Book Will Let You Color Ollie Red, White and Blue

Lt. Col. Oliver L. North, one of the most colorful figures in the Iran- contra scandal, is, appropriately, being featured in a coloring book. Although it is just getting to bookstores this week, “The Ollie North Coloring Book” is in its third printing because 200,000 copies have been ordered, said illustrator Mort Drucker, a Woodbury, N.Y., resident who drew the caricatures for the book’s 24 pages. Writer Paul Laikin of Plainview, N.Y., provided the text. The two Mad magazine contributors collaborated 25 years ago on “The JFK Coloring Book,” which spent 14 weeks on the New York Times best-seller list. Drucker said he and Laikin agreed to re-enter the market because of the response to North. “This is aimed at the millions of people who sat in front of the TV sets and gave up their favorite soap programs,” Drucker said. “It doesn’t come with crayons.”

--New York Gov. Mario M. Cuomo has decided to run after all--but not for the White House. Cuomo, who in February announced that he would not seek the 1988 Democratic presidential nomination, said that when his back pains subside, he will take up running to improve his health. “I’ve given myself 10 days to rid myself of my back pain, which I can do by discipline and some exercises,” said Cuomo, 55. “At the end of the 10 days, I’m going to start running again, regularly, maybe even religiously. And that is going to make me a dynamo.” In November, tests indicated that Cuomo suffered from a pinched nerve. Doctors gave him special exercises to correct the problem, and he does yoga to ease his chronic lower back pain. Cuomo made the comments on Albany public radio station WAMC.

--Speaking of governors, Idaho’s Cecil D. Andrus has two of his old jobs back. Andrus served two terms as governor in the 1970s before becoming secretary of the Interior for President Jimmy Carter. Not only was he elected governor for a third time last fall, but also on Monday he started his second assignment as star of the Idaho Potato Commission’s TV advertising campaign to convince buyers that the best russet potatoes are grown in Idaho. The two 30-second commercials will be used for national markets. Commission member Roy Reed said there was a tremendous response when Andrus starred in ads in the 1970s. And “who would be a better spokesman for the state than the governor himself?” Reed asked.