Robert Mondavi, who died last month at the age of 94, America's "ambassador of wine."

The resolution notes that the Napa vineyard owner created the first French-American wine venture when he joined with Baron Philippe de Rothschild in creating the Opus One Winery, which produced its first vintage in 1979.

God's collectors

We had to laugh at how the House Republican Study Committee, chaired by Rep. Jeb Hensarling of Texas, drew attention Tuesday to Democrats standing in the way of the fundamental conservative belief that the federal government should do fewer things with fewer taxpayer resources so that American citizens and businesses can do more things with more of their own resources.

The committee highlighted humor writer Dave Barry's observation: "The Democrats believe that if God did not want them to raise taxes He would not have created the Internal Revenue Service."

Cuts both ways

"Jihad," it turns out, was declared on America by a prominent Middle Eastern thug long before the Taliban and al Qaeda reared their ugly heads.

"Drug Kingpins Across the Decades" is the title of the Drug Enforcement Administration Museum's lecture series taking place this spring celebrating the DEA's 35th anniversary. On Thursday, the audience will learn about Haji Baz Mohammad and his personal jihad, or holy war, against the United States.

Mohammad orchestrated an international heroin trafficking organization that manufactured and distributed millions of dollars worth of heroin from Afghanistan and Pakistan into the United States, confident while doing so that it would lead to an untold number of American deaths.

"He conspired to sell heroin in the United States as a 'jihad' because they were taking the Americans' money at the same time the heroin they were paying for was killing them," explains the DEA, adding that during the course of the conspiracy the kingpin's organization was providing financial support to the Taliban.

The lecture begins at 10 a.m. in the auditorium of DEA headquarters at 700 Army Navy Drive in Arlington, just across from Pentagon City Mall.