MATALIN BROADCASTS HER LOVE FOR RADIO.

Byline: Gail Shister Knight-Ridder Tribune News Wire

TV? Sound-Bite City. Mary Matalin prefers radio.

"I have time for actual conversations with guests and callers," says Matalin, now juggling her new CBS Radio show with CNBC's "Equal Time." "I like it better than TV, immensely. I don't have to pull my punches or be overly diplomatic."

Overly diplomatic? No danger there for the GOP spinmeister, who gets angry listener mail "when I'm polite to liberals" and labels Pat Buchanan "the best politician since Huey Long."

Matalin's radio show, launched Jan. 8, airs from 3 to 6 p.m. weekdays out of a brand-new studio in Washington. When her radio day's over, she heads to CNBC for "Equal Time" at 8:30, with Democratic foil Dee Dee Myers.

Compared to the preparation required for radio, "Equal Time" "is like rolling off a log," says Matalin, 42. Her three-year log-rolling contract expires in October, and despite her "allegiance and affection" for the Beltway chat-'em-up, Matalin is unsure of its future.

With good reason. Former GOP spin king Roger Ailes, who hired Matalin, is now head of Fox News. Blustery NBC West Coast president Don Ohlmeyer is in charge of CNBC's prime-time lineup, and he's a relative unknown to Matalin.

Deputy director of President Bush's '92 re-election drive, Matalin is sitting out most of this campaign to enjoy first-time motherhood. Make that "revel in, not enjoy." Matty, now 7 months old, still sleeps with Matalin and her husband, Democratic strategist James Carville.

"I know it's kind of psycho, but we love it. She's just an angel. She curls up next to Mom and our two dogs. I get pinned down all night. When I wake up, I can't move. I don't care. I'm happy every single day. She's the center of my life. All I want to do is play with her."

Bottom line: Matalin's lifestyle finally fits her life. "It took me 42 years, but I finally structured my life to make it all fit together. Everything I thought would never work out has worked out."

These days, Matalin says she gets her major political fix from her radio show. (In their home during a presidential year, she and Carville "return to our respective corners" and don't talk politics.)

"Doing the radio show is like being in the game. I'm plugged in to everything. Politicians have learned the power of radio. Candidates want to come on. It's a much better way to get the pulse of what's going on out there."

As for endorsing a candidate, Matalin says she'll support the party's choice. She doesn't think it will be Buchanan. Despite being a "phenomenal communicator," he's proposing the wrong solutions to the right issues, according to Matalin. Sen. Bob Dole will get the Republican nod, she says.