TITANIC - DICAPRIO HOPES THE AVIATOR EXPOSES BUSH SCANDALS

TITANIC star LEONARDO DiCAPRIO hopes American voters will draw parallels between the US government's scandalous relationships in his latest movie THE AVIATOR and the current administration's practices.

The actor campaigned for Senator JOHN KERRY prior to last month's (02NOV04) American presidential elections and was furious President GEORGE W BUSH secured a second term in office.

But DiCaprio hopes his role as billionaire HOWARD HUGHES, which exposes the controversial relationship between PAN AM founder JUAN TRIPPE and politician MAINE SEN, will remind voters of Bush's alleged links to bankrupt energy trader ENRON CORP.

He tells US newspaper the NEW YORK POST, "I did my best for Kerry. I went out and spoke about environmental issues. I'm glad I did it. But the people have spoken. I hope voters can draw parallels to the Enron scandal, and realise the mistake they've made.

"That's what made Howard Hughes a real American hero. And I don't use that word lightly. There was a real grass-roots effort at that time to make him President.

"He was one man - a rich man, a powerful man - but he took on the Senate on his own to stop a corporate monopoly."