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Susan Molinari & Bill Paxon

We don't hear much from this pair anymore. Just a few years ago, they were destined to be the new Washington power couple -- a Bob and Liddy Dole for baby boomers.

What a fairy tale romance they had. In 1993, Bill, a Congressman from upstate New York, proposed to Susan, the Staten Island Congresswoman, on the floor of the House. They were married the next year. They were the most exciting couple to come along since -- Gary Collins and Mary Ann Mobley.

Then along came Susan Ruby, their firstborn, making Susan one of only a handful of Congresswomen to have given birth while in office.

Susan, who succeeded her dad, Guy, in 1990, got her big day in the spotlight when Bob Dole chose her to give the keynote address at the 1996 Republican National Convention. And what a swell speech -- although I don't know why she didn't use her pom-poms.

And Bill was headed up the ladder, too. He chaired the National Republican Congressional Committee, which raises money for House candidates. He was running it the year Newt's gang took over the House, so Bill got a lot of credit for that.

In fact, Newt liked him so much that he created a special leadership position for him. Folks thought Bill might even become the next speaker. But in 1997 he made a big boo-boo. He conspired with Dick Armey and Tom DeLay against Newt in a failed coup d'etat. Newt felt betrayed, so he stripped Bill of his title, making him just another lowly House member.

Poor Bill. First he was a big shot with a future, then he got a little antsy about moving up, and now he ain't got squat. So he decided to call it quits in 1998, saying he wanted to spend more time with his family. Yeah, I figured that's why he left.

And Susan's gone, too. In 1997, she quit Congress to be an anchorwoman for a new Saturday morning kid's show on CBS.

But that didn't last long. The kids didn't go for it. Apparently, it was too sappy. Barney they can take, but Susan's little cheerleader act can get pretty annoying. You don't hear much from Mary Lou Retton these days, either.