— DIANE CLEHANE

While Hillary and Obama enter the final stages of battle — at least that was the consensus of today's crowd — there was some serious political posturing going on today at Michael's. As anyone with a bestseller, hit show or billion dollar deal knows a well-timed appearance at 55th & Fifth — especially on Wednesday — signals you're on top and you want everyone to know it. There is also the "return engagement" appearance that telegraphs in no uncertain terms that happy days are here again. Two indefatigable ladies — Joan Rivers and Amy Rosenblum — were sitting together front and center today, both with plenty to say without having to utter a word. Amy, who was let go from Today last year, strutted into lunch with Joan this afternoon wearing a fiery red dress and a Cheshire cat grin that told me she had some big news. "Can we talk about it yet?" she asked. "Not yet," cautioned Joan. "I'm superstitious." Seems my tireless pal Joan is cooking up "something big" with Amy. "Really big!" reiterated Amy. Joan, you may recall, gave Amy her start in television and now, it seems the gals have come full circle. All we know is that there was plenty of champagne at that table. We want the scoop first girls — you promised!

"It's been an amazing year," says Joan who has more projects in the hopper than Ashley Dupre has dates. She's starring in Z Rock a new sitcom on IFC come September, is about to take her show A Work in Progress by A Life in Progress to London and Edinborough after sell-out runs in Los Angeles and San Francisco. And for all of you out there who spend some of your Saturday mornings watching PBS Kids with your kiddies, you already know Joan voices Shirley the Sheep on Jakers! (Mel Brooks is her cartoon hubby) and is now the "Jewish grandmother" on Arthur. In her spare time she sells a bazillion dollars worth of jewelry and perfume for QVC. And, she's also got a book on plastic surgery coming out from Penguin. "Everything you wanted to know but were afraid to ask," she says. Whew!

Here's the rundown on today's crowd:

1. Joni Evans and five young pals including a glowing expectant mom to be...

2. Ed Victor — fresh off his trip to Havana — and Peter Brown.

3. "Mayor" Joe Armstrong, who had "a great time" on his jaunt "across the pond." Today Joe was joined by his pal Jonathan Burnham who was celebrating a birthday. Cheers!

4. A table full of suits awaiting the arrival of Ron Perelman who was sporting a Yankee's cap and blue blazer. We find his wardrobe choices fascinating...

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— DIANE CLEHANE

Had we stopped by on Monday we would have seen Anjelica Huston (Love you on Medium!) Oh well. This week Hollywood on the Hudson was strictly a downtown affair as it seems all those Tinseltown types were staying busy with the Tribeca Film Festival. Today's crowd at Michael's was the usual mix of movers and shakers with one MIA mogul (Welcome back, Ron!) resurfacing after an extended absence.

I was joined at the bar by my long time pal Kathryn Leigh Scott who was in town from Los Angeles on her way to London. Kathryn and I met back when I doing a piece for TV Guide about NBC's short-lived nighttime version of the ABC daytime cult classic Dark Shadows created by the late, great Dan Curtis back in the (gasp!) late sixties. I might be dating myself a bit, but I was totally obsessed with the show — and its lead actress, none other than Kathryn — when I was an impressionable youngster who rushed home every day from school to watch the gothic soap that introduced vampires and werewolves and other creatures that went bump in the night to a generation of fans.

These days the absolutely ageless Kathryn, having sold her incredibly successful imprint Pomegranate Press which published countless tomes on Dark Shadows and other pop cultural touchstones, is concentrating her considerable talents on writing fiction. Her first novel, Murder in Primetime, was a hit and now she's hard at work on her next thriller. But Dark Shadows remains a big part of her busy life. Tomorrow she departs for the UK to do three new recordings of new material based on the show for Big Picture. The project is timed to DS's 40th (!) anniversary.

Kathryn has also sent none other than Johnny Depp the complete collection of her DS books as primer for him to study as he prepares to sink his teeth into the role of vampire Barnabas Collins for the feature film version of the show. Turns out Johnny is a long time fan — something Kathryn first discovered when she worked with the Oscar nominee on 21 Jump Street back in his teen idol days. "To have everything come full circle and see Johnny do this is marvelous!" We can't wait!

I was happy to introduce Kathryn to my pal People's East Coast news editor Liz McNeil, who was lunching with staff writer Nina Burleigh (another rabid Dark Shadows fan!) and attorney Suzanne Kimberly Bracker. Turns out Suzanne is something of an expert on celeb divorces. Who could these gals have been talking about over lunch? The list is long, don't you think? Talk about great dish!

Here's a rundown on today's crowd:

1. The Imber Gang: Gerry Imber, Jerry Della Femina, Jeff Greenfield and the gang. Just asking, but is Fox News' Monica Crawley breaking into this ole boys' network? This is the second time we've spotted the blonde beauty lunching with these formidable fellows...

2. Peter Brown and, we're told, a lady "ambassador" of some import.

3. Hallmark honcho Henry Schleiff with Steve Scheffer and John Redpath.

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— DIANE CLEHANE

Timing is everything. Just ask Hillary Clinton. If we'd come a day earlier we would have dined with Karl Rove. (Well, okay, we'd have been in the same room.) Our spy says the sight of 'Bush's brain'-turned-Fox commentator at table five had the joint buzzing (or was it hissing?). In any event, politics were still very much front and center today. My pal producer Beverly Camhe introduced me to Patricia Duff who had just yesterday hosted a lunch at the Friar's Club with Paul Begala for her political think tank, The Common Good. According to Beverly, who says joining Patricia's group has been "life-changing," Paul told the crowd that he's all but certain Barack Obama will win the Democratic nomination. Since Paul is a Hillary supporter his prediction carries some heft. Patricia, who has also hosted Henry Kissinger and economic advisor Robert Hormats, is sure to have more heavy hitters hold forth on all things presidential in the coming months. Check it out yourself. After all, you can't spend all your free time watching Gossip Girl no matter what New York says...

Here's the rundown on today's crowd:

1. Kathie Lee Gifford, Hoda Kotb, Eduardo Verastegui, Sean Wolfington and his lovely wife Ana, Kathie Lee's right-hand gal Christine Gardiner and my new pal Today show producer Brian Balthazar. Seems those new BFFs Kathie Lee and Hoda have a regular Wednesday date to take in a matinee and then talk about it on Today the next morning. Today the girls were off to see Crybaby. Tune in tomorrow to catch their review.

2. Nick Simunek

3. Ron Delsener and John Eastman

4. Stan Shuman with a fellow we didn't recognize ...

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— DIANE CLEHANE

It's not always the random movie star sighting or bold-face name at table one that captures the lion's share of our attention at Michael's during our weekly Wednesday visits. Sometimes it's the sheer force of the buzz radiating from all those titans and moguls plotting their next big move that keeps us riveted. Just asking: When did people start doing some serious drinking at lunch again? "People are nervous," says our spy. "So they're ordering a lot more wine." We'll stick to Diet Coke, thank you — we wouldn't want to be napping in our Nicoise for fear of missing some big scoop.

I certainly had to keep my wits about me today to keep up with the steady stream of folks who stopped by the bar to serve up some dish, say hello or offer a business card. Between bites and glad handing, I caught up with my pal Diane Dimond who joined me for lunch today having breakfasted at Table One this morning with her longtime agent Wayne Kaback and Joni Evans. Diane, who has worked for everyone on television including Court TV, Fox and MSNBC is now turning her efforts to writing. She's just launched her own site www.dianedimond.net and told me she's excited about the possibility of writing for wowowow.com — the terrific new Web site that's got some serious estrogen-fueled energy behind it. It's the brainchild of Liz Smith, Lesley Stahl, Joni and a whole host of power gals. You're nobody these days unless you're on the Web — but you knew that, didn't you?

Here's the rundown on today's crowd:

1. Howard Rubenstein and a squadron of power brokers.

2. Former New York City council president Andrew Stein with three gents we didn't recognize...

3. "Mayor" Joe Armstrong and Men's Health honcho Dave Zinczenko. As usual, a chat with these charming gents always yields some interesting tidbits. Dave shared the May issue of Men's Health with me, which has an interesting study ranking the 'Most Sexually Satisfied Cities.' The 'randiest' locale: Indianapolis, Indiana — turns out those drivers in the Indianapolis 500 get plenty of folks motors running. The least sexually satisfied citizens: the denizens of Lexington, Kentucky. (Insert your own joke here). Just in case you movers and shakers were wondering, Gotham comes in at 71. Something to think about as your emailing your boss at midnight tonight...

4. Gerald Schoenfeld and his lovely wife Pat with powerhouse producer Jean Doumanian.

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— DIANE CLEHANE

We've always thought that deconstructing the action in the dining room at Michael's on any given Wednesday is a bit of an anthropological study of the various Manhattan tribes — media mavens, money men, television talking heads, fashionistas, social swans and the elusive movie stars all staking out their respective territories. Observing these fascinating species of Gothamites in their natural habitat has led me to one conclusion — if you're sitting at Table One, you're the leader of the pack. At least for the moment. Television's comeback kid and newly minted Today show host Kathie Lee Gifford held court today in the top spot with her cohost Hoda Kotb (who worked the room in a fiery red dress like nobody's business between courses). The mood at the table was downright celebratory as the gang — which included none other than Tony Bennett — gathered to cheer Kathie Lee's return to morning television and once again raise a glass to the incredible success of Bella thanks to its talented and hard working star Eduardo Verastegui. Always the gentleman, Eduardo stopped by the bar to offer his hellos. He told me he'd just spent all night flying in from Guadalajara where he'd been doing publicity for the film. It took him 3(!) planes just to get here so he could attend a special screening tonight of the little film that could at the Tribeca Grand that his pal Kathie Lee is hosting. What are friends for?

Here's a rundown on today's crowd:

1. Kathie Lee Gifford, Hoda Kotb, Tony Bennett, his lovely wife Susan, Eduardo Verastegui, Bella producer Sean Wolfington, Today show producer Brian Balthazar and, we're told, Kathie Lee's go-to gal, Christine (we didn't catch her last name), who was too camera shy to get in the pic Michael's GM Steve Millington snapped of the gang before they headed out the door.

2. Peter Brown and Lloyd Grove.

3. "Mayor" Joe Armstrong and Marie Claire editrix Joanna Coles. I went over to the Mayor's table to welcome him back from Texas where he'd been visiting with his mom, Dorthadele. It was my first time meeting Joanna, who told me she was a bit "obsessed" with her May cover girl, the tireless Tina Fey. This is the actress-writer's first-ever magazine cover and comes at a time when she's hotter than hot. She's got a new movie, Baby Mama, costarring another funny lady Amy Poehler, opening the Tribeca Film Festival and is back on the small screen in 30 Rock. The good folks at NBC are going to be promoting the Marie Claire cover with one of those pop ups on screen during the show. Talk about synergy! Check out the issue with Tina looking "quite fetching" in a trench coat "showing a little skin..."

4. Howard Rubenstein and we're told, a man "with lots of information" (whatever that means...)

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— DIANE CLEHANE

You know things are really hopping at 55th and Fifth when Renee Zellweger doing her movie-star best to go unnoticed — sporting a gorgeous white coat, oversized shades and sky high stilettos — barely warranted a second glance from today's power lunch crowd. Perhaps that's because the media mavens and moguls that were plotting their next big move over their cobb salads and iced tea have always found their own lives much more fascinating than the life of anyone whose wardrobe has been deconstructed on the pages of People.

I was thrilled to forego my usual perch at the bar (which was SRO anyway and so was the lounge!) to join Deborah Norville for some tasty dish at table one. Deborah, one of the nicest women in television, has hosted Inside Edition for — can you believe it? — 13 years. We've got to know each other after I profiled her last year for our So What Do You Do? series. At that time, Deborah had scored a spot on The New York Times best-seller list with her book Thank You Power ,which reports on the transformative power of concentrating on the positive aspects of one's life. She supported this theory with real scientific data and some truly fascinating anecdotes. Turns out she's still riding high all these months later — the book is such a huge hit in Korea, of all places, that folks there are at work on constructing a 'Thank You' wall where people can come and connect with their own life-changing positive energy. So all you gloom and doomers out there —' buck up. There's nothing a little hard work, a good attitude and some gratitude can't do. Except maybe fix the stock market or Eliot Spitzer's marriage — but that's another story entirely.

I can think of one company where the offices must be full of good cheer these days. There's plenty of happy folks over at Rodale where president and CEO Steven Pleshette Murphy is presiding over some pretty heady times. Just this week, Men's Health honcho and editorial director of Best Life David Zinczenko was named Adweek's Editor of The Year. Rodale also cornered the market on Adweek 10 Under 50 Hot List (10 titles with less than $50 million in annual advertising revenue) — Women's Health earned the top spot, Best Life came in at No. 2 and Bicycling scored the 10th position. Congrats!

Here's the rundown on today's crowd:

1. Deborah Norville, yours truly and business consultant Elinor Morris. I asked Deborah — who, in her former life, sat next to Bryant Gumbel on Today's couch — for her take on the news Kathie Lee Gifford will be joining the NBC morning show to host the fourth hour. "I called her Monday morning to congratulate her," says Deborah. "I think it's terrific that television bosses are finally recognizing the fact that people watch people they know on television. No public relations campaign, marketing blitz or low cut sweater is going to change that. I think it's terrific that she was invited to return to television. She'll be great."

2. Page Six editor Richard Johnson (looking as dapper as ever), Chris Taylor and Matt Frankel, a senior vice president of The Weinstein Company.

3. Terry Allen Kramer (check out the hilarious anecdote she shared about her almost doing the Full Monty for President Bush when she met him recently in Cindy Adams column in today's Post) with her grandson.

4. Frank Gifford — send our congrats to Kathie Lee!

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— DIANE CLEHANE

We're guessing that spring break with the kiddies kept more than a few bold face names we've become accustomed to seeing away from 55th and Fifth today. Luckily, some of our favorite regulars were on hand — along with the first ever (at least since I've been at my perch) Wednesday Anna Wintour sighting — kept us more than interested in the goings on in the dining room. But, we hear, the really big doings will be taking place this Sunday night when The Rolling Stones are coming to party with Martin Scorsese, who directed the documentary Shine A Light about the iconic rockers. If you haven't gotten your invite, it probably just got lost in the mail...

Here's the rundown on today's crowd:

1. Frank Gifford and his charming daughter Cassidy enjoying a pre-theater lunch before seeing The Little Mermaid (again!). I'd met Cassidy once before when mom Kathie Lee Gifford brought the incredibly well-mannered 14-year-old to Michael's this summer. Today, father and daughter dined alone (she sipped a Shirley Temple while he flipped through what looked like a Tiffany's catalog!) On the way out when they stopped by to say 'Hello,' I asked Frank when there would be word of Kathie Lee's all but imminent arrival at Today. Putting his hands up in mock protest, he turned to his daughter and said, "Diane wants me to talk about things I can't talk about." But Frank, you know I'd never tell anyone ...

2. William Morris' Wayne Kabak and a pal.

3. "Mayor" Joe Armstrong, who was nice enough to introduce me to guest, longtime pal and fellow Texan Sarah Gray Miller. The dynamic duo worked together when Joe was the founding publisher of Garden Design and Saveur and Sarah, now editor-in-chief of Oprah's O At Home, was a media maven in training. Mr. Mayor, who knows everyone, lunched yesterday at Michael's (where else?) with another one of his favorite Texans Lance Armstrong. He said the two of them spent part of the afternoon dishing over the stunning reports that Dick Cheney is a "distant cousin" of Barack Obama, and Hillary Clinton and Angelina Jolie are branches on the same family tree. Perhaps, says Joe, he and Lance are related to jazz great Louis Armstrong. To commemorate their possible kinship, the Mayor presented Lance with a mini statue of their may be ancestor. Between bites of his burger, Lance howled with laughter. "We love to laugh," says Joe who is off to Texas to visit his mom Dorthadele. See you when you get back!

4. Über agent Ed Victor (looking quite literary in a black turtleneck and jacket) with Alan Grubman.

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— DIANE CLEHANE

We're still exhausted from hob nobbing with last week's overflow of A-listers, so we were almost glad things were a bit more subdued at 55th & Fifth today. It gave us a chance to catch up and chat with some our favorite regulars. Imagine my chagrin when I stopped by Matt Blank's table and Showtime's CEO told me had I switched my weekly reservation to tomorrow, I'd be chatting with some of the biggest stars of his network. On Thursday, Matt and entertainment president Bob Greenblatt are hosting their own "British invasion" at table one when the entire glorious cast of The Tudors — the dreamy Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Peter O'Toole and Natalie Dormer will be breaking bread with the network's other stars — including Tracy Ullman, whose show State of the Union, will premiere March 30, the same night as the new season of The Tudors. Thank God, something to watch! (I've been completely depressed over the fast approaching season finale of HBO's In Treatment...) Also in attendance, says Matt, will be Billie Piper, who stars in — and we're not kidding — the upcoming Secret Diaries of a Call Girl, which will premiere in June. Talk about timely. Perhaps the newly unemployed Eliot Spitzer can make a cameo appearance.

Here's the rundown on today's crowd:

1. Gerry Imber, Jerry Della Femina and the gang with Fox News' Monica Crowley.

2. Showtime's chairman and CEO Matt Blank with über producer Michael Davies.

3. "Mayor" Joe Armstrong and Glamoureditrix Cindi Leive (Glad you hear you're a loyal "Lunch" reader!). The Mayor was celebrating with his friend Cindi over a glass of red wine — and a few asparagus spears — about her big news. Minutes before lunch, Cindi found out Glamour is a finalist for the fourth year in a row for the National Magazine Award for General Excellence. No woman's magazine has ever been so honored! The worthy competitors: Time, People, National Geographic and Martha Stewart Living. Congrats! Before Cindi and Joe tucked into their lunch, we unanimously decided New York's Spitzer cover this week is one for the ages. Brilliant!

4. Norman Pearlstine and a young gent no one seemed to know ...

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— DIANE CLEHANE

As much as we love our bird's eye perch from the bar, it's always a treat when we're invited to dine in the grown up section — especially when the scene is as head-spinning as it was today. Hallmark Channel's senior vice president Jen Geisser and her power publicist Jaime Saberito made room for me at the table at a luncheon hosted by their fearless leader the consummate showman Henry Schleiff and attended by a tasty stew of bold-faced names and top executives from UNICEF that made for one interesting afternoon of Cobb salads and conversation. Henry, newly ensconced on UNICEF's board, brought the group to together to kick off the TAP project during 'World Water Week' (March 16-22). The initiative was created to raise funds and awareness by asking NYC diners at select eateries around town to forego their Fiji water for good old NYC tap water and donate what they would have spent on it to help fund clean water for kids around the world. And, yes, Michael's is participating.

The reigning queen of the celebrity diet wars Valerie Bertinelli (A 40-pound weight loss thanks to Jenny Craig!) was the guest of honor (arriving with her boyfriend Tom Vitale) having made one movie for the network with another one in the works — Mrs. Washington Goes to Smith (Catchy title!). The still adorable actress and newly minted best-selling author was busy signing books for everyone (Henry thinks of everything!) but still made time to chat with me. Her big news — her book, Losing It — And Gaining My Life Back One Pound at Time will debut at No. 1 on this week's New York Times' list. "I'm so thrilled — it's on my son's 17th birthday and I dedicated the book to him," she says. "I couldn't be more blessed." Val (we're on a first name basis now) also confided that she's hot on starting another book and already has an idea that's bound to strike a chord. "I'd like to write something like Divorce & Children: Love Your Child More Than You Hate Your Ex. The list is long when one considers who might benefit from such a tome. For now, at least, it appears Silda Spitzer won't be needing it but we're not closing the book on that one just yet.

Here's the rundown on today's crowd:

1. The white wine was flowing in celebration of Linda Fairstein's latest book, Killer Heat with a table full of gals that know a little something about the subject. In attendance: Cosmo editrix Kate White, super agent Esther Newberg, former Law & Order SVU star Stephanie March, Lesley Stahl (I promise to keep my eye out for that 60 Minutes watch!) and Cynthia Lufkin (Congrats on being named The American Cancer Society's Mother of the Year!)

2. Bobby Zarem and a Jake Gyllenhaal doppelganger.

3. Mayor Joe Armstrong who has been traveling far and wide hard at work on his upcoming book with some lovely looking ladies. Welcome back Joe, we missed you!

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— DIANE CLEHANE

The scene at 55th & Fifth was bustling as always (although it just wasn't the same without general manager Steve Millington who has been home sick all week — Get well soon!). We've become accustomed to the clubby vibe that has the usual suspects and random celebrity air-kissing and table-hopping between courses in the front room, so it's always intriguing when a bold-faced name opts out of the media circus for a low profile table in the back. Early arrival Carl Bernstein — looking quite scholarly in a cardigan sweater and tie — sequestered himself in the Garden Room, and he made a quick getaway after lunch (so we didn't get a chance to ask him about last night's primary results and what his take on Hillary's chances are now.) The taciturn politico did chat up Michael McCarty when he was making his meet and greet rounds. The best selling author even plunked down some dough to buy Michael's book Welcome to Michael's.

Here's the rundown on today's crowd:

1. Nick E. Rubinstein celebrating his 30th birthday — again! ("I do this around this time every year") with a whole slew of revelers who donned party hats and came bearing gifts and balloons. On the guest list: Nick's Jennison Associates colleagues Ben Bryan, Bea Lui and Chris Pelinsky, Bear Stearn's Leslie Perkins and Olivia Tomaselli, J.P Morgan's Shari Gluckman, UBS' Stephanie Plavnik and Angie Dalton, Amy Raskin from Alliance Bernstein and Deutsche Bank's Jay Nakahara. Best wishes ...

2. Michael J. Wolf and a mystery gal.

3. Former New York City council president Andrew Stein and a host of imposing looking gents.

4. Peter Brown.

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