Kerry's Favor

John Kerry has a big problem -- it's about staying relevant as a leader in the Democratic Party. After all, he's the guy who lost to George W. Bush.

Unfortunately, he's not in the executive branch where he could be actually getting something accomplished. (He still probably dreams about what a wonderful Vice President or Secretary of State he'd be.)

So he does what a Senator can do -- hold a meeting.

In the midst of the pirate crisis of a week or so ago, he played his only trump card -- he convened a hearing. A hearing, that if it was held, it made as much noise as the proverbial tree falling in the forest.

Now as the chair of the communications, technology, and Internet subcommittee, he will be holding a hearing on the state of journalism. That's right, an all day veritable talkathon about the state of American journalism. I suspect it will be similar to those think tank sessions that CSPAN shows when Congress is out of session that draws an audience in the dozens.

Actually, he could save himself and everyone else a great deal of time by getting with an economics professor and learn a thing or two about supply and demand. His hometown paper the Boston Globe (which conveniently endorsed him in last election) is sinking like a rock. (We talked about their straits here.)

Those in the know suggest that the Boston Globe was the opposition research for Kerry's last campaign. This despite the fact that his GOP opponent was a nonentity and hardly a threat. But a favor has to be repaid.

So while Kerry thinks he's helping and playing an important role, others will think he's simply grandstanding. Actually, he will be the master of ceremonies for an industry's wake.