He's back! Senator John Kerry took his most public place on stage today at the Senate Foreign Relations Committee to question Condi Rice. It was like old home week without the sweaters. He looked tan and rested and there was no sign of his boozy wife anywhere. The Republican Chairman Senator Lugar thanked Kerry for his service to the committee and said: "We're proud that a member of our committee was a candidate for president of the United States, and we're delighted that you're here today and recognize you for your questions." Of course Lugar's delighted Kerry's there -- and not writing his inauguration speech, for instance. But hey, even Kerry could joke about the campaign. "Dr. Rice, welcome," he said, "Welcome to the world of oaths and testimony and congressional accountability, which I tried so hard to distance myself from for a while." And people said he was stiff!