The two to three-hour trip around the US capital takes place in a little, open, electric roadster, a kind of four-seater clown car that immediately invites, well ... clowning.

The car (right) is painted on one side in the Republican Party's red and the other side the Democrats' blue. Given how politically electrified Washington is right now, it is no surprise pedestrians and drivers who see the little car want to get into the act. Depending on which side of the street they happen to be (that is, which side and colour of the car they see) and what their affiliations are, they often shout their approval or disapproval as the tour goes by.

Where does that leave us, the tourists? Well, the car is fitted with two horns that bray like Democratic donkeys or trumpet like Republican elephants.

All the honking elicits a more than enthusiastic response from passing pedestrians and drivers. And that's not all. Add to the street-theatre-like tour a dozen rubber masks that uninhibited participants can wear. These range from a Hillary, Obama or McCain to incumbents' masks of Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, Vice-President Cheney and, of course, President Bush - although, as tour owner Brian McNeill points out, 'Not too many people want to wear those any more. They get too much flak from the street.'

With all the en route din of honking, shouting and excitement, you'd think it would be impossible to learn a thing about the actual city or politics, but McNeill is full of historical anecdotes and endless amusing political gossip from both sides of the aisle. For example, the tour passes the elegant Willard Hotel, where Ulysses S. Grant was so hounded by would-be powerbrokers during his brandy and cigar breaks that he coined the derisive term 'lobbyists.' Or, scooting by the new National Museum of the American Indian, we learn that the recent excavation turned up evidence of a high-end brothel conveniently located within walking distance from Congress.

The tour covers the contemporary scene, too. The route takes visitors along K Street where the much-maligned lobbyists' offices are and past Old Ebbitt Grill where Supreme Court judges rub elbows with secret service folk and city homicide detectives over steak and insider gossip.

For international visitors who hear about these locations endlessly on the news and for whom the Obama-Clinton dual has become as mesmerising as if they themselves could vote in the American election, it is interesting to finally see home base for these two celebrity senators as well as the rest of the colourful crowd of lawmakers that call Washington home.

But for all the history and hearsay featured in this tour, the real draw is the chance to delve into the election fray in America's ultimate political city.

Tour owner McNeill says he's out to make politics and Washington amusing, and he adds that during this run-up to the election he can do a little informal political polling too. His statistical indicators? Which masks people choose.

'Of course, Obama and Hillary are the most popular right now, but there are so many surprises in this election season it is hard to come up with the masks fast enough.'

As for McNeill's picks? None, he says. 'Our motto is either side can ride.'

Bi-Partisan Tour Company

Tel: 202-558-6848

The Willard Hotel

washington.intercontinental.com

Tel: 202-628-9100

Old Ebbitt Grill

Tel: 202-347-4800

National Museum of the American Indian

Tel: 202-633-1000