Hoosiers may be paying a bit more attention to the campaign finance melodramas than other Americans.

If so, it is because of Dan Burton, the Republican chairman of the House Government Reform and Oversight Committee, who represents the bulk of the Indianapolis suburbs. Attacks against Burton in Congress and the media have aroused at least curiosity, just as negative publicity about another Indiana Dan back in 1988 tickled Hoosier sensitivities. It's a matter of Hoosier pride.

Otherwise, Hoosiers -- like other Americans -- seem indifferent to the details of the scandals or prospects for reform. People made up their minds long ago about Bill Clinton, Congress, big money.

Life is good. Unemployment is down. Wages are up. Washington where?

Nonetheless, we are keeping one reporter almost full-time on the House investigation. We let the wires handle the competing Senate probe.

Viewing the hearings from Tucson is like watching smoke from a distant fire -- it's downwind, so we can't smell it. We know we should be concerned, but we have our own wolves at the door. Arizona's had about a decade of unpleasant political situations -- one governor out by impeachment, another by criminal conviction, a handful of legislators ousted in an Abscam-like sting, both U.S. Senators numbered among the so-called "Keating Five."

There are strong feelings that it's just political posturing, that both sides are guilty and trying to justify themselves by arguing that "whatever our bad deeds might be, yours were worse." It's grown into personalities and a quest of sorts for face time. And early days of the hearing didn't live up to the advance press buildup, which allowed the public to shrug the hearings off as just another senatorial snoozer.

But that's not necessarily to be taken for apathy. It seems that people feel like they should care -- if only they knew why, and could believe in a meaningful outcome.