MAMA, DON'T LET YOUR BABIES GROW UP TO BE GOP ATHLETES

          The GOP held a national gathering featuring ten
     prospective Republican presidential candidates in Cedar
     Rapids, IA, over the weekend.  Packers DE REGGIE WHITE was a
     guest of Family Research Council President GARY BAUER and
     the AP reported that the two "mugged for cameras, then
     hugged, easily the weekend's oddest looking couple" (AP,
     6/14).  In Cedar Rapids, the GAZETTE's Kueter & Lowenstein
     reported that one of the event's "biggest receptions" was
     given to White "who delivered the invocation" (GAZETTE,
     6/13).  Bauer, drawing "cheers" from the delegates, said, "I
     stood with Reggie White.  No to same-sex marriages!  No to
     saying that way of life is acceptable!" (N.Y. TIMES, 6/14). 
          IS LARGENT'S RIGHTFUL SPOT ON THE TICKET? Former
     Seahawks WR STEVE LARGENT (R-OK) served as the event's emcee
     and the TULSA WORLD reported that Largent's presence in IA
     "has revived talk heard often when he first entered
     political life that his future might include a spot on a
     national ticket" (TULSA WORLD, 6/13).