Ed Asner takes a swipe at (a) Jerry Lewis

A political feud has erupted between Ed Asner and Jerry Lewis. No, not that Jerry Lewis. This one's the Republican congressman from Redlands, who's running for reelection against Democratic challenger Tim Prince of San Bernardino. This Lewis has attracted the ire of Asner, an actor best known for playing acerbic newsman Lou Grant on "The Mary Tyler Moore Show." Asner announced Tuesday that he's endorsing Prince in the 41st Congressional District.

"If he could amuse us as well as his namesake ... could, I'd consider keeping him in office," Asner said. "But Jerry Lewis doesn't amuse. He deceives and has been deceiving for 30 years. Keeping him in office perpetuates the corruption of Washington."

Lewis spokesman Jim Specht countered that Lewis has not been implicated in corruption and is "extremely well respected" in the district.

"Ed Asner is widely known as extremely antiwar and very liberal," Specht said.

Who will Inland Empire voters listen to when they head to the polls?

"Certainly not Hollywood," Specht said.

Stay tuned -- the voters speak Nov. 4.

-- Patrick McGreevy