Dog Days: Texas state treasurer Ann W....

Dog Days: Texas state treasurer Ann W. Richards ridiculed George Bush at the 1988 Democratic Convention for having been born “with a silver foot in his mouth.” Richards, a candidate in the March 13 state primary, still knows how to break ‘em up. At an educators convention recently, she told the story of the veterinarian and the taxidermist who went into business together. Their motto: “No matter what happens, you get your dog back.”

Bush Wars: For his part, George Bush is stirring the political waters early in this election year. Marlin Fitzwater, the President’s spokesman, was asked the other day why Bush planned to spend an entire day on politics this month. Fitzwater shot back: “We’re going to be spending more time on politics than you ever dreamed possible.”

Final Judgment: Though Republicans still occupy the White House, “the crest of the conservative flood has passed,” New York Mayor David N. Dinkins said Monday in Washington. Revolutions in Eastern Europe mean the end of the influence of the U.S. right wing because “without communism, (conservatives) have no enemy, and without an enemy, they have no energy,” said Dinkins, a Democrat. And conservatives will lose if they run as anti-abortionists, he said. “Who would have thought a year ago that even the chairman of the Republican National Committee would claim to be agnostic on abortion?” he asked. “The effort to make God a partisan political being has failed. She will judge our performance later.”

Paper Trail: The office of Ohio Secretary of State Sherrod Brown has given a certificate of recognition to Rick Nagin, chairman of the Ohio Communist Party. Nagin collected the award in Columbus for registering more than 2,000 voters during his losing campaign for Cleveland City Council last fall. Steve Fought, a spokesman for Brown, said Brown has issued more than 2,000 such certificates since 1983. “The vast majority of the 2,000 went to capitalists--communists being somewhat of an endangered species these days,” Fought said.