Wednesday, Oct. 2, 2002 | 9:25 a.m.
The New York Times recently asked two nonpartisan political analysts to handicap some of the nation's most hotly contested congressional races, including the death match between Jon Porter and Dario Herrera.
Both consultants -- the Cook Political Report and the Rothenberg Political Report -- predicted the Republican, Porter, would win the 3rd District seat.
They did not mention the 1st District contest, where polls show Democratic Rep. Shelley Berkley with a fat lead over Lynette Boggs McDonald.
But, not surprisingly, McDonald supporters insist that the only poll that matters is the one on election day.
"Look at Michael Bloomberg in New York," McDonald's chief supporter -- her husband, Steven McDonald -- told VegasBeat.
The initial polls had Bloomberg as a nonfactor in his race against former Nader's Raider and New York City public advocate Mark Green. The last one put Mayor Mike, as the Gotham tabloids affectionately call him, in City Hall.
Added another McDonald supporter with national polling experience who is not directly involved in the campaign: "Registered Democrats outnumber Republicans in New York by almost 5-to-1.
"But people sometimes don't want to appear a certain way when they get asked a political question. In the privacy of a voting booth, however, they sometimes become a lot more conservative."
The supporter felt that new voters in the district were a lot more conservative than polls indicate, and therefore might turn out for McDonald in larger numbers than anyone now thinks.
"People move out here for family and safety and education issues, which is Lynette's core strength," the backer concluded.
Hot dog!
Last April KWNR 95.5-FM disc jockey Mitch Kelly said on the air that if his favorite baseball team, the Milwaukee Brewers, lost 100 games he'd run naked down the Strip.
For better or worse, the Brew Crew did in fact hit the century mark a week before the season ended on Sunday.
So on Friday, Kelly will make good on his promise. Luckily, however, station management won't let him run completely in the buff, so he'll be sporting a neon-yellow Miller Lite thong.
He takes off at 8:30 a.m. from the Harley-Davidson Las Vegas Cafe. Bring a camera.
Screen counsel
Before a movie the other day, we saw an onscreen advertisement for Las Vegas entertainment lawyer Barry Levinson.
He is not related to the director of such films as "Diner," "Bugsy," "Good Morning, Vietnam" and the upcoming "Analyze That."
But he does have a fairly well-known client: John Wayne Bobbitt.
Cowboy Wayne
Wayne Newton skipped town last weekend -- and took Bo Derek with him.
The duo, along with Charley Pride and "Jungle" Jack Hanna made their way to the sleepy town of Longview, Texas, to perform in a benefit for Neal McCoy's East Texas Angel Network charity, which raises money for kids suffering life-threatening illnesses.
Newton flew in his entire orchestra for the show.
Between songs, he told the crowd how he and McCoy were snuck into Kandahar Airport in Afghanistan this year to perform for the Marines -- but had to be whisked away after only two songs.
They crawled out a broken window and to their plane in the pitch dark after reports came in that the facility was going to be blown up.
President Babs
Best Las Vegas reference in weeks was on "The Late Show With David Letterman" Monday night.
His Top Ten list featured the 10 best things about a potential Barbra Streisand presidency.
No. 6: Barbra would, "Blow off the Russian summit for a two-week gig at the MGM Grand in Vegas."
SuperSonic salary
Seattle SuperSonic basketball star Gary Payton has been in good spirits lately, report some spies who have seen the Las Vegas resident around town.
But he is not making any friends back in Grunge City.
The veteran all-star point guard canceled a charity basketball game he usually holds in Seattle over the summer and has taken several public swipes at team management over what he says is its reluctance to extend his contract.
Payton is entering the last season of a seven-year, $84-million pact.
Fans are calling Payton the town's next Alex Rodriguez -- the Seattle shortstop who bolted two years ago, receiving a record $252 million contract from the Texas Rangers.
But head Starbucks brewer and team owner Howard Schultz hopes to get the 34-year-old Payton back at a discount, if he doesn't sign with another team or get traded first.
Feedback
VegasBeat received an overwhelming response from readers about the item last week that bandleader Buddy Greco and his wife, Lezlie Anders, had filed a bankruptcy petition.
Virtually all the calls and e-mails took me to task for reporting bad news about a nice guy.
As always, heartfelt responses are appreciated.
While VegasBeat strives to be entertaining, it is not all about rah-rah entertainment. This is a gossip column, covering the news made by the diverse collection of personalities that make Las Vegas special.
It's good news and the bad, through sickness and through health, and yes, for richer or poorer.
Check out ...
Shaquille O'Neal walking through MGM Grand -- and making a beeline toward the buffet ... a rockin' Sheryl Crow at a Caesars Palace cabana, enjoying her weekend after her and Michelle Branch's sold-out Friday night show ... Kim Fields ("The Facts of Life"), who joins the cast of "The Vagina Monologues" Tuesday through Oct. 13; Susan Anton takes over Oct. 16 through Oct. 20 ... Robin Williams checking out olio! at MGM Grand after raising the roof Saturday at the "Andre Agassi Grand Slam for Children" charity event ... Jo Anne Worley and Charlene Tilton watching a slots tournament at Riviera ... actor Barry Corbin at Peppermill ... BBC reporter Louis Theroux -- son of celebrated novelist Paul Theroux -- with a camera crew around town filming a Michael Jackson documentar y ... Backstage with Siegfried & Roy: Saturday, Wolfgang Puck and legendary French Chef Paul Bocuse; a! nd skateboard pioneer Tony Hawk on Sunday.
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