The Suits of Jack Abramoff, Awaiting Civil Settlement

Friedman, hosting a fundraiser for WETA, "could not have been nicer," said Dingell. "I told him, 'I have a Hummer outside,' and he laughed. I said, 'All I want you to do is come to Detroit and understand what the domestic industry is doing.' "

Turns out Friedman's flying to Detroit next week for the auto show and promised to make time to see what the industry is doing with hybrid technology. We'll tell you his vehicle of choice next week.

LOVE, ETC.

Splitting:ActorsHilary Swank, 31, andChad Lowe, 37, are separating after eight years of marriage, her manager said in a statement yesterday. The award-winning duo -- forgot about his '93 supporting-actor Emmy for "Life Goes On," didn't you? -- met 13 years ago when she was an unknown and he wasRob Lowe's on-the-rise little brother. Their union survived her vault to the big leagues in "Boys Don't Cry" and the nation's collective wince as she conspicuously forgot to thank him in her 2000 Oscar speech; she made it up to him last year when she collected her second Best Actress statuette for "Million Dollar Baby."

Swank's manager said the two are "hopeful they'll be able to get through this tough time," which seemed to leave the door open to a reconciliation. The couple have no children, a completely enviable $4 million townhouse in the West Village and joint producership of the cable game show "Celebrity Charades."

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"I consider one candidate mother. He considers both candidates that you're referring to [as] friends. "

-- White House spokesmanScott McClellantrying to explain away any possible conflict between him and the president now that his mom, Texas ComptrollerCarole Keeton Strayhorn, has announced she will ditch the GOP to run for governor as an independent against his boss's pick, Republican incumbent Rick Perry . McClellan ducked teasing questions in yesterday's press briefing about whether he will travel with President Bush to campaign for Perry and asserted that Mom "has my full support."