Everyone has weighed in on the presidential scandal — except, it seems, you. Now you can do more than wag your tongue: Once you download the free software from 2AM's website, you're ready to play Capitol Affairs, a new online multiplayer game in which two to five players at a time assume the roles of the Democrats, Republicans, CIA, media, or ''the President'' himself (sorry, there are no Monicas). The goal: to slowly gain control over the White House, Senate, House Judiciary Committee, and other squares on the online board by building alliances with fellow players in chat areas and via secret e-mail interactions.
The game ''can go in any direction,'' says Eli Ehrman, president of 2AM, which is relying on ad revenues to turn a profit. ''The President might be impeached or he might get all charges dropped.'' Regardless of your politics, you'll need a PC-based system and real political savvy: ''You don't have to lie, but it's the powers of persuasion and human interaction that really make a difference,'' says Ehrman. Unfortunately, the public's Zippergate burnout seems to have carried over to cyberspace: We haven't been able to locate a single other player anytime we've logged on.
