But American politics don't require much fodder to wage war in the frame game. McCain has handed a freebie to Democrats (as well as some embittered Republicans), who are delighting in portraying him as a hypocritical flip-flopper. It was McCain, after all, who once held hearings criticizing Hollywood for making R-rated movies aimed at children.

Now, he's in a film that clearly registers high on the raunch-o-meter. And, even though "Wedding Crashers" is rated R, kids want to see anything starring funny guys Owen Wilson and Vince Vaughn.

The hypocrisy charge may not hold, as McCain's focus at those hearings was on violence, not sex. Even so, every public relations strategist lives by the caveat "Get outta the frame," when you're about to be photographed and frozen in human memory with the wrong person or circumstance. Think Bill Clinton and the beret-wearing Monica Lewinsky.

McCain might have thought this one through, if he even bothered to read the script. Forevermore - or at least through the 2008 presidential race - he'll be associated with the diddling class. "Bosoms McCain."

Hillary's image, meanwhile, glistens with virtue. As she edges toward the center, she's landed on a win-win issue. No one beyond the apparently swelling ranks of pedophiles would argue that children should be exposed to sex and violence in video games or anywhere else.

As she said a few days ago, the video industry has had enough time to police itself and has failed. Clinton is speaking the language of parents, most of whom try valiantly to protect their children from age-inappropriate material and have learned that being vigilant in one's home is not enough.

Thus, Clinton is seeking legislative solutions. In addition to her inquiry into "mods," she also has joined two archconservative Republican senators, Rick Santorum and Sam Brownback (as well as Democrat Joe Lieberman), in seeking $90 million for research into how media violence via television, videos games and the Internet affects children.

Clinton, in other words, owns this message. She has staked herself out as the grown-up, a mature leader, the adult parent who can be trusted to protect children. And, as Lucy did repeatedly for Charlie Brown, she is demonstrating that when boys will be boys, girls will take charge.