But when the Bushes visited Clarke on Tortola, "Jane had not met Koufax and was married to her husband, John Clem Clarke, the artist," says Nelson.

"The Kitty Kelley story is a lie," Clarke told Kessler.

We'll let you know about any additional lawsuits.

ODD BEDFELLOWS

What do former Republican House Speaker Newt Gingrich and Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean have in common?

Not much, but would you believe both agree on the prospect for Democratic gains in the 2006 midterm elections?

Tom McMahon, the DNC's executive director, calls our attention to a Gingrich interview over the weekend with Time.com, during which the former Republican leader was asked about the opposition's chances come November, particularly in light of widespread Republican shenanigans of late.

Gingrich replied that Democrats could make their case with a single slogan: "Had enough?"

Dean has. In fact, he's resorted to such a slogan, "Enough is enough," while crisscrossing the country in recent months.

CHIPS AND DIP

Yes, you heard correctly, the Poker Players Alliance were to hold a reception Tuesday night on Capitol Hill (albeit in the cafeteria of the Longworth House Office Building) to "promote and defend" the game of poker, which it calls "a true American tradition and a game of skill."

Scheduled to attend were World Series of Poker champions Chris Ferguson, Howard Lederer and Greg Raymer.

While not specifically citing poker, there are those in Congress who have cast a wary eye on America's gambling habits, particularly when it comes to unregulated Internet wagering. It is estimated that more than $100 billion is bet on the streets of the U.S. every year.

HAD A GAS

One never knows what they're going to read in Mariani's Virtual Gourmet Newsletter, published weekly (and free of charge, we might add) by our good friend John Mariani, columnist for Esquire and Wine Spectator magazines and author of "The Encyclopedia of American Food & Drink."

This week, the Big Apple-based Mariani writes about his recent trek to Istanbul, New York's posh new Italian restaurant Table XII, and our own Ceiba at the corner of 14th and G streets Northwest in Washington.

But our favorite item is this correction he spotted in the New York Times Dining In/Out section:

"Because of an editing error, a recipe last Wednesday for meatballs . . . misstated the amount of chipotle chilies in adobo to be used. It is one or two canned chilies, not one or two cans."