CALLING IN THE CAVALRY Winfrey, Obama (Photos: Getty Images)

• PR/ER: CSI: Matthew Hiltzik, power-publicist to the stars and onetime point-man to Hillary Clinton and Katie Couric, has been brought on to usher embattled talk-show host Don Imus back to the air. Could Imus have liked the advice Hiltzik's offered him in the past?

• Word of mouth: Outed CIA agent and all-around foxy operative Valerie Plame is "outraged," finding new reports that former White House press secretary Scott McClellan was asked to lie about her leaked identity by top Administration brass "shocking." With all do respect, Val, "shocking"? Criminal, yes; annoying, probably. But "shocking"?

• Mano a mano: Hillary Clinton removes one glove and delivers a sharp jab in the lip of rival Barack Obama, saying, in response to his touting a childhood spent abroad as foreign policy experience: ''Voters will have to judge if living in a foreign country at the age of 10 prepares one to face the big, complex international challenges the next president will face."

• Oh dear, Jon: Major metropolises are scrambling for a chance at alleged rapist and former American's Next Top Model featured designer Anand Jon. Jon's most recently been indicted in New York, which is requesting extradition from L.A., where he stands to face 54 counts of a grab-bag of sex offenses.