Indiana requires voters to have a state or federal ID bearing a photograph. That meant that some college students, a few newlyweds and a dozen nuns were denied the chance to vote yesterday.

The nuns, who were in their 80s and 90s, didn't have driver's licenses and walked from their convent near the University of Notre Dame in South Bend to a polling place where a fellow sister working there turned them away.

Indiana's photo ID law is the strictest in the country. The Republican-led effort was designed to combat ballot fraud, said supporters, who also have acknowledged that no case involving someone impersonating a voter at the polls has ever been prosecuted in Indiana.

But you can never be too sure. That's why our Founding Fathers carried woodcuts of themselves to the polls.

Sen. John McCain, the Republican candidate, was in Winston-Salem, N.C., yesterday, where he promised to appoint good, conservative judges.

At least we think he was in Winston-Salem, N.C.

Mr. McCain appeared confused, saying, "I appreciate the hospitality of the students and faculty of West Virginia," then correcting himself to say Wake Forest as the audience laughed.

Of course, the students and faculty of West Virginia are known for their hospitality.

So what did Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton do yesterday? Well, she visited the Indianapolis Motor Speedway garage of driver Sarah Fisher and taped a Top Ten list for "The Late Show" with David Letterman.

Highlights: "Thanks to the Internet, I can order new pantsuits 24/7 -- there's your pantsuit joke, Dave. Are you happy now?"

A frequent guest on other late night comedy shows, she offered this No. 2: "Is this the part where I say, 'Live from New York, it's Saturday Night!'?"

No. 9 was "Canadian bacon: Soggy and chewy; American bacon: Crisp and delicious!"

And her No. 1 answer for loving the U.S. "Apparently anyone can get a talk show."

Sen. Barack Obama was in Greenwood, Ind., visiting a diner when a man in a booth held up his breakfast check and said, "Take this, we'll seal the deal."

Mr. Obama didn't miss a beat, saying, "I got your check," as he grabbed it.

Steve Czajkowski, 39, tried to get the check back, telling the candidate that he was only joking, but Mr. Obama insisted on paying it.

Afterward, Mr. Czajkowski praised Mr. Obama, saying, "I like his message. I like the way he's running his campaign."

Trouble is, Mr. Czajkowski is Canadian.

Remember Newt Gingrich, the man who engineered the Republican takeover of the House in 1994? Well, yesterday he warned his fellow Republicans that they faced disastrous losses in November without a quick change in political course.

"Thanks a lot, Newt," said Rep. Mike Simpson, R-Idaho.

Naturally, Mr. Gingrich is only trying to help. After the Republicans lost a longtime GOP House seat in Louisiana in a special election on Saturday, he posted a message on his Web site urging his party to make changes.

Party officials said that a third defeat next week, in a Republican district in Mississippi, could cause serious turmoil.

A number of House Republicans are headed to a meeting with President Bush at the White House this morning. We still haven't heard what they'll be talking about.