DOWN FOR THE CHOLESTEROL COUNT

Dole, who turned 72 last week, has a new line for critics who think he's too old to be President. "My cholesterol is lower than Clinton's, and my weight's lower than Clinton's, and my blood pressure," he said in a digression during his welfare speech today. "I'm not going to make health an issue in 1996, no." Clinton took mock offense later today: "My standing pulse rate is much lower than Senator Dole's. But that's really not his fault. I don't have to deal with Phil Gramm everyday," Clinton joked.