Sen. Thomas R. Carper (D-Del.): "My first car was a 1962 Corvair Monza, made famous in Ralph Nader's book 'Unsafe at Any Speed.' Nader's strong criticism of the car allowed me to buy it for a song while I was an undergraduate at Ohio State. I believe that I paid less than $500 for the vehicle and went on to drive it for my last couple of years in college and then on to Pensacola, Fla., where I began my preflight training in late 1968."

Sen. Carl Levin (D-Mich.): "Back in the 1970s, I was serving on the Detroit City Council and driving my mother's car. One day, as I sat at a restaurant window eating lunch with a friend, I watched a man jump into my mother's car and drive off. We ran outside, jumped into my buddy's car and followed the car as he drove to a house in one of Detroit's neighborhoods. When he parked the car and went inside, we called the police and told them what had happened. They came to the house; I identified the guy; they arrested him and I got my mother's car back."

Sen. Jim Talent (R-Mo.): "My first car was a 1974, lime green, Ford Pinto station wagon that cost $1,900. It had a rudimentary rear-window defroster that was powered by this big alternator. When the alternator was fully engaged you could have provided enough electricity for a small suburban town. I was always fighting rust on that car. I would treat the rust and spray over it with lime-green spray paint."

Sen. Ben Nelson (D-Neb.), 1952 Plymouth: The senator's most vivid memory of his Plymouth was the time he decided to give the car a new coat of paint. Immediately afterward, he parked it in front of his parents' house in McCook, Neb., where a driver sped along, hit the Plymouth and demolished it.

SHELLS AND CEMENT

The 10 announced Democratic presidential hopefuls should be "dismissed as pawns" on Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton's political chessboard until the former first lady makes a "definitive, irreversible commitment" to stay out of the 2004 presidential sweepstakes.

So says Roger Hughes, spokesman for the Iowa Presidential Watch, an Iowa-based political watchdog group. He notes that despite Sen. Clinton's public denials about becoming a candidate for the 2004 Democratic nomination, "there continues to be a disturbing drumbeat of reports, hints and rumors" that she will eventually seek the nomination.

"Many of the reports are fueled by several recent comments and suggestions from the Clintons themselves," Hughes observes. "For those who have watched the Clintons operate over the years ... their mutual ability to scheme is legendary and well-documented."

He says it would be a serious mistake for Democrats to make a financial or even emotional investment in any of the current Democratic candidates as long there's a prospect that Sen. Clinton will enter the 2004 campaign mix.

"One of the most disturbing aspects of the Clintons' approach is they continue to play a political shell game with Democrats and all American voters," he says. "One day they deny that Hillary will be a candidate and then the next day - out of the other side of their mouths - they drop comment that a presidential bid may still be an option."

Meanwhile, as Sen. Clinton sits on the fence, the current slate of 10 Democratic candidates painstakingly try to stand out from the rest of the pack. For instance, Rep. Richard A. Gephardt (D-Mo.) eagerly announced Monday (Sept. 22) that he has been endorsed by the Operative Plasterers' and Cement Masons' International Association.

DOING LUNCH

First lady Laura Bush is honorary co-chairman of Communities in Schools, which is once again conducting its annual "Lunch With A Leader" online auction to help kids succeed in school and prepare for life.

Currently EBay is accepting bids to break bread with a long list of celebrities. As of Monday (Sept. 22), for example, bidding stood at $2,025 to dine with former first lady Rosalynn Carter, $680 to gaze across the table at ABC's George Stephanopoulos, and $152 to listen to the spiel of political activist/actor Mike Farrell (B.J. Hunnicut of the television show "M-A-S-H").

Not on the auction block this year, due to the fact that both recently entered the political arena, are California gubernatorial hopeful Arnold Schwarzenegger, who fetched $10,000 in last year's auction, and former NATO commander and Democratic presidential candidate retired Gen. Wesley Clark, who accepted a luncheon date for a mere $650.

While Mrs. Bush isn't on the auction block, she encourages readers to place a bid at www.missionfish.com/LunchWithALeader/index.htm.

NEVER STOP LOBBYING

"Some would call these lobbyists enlightened to allow a win in overtime by one point by the members of the House." - Rep. Jack Quinn (R-N.Y.) remarking on the annual congressional basketball game against the American League of Lobbyists. Rigged or not, congressmen were the winners for the third time in a row; this year's score 49-48 in overtime.

PROPS HELP

Christopher J. Paulitz, communications director for Rep. Mark Foley (R-Fla.), issued the following news release Monday: "Just wanted to let all of you know that with the help of a big diamond and a lot of wine, I was able to convince Diane to marry me this weekend."