In Boston, site of this summer's Democratic National Convention Coronation of Boston's own U.S. Sen. John F. Kerry, what do the Democrats plan to do about that absolutely enraging talk-show host and syndicated columnist Howie Carr?

This is the man, quite irreverent of America's political royal family, who refers to Sen. Teddy Kennedy as "Fat Boy" and "The Great White Whale."

Currently, Howie is focused on the Democratic presidential nominee, Teddy's prot?g? JFK (John Fonda Kerry). Howie writes:

You can learn a lot about a politician by studying his tax returns. In John Kerry's case, one thing you can quickly figure out is what years his name actually appears on the ballot. If it's an election year, he makes charitable contributions. Last week, for example, he claimed $43,735 in charitable donations for 2003, more than he'd given in the prior two years combined.

In 1990, running for re-election to the Senate, he donated $1,835 to charity. After winning, he ponied up a total of $975 in the next three years.

Still, to understand the Kerry tax situation, you would need to study his 65-year-old wife's returns. But the widow Heinz files separately and adamantly refuses to release her tax records.

Columnist Carr lists the Kerry-owned five mansions, whose taxes amount to $175,000 a year.

And then he notes:

Much has been written of the senator's 42-foot Hinckley powerboat, which cost at least $800,000. Less noticed has been Teresa's much more expensive plaything – a Gulfstream V private jet. It's named the Flying Squirrel, not after Bulwinkle's pal Rocky, but after her favorite ski run in Sun Valley.

Aviation industry sources say the Flying Squirrel is worth about $35 million. It's the deluxe model.

"To charter a Gulfstream V costs $5,000 to $6,000 an hour," says one pilot. "Hers has everything – plasma TV, two bathrooms, fancy mahogany and burlwood paneling, gold-plated fixtures."

The only possible aviation upgrade, in other words, would be Air Force One. Which would certainly reduce the Widow Heinz's household expenses.

Maybe then her husband could afford to pay his "fair share" of state income taxes.