FAT CRIMES
Conservatives make fat women depressed, claim researchers at the University of Michigan. "We found that having a conservative ideology, or just being exposed to that viewpoint, has a negative effect on the self-esteem and mood of women who believe they're overweight," says Jennifer Crocker, a doctoral candidate and faculty associate at Michigan's Institute for Social Research. Her research, co-authored by U-M psychologist Diane M. Quinn and published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, also says that "overweight women who endorse the values of hard work, self-discipline, and personal responsibility are more anxious and depressed than overweight women who don't," according to a press release. "The Protestant ethic also makes overweight women feel bad about themselves."

No word yet on whether liberalism damages the self-esteem of women suffering from anorexia or malnourishment, but we're sure the University of Michigan will weigh in on this matter soon.

GAME, SET, MATCHED
Gary Bauer's presidential exploratory committee announced on Thursday that Bauer has met the federal matching funds threshold by raising at least $5,000 in matchable contributions from 20 or more states. Bauer, formally an undeclared candidate, has met that threshold in 23 states.

LEEWARD
President Clinton reportedly will renominate Bill Lann Lee on Friday to head the Justice Department's civil rights division.