NEW YORK NOTEBOOK : Fat Cat Protests

On a day when most of the protesters outside Madison Square Garden were street preachers condemning politicians for their wicked ways, Charles Keeting and M.A. Swedlund provided a different note. They were dressed as “fat cats,” replete with pointed ears, pipe-cleaner whiskers and padded stomachs. They passed out phony money and condemned the federal election process as “legal bribery” that only serves those who make big campaign contributions.

Make It One, Please

New York Mayor David N. Dinkins, hosting a reception at Gracie Mansion this week, served a Southern delicacy that apparently caught a few Northern guests off guard: grits. A waiter offered the dish to some reluctant guests, said Dinkins, left. One guest in particular demurred. The waiter insisted. Finally, Dinkins said, the guest relented. “All right,” the guest said, “I’ll have a grit.”

Whistle Stop

During a meeting of the California delegation, a cease and desist appeal was made to Brown supporters, who have blown whistles and shouted each night on the convention floor. State Insurance Commissioner John Garamendi said the whistles were disturbing people with hearing aids. “No whistles, please,” Garamendi, a Clinton delegate, pleaded.