News anchor’s walking on air

Fox TV’s Dana Perino might be Fox’s best-looking anchor. Also maybe savviest.

Years ago, there were two strangers — last to board an airplane — “We were the final passengers to get on.” Long flight. Big conversation.

Peter McMahon had been married previously. They talked. Married now 28 years, they’re still happily together.

Dana: “The dating scene in Washington is dismal. He knew history. He was brilliant. Exciting.”

Her birthplace, a state called Wyoming — wherever that is. Schooling — University of Southern Colorado. Work — waitress. Sideline: Host of campus TV show “Capitol Journal.”

As a child, she read the Denver Post and Rocky Mountain News. She said, “My sister told me, ‘You can do anything you want to do. Figure it out.’ From then on, I had to pick out two articles before dinner.

“I wanted to be in news,” she said. That jumps to meeting Karl Rove. That leaps to a Marine One helicopter ride. She said, “I was nervous. I figured if I go to Washington, I will never work in television.” The ride produced meeting then-President George Bush.

Dana takes ‘Five’

All this unfolded while sitting in my home’s library during “The Five” co-host’s lunch break. Over a tuna sandwich, she said: “Peter had traveled. I had not. So we spent one year living in his Great Britain birthplace. I was bored so we moved.

“Then came 9/11. We were living in San Diego. I was stagnating. Working for a p.r. outfit. My DC friends in the Justice Department worked for the younger George Bush and asked would I come back there to work. My husband, involved in handling medical equipment and working from home, then drove cross country with our dog to be with me.”

Time to relax?

“We go out one night a week. Look, I was born Lutheran. Small town. I’m no politician. I can make no financial contributions. I was just a big reader who lived on a ranch and worried about the future. Worried would I meet somebody. And then came indoctrination and left-wing ideology. I thought about big intrusive, oppressive government being corrupt.

Under press-ure

“Then, working as press secretary for the president, came a bad story about him. Pros told me, ‘It’s OK. Don’t raise it. Don’t worry about it.’ I was not communicating well. It went away but it took about four weeks.

“What I wanted was to be elegant. What I wanted was to be an optimist, but I’m also a pragmatist.”

Route navigated

Angelo Vivolo, president of the Columbus Heritage Coalition, says of tomorrow’s parade: “This year we’re 107 different participant groups — floats, students, bands. About 35,000 marching up Fifth Avenue.

“It’s Mass at St. Patrick’s celebrated by Cardinal Dolan and then it’s televised for three hours.

“The Italians came here in the 1890s. In the ’50s, a group of Italian Americans purchased a building on East 69th called the Columbus Citizens Foundation, and they honor a different Italian American every year.”

So, Angelo, can you still be part of that long march?

“Don’t know for sure. I don’t think I can schlep all the way from 46th to 69th Street anymore.”

Nobody’s complaining, understand, but the price of gasoline is now so high that one driver had to stay and wash windows to pay for the last two gallons.

Definitely in New York, kids, definitely in New York.