GRAPEVINE
By DAVID ELLIS
Several scandal-tinged Senators have rushed to associate themselves with a variety of no-lose issues, many related to the gulf war.
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Alan Cranston, California Democrat. Received $900,000 in donations from indicted S&L buccaneer Charles Keating.
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Battling cancer and planning to retire, he declared that he has supported every major veterans' bill for the past 12 years.
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Alfonse D'Amato, New York Republican. Played a questionable role in the awarding of federal housing subsidies to friends and contributors.
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Rushed to Israel to condemn Scud attacks and turned up last week in the Soviet Union to lambaste Mikhail Gorbachev for the Baltic crackdown.
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Dennis DeConcini, Arizona Democrat. Accepted $81,000 from Keating and was identified in Senate testimony as his most forceful advocate.
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Highlighted his help for Agent Orange victims. Slyly declared his "enormous respect for colleagues," a plea for collegiality in case they reprimand him.
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Dave Durenberger, Minnesota Republican. Denounced by the Senate for collecting $100,000 in a book-royalty scheme.
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Issued this windy declaration on Jan. 15: "If you have an American flag, fly it. Proudly . . . We stand for principle."
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John Glenn, Ohio Democrat. Received $234,000 from Keating.
DIVERSIONARY TACTIC
The World War II hero has been named to help guide military bills through the Senate.
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John McCain, Arizona Republican. Received $112,000 in donations and $13,000 worth of vacations from Keating.
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A Vietnam POW, McCain has become a talk-show regular on war issues and point man on veterans' legislation.
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Donald Riegle, Michigan Democrat. Took in $78,250 from Keating and initially denied his ties to the S&L owner.
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Has quietly immersed himself in, of all things, the details of banking-reform legislation.
With reporting by Sidney Urquhart