Not answering the real question. As the Boston Phoenix's Adam Reilly reports, Senator John Kerry's statement on the Supreme Judicial Court's most recent same-sex-marriage decision is consistent with his previous stand: yes on civil unions, no on marriage.

But Kerry avoids the real issue: whether he supports an amendment to the state constitution that would essentially overturn the SJC's Goodridge decision by defining marriage as the union of one man and one woman. Of course Kerry wants to take a pass on this. But can he? Should he?

This isn't so much about the fact that he's a presidential candidate as it is that he's one of the state's two elected senators. This is a landmark moment, and before the legislature convenes next Wednesday (assuming it doesn't get postponed), the public should demand that Kerry, Senator Ted Kennedy, and the state's 10 House members state their positions on the amendment.

The fact that they don't have to is all the more reason that they should do so anyway. This is the most crucial civil-rights battle of our time. Are we going to let Kerry - or any of them - take a pass?

New in this week's Phoenix. John Kerry's string of victories is becoming old news. Now he must define himself before the Republicans - and the media - do it for him.

Also, Fox News asks: are the media giving Kerry a free ride?