LET the Oscar race begin. Dick Cavett, Ben Bradlee and Sally Quinn, Bob Balaban and Joel Schumacher saw “Precious” this weekend in East Hampton, and emerged in awe of the performance by Mo’Nique. “She doesn’t steal the film — she kicks, screams and pummels it into an Oscar no-brainer,” Forbes.com media critic Bill McCuddy told Page Six. The movie, backed by Oprah Winfrey and Tyler Perry, won raves at Cannes and Sundance, and much was made of Mariah Carey‘s makeup-free appearance. Said McCuddy: “If Oprah can get Barack [Obama] elected, she can get Mo’Nique either a Best Supporting Oscar or a Cabinet post.”