[Shortly before we went to press, an audio tape came into our procession. We were unable to identify the voices on the tape, but we thought it was interesting just the same. This is a excerpt from the transcript.]

1st Voice: “Mark, tell me again what it is like when the sun sets on the Capitol dome.”

2nd Voice: “Joe, it is the most amazing thing. It shimmers and glows as if God had poured an Orange Crush on it from the sky.”

“Mark, do you really think we will get there some day?”

“It won’t be long now, Joe. If Capuano doesn’t get a job in the Kerry administration, he’s sure to be gunning for Romney.”

“He seems really frustrated.”

“Ya-haw, he wasn’t slogging through Iowa and New Hampshire because he believes in Kerry’s vision for agriculture subsidy reform. Think about it, for 10 years, he was Michael, Lord of Somerville. Now, he’s a junior member of the minority party. You think he wants to be working on mobile home refinance legislation all day?”

“Won’t we be stuck in the same hole?”

“Nah, Capuano doesn’t know how to relax. We’ll be cool. The Republicans can’t hold on forever. Capuano doesn’t have the patience.”

“Besides, you can’t find a decent pizza in Fairfax County. I betcha there are congressmen from Utah, who must think he’s from Mars.”

“Joe, there are congressmen from Utah, who think he is Mars.”

“Well, even if I run for congress, won’t I have to worry about Barrios? He got so much publicity over the same-sex marriage issue. I’ll never be able to match him.”

“Actually, I was just speaking to John Long and I have a plan—”

[Tape ends.]