Other articles by C.j. Karamargin:

Lawmakers face 50 bills that deal with border Bill: Migrant laws must be enforced Phoenix-area voters remember their ID Ignore voter registration ruling, state official says Greene stops run for Ariz. governor U.S. panel says voters don't have to prove citizenship Kolbe: Real ports issue is container inspection Drivers' use of cell phones faulted Napolitano starts bid for re-election; 12 others in, so far C.J. Karamargin: A sea change? Grijalva, Kyl in agreement on ports issue

Driver/Transportation
Allied Building Products
Driver / Rooftop Loader Driver/Transportation
Pioneer Landscaping
Drivers/End-Dumps Education
Indian Oasis Baboquivari Unified School District
Teachers / Principals Trades/Construction
Paragon Electric
Electricians Health Care
Visiting Angels
Caregivers Dental
Dr. John Carson, DDS, PC
Dental Asst/Treatment Coordinator Health Care
Mountain View Retirement Village
LPN

"Let the student decide." With those well-chosen words John McCain summed up his view on the teaching of "intelligent design" along with evolution in public schools.

Even — or perhaps especially — with controversial topics, Arizona's ubiquitous senior U.S. senator has an uncanny knack for saying things his audience wants to hear. In this case, Mr. Straight Talk was imparting words of wisdom in an interview with MTV News.

A lot of malleable, future voters watch MTV. It's where they get tidbits of the real world between episodes of "Cribs" and "Pimp My Ride." It's hard to imagine any of them disagreeing with the Man Who Would Be President.

McCain probably wouldn't champion the same letting-students-decide approach for, say, homework or blowing off algebra. No matter. He came across as an entirely reasonable and rational father figure on MTV.

"There's great uncertainty out there," said the senator who knows best. "We have to provide a lot more certainty for young Americans. That's my job."

Heading into 2006, the year in which he says he'll make a decision about 2008, McCain is keeping himself busy promoting his latest best seller, "Character Is Destiny: Inspiring Stories Every Young Person Should Know and Every Adult Should Remember." As he barnstorms the country, the topic of McCain's presidential aspirations inevitably comes up. And inevitably, it's always handled in pretty much the same way.

MTV reported that McCain "wouldn't address" a possible bid for the White House. The San Diego Union Tribune reported last week that McCain "ducked questions about his plans" at a book signing in tony La Jolla. And in Texas a couple of weeks ago, a TV station reported that McCain "made no mention" of a presidential run to the throng that showed up to meet him at an Austin bookstore.

The thing is, he doesn't have to mention it. For celebrity politicians like McCain, the beginnings of a national campaign are like what Woody Allen said about success: Eighty percent is showing up.

That's what's happening now. The book tour is a good way for McCain to do what he does best: keep his name in the news.

Come to think of it, McCain achieved the same thing with his attempt to make nice with the Christian right by embracing "intelligent design." On this count, though, his timing was less than auspicious. McCain's chat with MTV was posted on the station's Web site the day after a federal judge ruled that a Pennsylvania school district's policy on "intelligent design" was unconstitutional.

All eyes on House race

Elton John honeymooning in Arizona might attract more attention. But only if he came to Mesa.

As it is, we'll just have to be content with the frenzy to succeed Jim Kolbe in Congress. Scottsdale gets Britney Spears and Jennifer Aniston. Tucson gets a casting call of thousands who see their name prefaced with the honorific U.S. Rep.

OK, maybe not thousands. Yet. But you better fasten your seat belts; it's gonna be a bumpy election.

That much was confirmed last week when The Washington Post listed Southeastern Arizona's 8th Congressional District as the fourth-most competitive district in the country. Democrats, the paper wrote, have "a real chance" at gaining the seat.

Thus the frenzy. Eva Bacal, the Democrat who ran against Kolbe in 2004, confirmed last week that she's ready for another go. The week before, Demo-crat Alex Rodriguez, a member of the Tucson Unified School District board, tossed his hat into the crowded ring. (As an uncompensated elected official, Rodriguez doesn't have to resign his board seat to run.)

They join Gabrielle Giffords and Jeff Latas. Former news anchor Patty Weiss is also mulling a run as a Democrat.

On the GOP side, Randy Graf and Mike Jenkins have already announced. State lawmaker Steve Huffman is expected to. And many Republicans are dreaming about the political equivalent of King Kong entering the fray: Surgeon General Richard Carmona.

With all due respect to Sir Elton, its going to be a long, long year.

Napolitano for president?

President Janet Napolitano?

Oprah likes the idea. The January issue of the talk show host's O Magazine lists Arizona's Democratic governor among six women who could one day run for the White House. Others include Sen. Hil-ary Rodham Clinton and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.

National magazines apparently love Janet. A few weeks ago Time named her one of the country's top governors.