Across the Nation

Gov.'s wife urged to take Senate seat

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. - Top Democrats are urging Missouri's new governor to appoint the widow of Mel Carnahan as senator if the late governor receives more votes than Sen. John Ashcroft in the Nov. 7 election.

Carnahan, a Democrat, was in a tight race for the Senate when he, son Roger and campaign aide Chris Sifford were killed in a plane crash on their way to a rally last week. Carnahan's death came too late to take his name off the ballot.

Should Carnahan get more votes, newly appointed Gov. Roger Wilson - also a Democrat - would have to appoint an interim senator to fill out the term until the November 2002 general election.

"I have discussed that scenario with the governor and with people who are very close to Jean Carnahan, and everyone is waiting for Mrs. Carnahan to say yes or no. It's her call," state Sen. James Mathewson, a close ally of Wilson, said yesterday. "She is absolutely the first choice."

Wilson said yesterday he "can't wait very long" to announce whom he would appoint, "but it can wait a little while, more out of respect."

Jean Carnahan has never held public office or run for office, though she has been involved in her husband's political career, including campaigning and organizing issue drives. She has a degree in business and public administration from George Washington University.

Car companies deny allegations of racism

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Companies that administer auto loans for Nissan and General Motors yesterday denied allegations in two class-action lawsuits that black car shoppers are charged higher rates than white shoppers.

Officials with Nissan Motors Acceptance Corp. and General Motors Acceptance Corp. said both companies have zero-tolerance policies against discrimination. They said the lenders are never informed of the customer's race when a loan application is submitted through a car dealer. And they argued that studies cited in the lawsuits to support the accusations are flawed.

"NMAC does not and never has engaged in discriminatory practices," said Dierdre Dickerson, a spokeswoman for Nissan.

The NMAC lawsuit was expanded in August by U.S. District Judge Todd Campbell in Nashville to include blacks across the country. The other suit, against GM's financing arm, was limited to blacks in Tennessee by U.S. District Judge Aleta Trauger of Nashville.

Clinton education program increases

WASHINGTON - Six years ago, Congress approved $750,000 to start a modest new program to pay schools to provide after-school study halls, tutoring and counseling. By this year, the program had grown to $453 million annually.

Now, in an end-of-session showdown with Congress over next year's education spending bill, the Clinton administration is holding out for $1 billion instead of the $600 million the GOP has proposed for the 21st Century Community Learning Centers.

The centers rapid growth from small seed to sturdy federal oak is emblematic of a little-noticed aspect of President Clinton's tenure.