ONLY THEY COULD FAIL THIS TEST

According to Project Vote Smart's National Political Awareness Test,
your politician is not an honor student. The test, given by the
nonpartisan Center for National Independence in Politics, was a
no-brainer: All it took to make the "National Honor Roll'' was to give
positions on 70 percent of issues ranging from abortion to welfare.

So who could flunk it? Governor: FAIL: George Pataki (R), Peter
Vallone (D), Al Lewis (Green), Betsy McCaughey Ross (L), Tom Leighton
(Marijuana Reform). PASS: Alfred Duncan (Socialist Workers), Mary Alice
France (Unity), Christopher Garvey (Libertarian), Michael Reynolds (RTL).
U.S. Senate: FAIL: Sen. Al D'Amato (R), Rep. Chuck Schumer (D). PASS: Rose
Anna Berbeo (Socialist Workers), Joel Kovel (Green), Corinne Kurtz
(Marijuana Reform), William McMillen (Libertarian). Congress: 21st CD:
FAIL: U.S. Rep. Michael McNulty (D). PASS: Lauren Ayers (R). 22nd CD: FAIL:
Jean Bordewich (D), John Sweeney (R). PASS: Francis Giroux (RTL). State
Senate: 42nd SD: PASS: Sen. Neil Breslin. FAIL: Anthony Esposito (R),
Joseph Sullivan (RTL). 44th SD: FAIL: Gerald Evans (D), Sen. Hugh Farley
(R). Assembly: 102nd AD: PASS: Assemblyman John Faso (R), Joseph Laux (L).
103rd AD: FAIL: Michele Paludi (D), Assemblyman James Tedisco (R). 104th
AD: PASS: Lisa Hampton (R), Assemblyman Jack McEneny (D). 105th AD: PASS:
George Fiebka (R), Assemblyman Paul Tonko (D). 106th AD: FAIL: Assemblyman
Ronald Canestrari (D). PASS: John Ferrannini (R). 107th AD: FAIL:
Assemblyman Robert Prentiss (R). PASS: Richard Gross (D).

For responses, see the group's Web site at http://www.vote-smart.org.

Radio waves: No one ever accused state Attorney General Dennis Vacco
of being boring, especially not after hearing pseudo-Vacco's banter on
Paul Vandenberg's morning radio show on WROW.

The voice is close, the attitude's unmistakably the one-term
Republican incumbent's. But it's not Vacco -- even though Vandenberg
isn't always careful to make that clear. The caller, posing as "the
toughest little crime fighter,'' pontificates on Microsoft, tobacco
and crime-fighting -- but goes out of his way to distort Vacco's own
stance on the issues.

One recent morning, for example, the caller -- Vandenburg said he
doesn't know who it is -- voiced hope his cigarette-smoking kids would
grow up to work for Microsoft. In reality, Vacco has gone after
tobacco companies for targeting minors in ads, and after the software
giant in a federal lawsuit. But the caller also likened Democratic
attorney general hopeful Eliot Spitzer to Fred Flintstone, a dig at
Spitzer's 5 o'clock shadow.

Vacco's office wasn't feeling litigious and took the satire in
stride.

"We'd hope that people realize this character is not the attorney
general . . . but you have to have a sense of humor on these things,''
said Vacco spokesman Joe Mahoney. "You just have to grin and bear it.''

I agree, darn it: For a while there in a debate at Adirondack
Community College Tuesday, Republican 22nd Congressional District
candidate John Sweeney and Democrat Jean Bordewich found themselves
agreeing on one too many points, like impeachment and protecting
Social Security. When the topic turned to school aid, the pattern just
got to be too clear to ignore:

"I would tend to agree again,'' Sweeney said. "I hate it when that
happens.''

"It's the questions, John,'' responded Bordewich. "Usually they ask
questions we can disagree on. I don't know what's going on.'' Campaign
Trail is compiled by Jay Jochnowitz and Lara Jakes. Got a good tip?
Call 454-5432 or e-mail: jjochnowitz@timesunion.com or
ljakes@timesunion.com

Checked-by: Patrick Henry