By THOMAS M. DeFRANK DAILY NEWS WASHINGTON BUREAU CHIEF

WASHINGTON - Sen. Hillary Clinton says she's not interested in higher office in 2004, but some Republicans are peddling that specter anyway to boost GOP turnout in next week's elections.

A radio spot being aired in a Dallas congressional race, for instance, begins like this:

"Ladies and gentlemen, the President of the United States - Tom Daschle - and Vice President Hillary Clinton."

The spot's architect, Rep. Pete Sessions (R-Tex.), who's coasting to reelection in a heavily Republican district, freely admits he's exploiting the New York Democrat's demonic pedigree among conservatives to help get out the vote.

"Idaho and Texas are ground zero for dislike and distrust of Mrs. Clinton," Sessions told the Daily News. "We believe down here that she'd be more comfortable in Havana than Dallas."

Even Clinton's most passionate boosters concede she's one of the most polarizing figures in American politics, beloved by many Democrats but viscerally disliked by many Republicans and independents.

"She's a very potent force to help us motivate our base," said Dan Allen of the National Republican Senatorial Committee.

In addition, the Club for Growth, an independent advocacy group with GOP links, is spending $600,000 on television spots linking Democratic senatorial candidates to Clinton, Daschle and Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.).

The 30-second spots, featuring bobble-head dolls of Clinton, Daschle and Kennedy, are running in Arkansas, Colorado, Missouri, New Hampshire and Texas, according to Club for Growth chief Stephen Moore.

"We're reminding people that if you're voting for someone like [Senate candidate] Jeanne Shaheen in New Hampshire, you're really giving more power to the Hillary Clintons of the world," Moore said.

Clinton's office had no comment, but Democrats predicted the Hillary-bashing would backfire.

"The problem is every time they do it ... they turn off the center," said former White House press secretary Joe Lockhart. "And they can't win with just their base."

-- Anonymous, November 01, 2002