He-e-e-re's Nelson!

Mary Louise Smith, chairman of the Republican National Committee, is a woman with a cause. Only 22% of the electorate now considers itself Republican, and Mrs. Smith has decided that her party's image badly needs some sprucing up. Last summer, she got the R.N.C. to sponsor two TV shows on the theme "Republicans are people too," and now she is trying to persuade the nation that Republicans are funny. Come January, if all goes well, a 196-page book, Republican Humor, will roll off the presses, chock-full of the favorite thigh-thumpers of G.O.P. politicians.

A few offerings have already come in from the Republican hierarchy. From Nelson Rockefeller: "The best part about being Vice President is presiding over the Senate. Where else could I have Barry Goldwater addressing me as 'Mr. President?' " A Barry Goldwater offering: "The other day I phoned the White House, got the Oval Office on the President's private line, told one of my best jokes and the only one who laughed was Jack Anderson." Every Republican member of Congress will be asked to contribute to the joke book, but one R.N.C. staffer allows that "probably some of them won't have anything funny to offer." Mirabile dictu.

This file is automatically generated by a robot program, so viewer discretion is required.