From George Pataki making nice with Dennis Rivera to Mike Bloomberg communing with Al Sharpton, the top Republicans are acting more like Democrats than the Democrats.

In 1996 and '97, the city routinely subjected minor offenders to humiliating strip searches -- a policy that could now cost all of us as much as $1 billion in damages.

Why are the mayor and the tabloids beating up on Gifford Miller? Because they can.

At this point in the mayoral race, only a connect-the-dots series of events could keep Mark Green out of Gracie Mansion -- but anything can happen . . .

The Democratic Party leadership has all but written off McCall's lackluster run. As funds and hours run out, some pols are already lining up to place the blame on any shoulder but Carl's.

That deadly asteroid homing in on Geraldine Ferraro's campaign is Charles Schumer, who has the record and now the money to win the primary and take on Al D'Amato.

The shade of the late Arthur Goldberg -- great man, terrible candidate -- hovers above Rye, where Democrats will gather to select candidates for statewide offices.