Contact Bayles at 617-353-3484; bayles@bu.edu

Contact Berkovitz at 617-353-7724; tobetv@bu.edu; Twitter: @tobetv

Contact Carroll at 617-353-3493; carroll7@bu.edu; Twitter: @johncarroll_bu

The Senate candidacy of Elizabeth Warren offers liberals a revenge-fantasy movie script. If Warren were to become the junior senator from Massachusetts, she would return to Washington as a colleague of the Republicans who subjected Warren to rough handling at various hearings on the Obama administration’s plans for a consumer financial protection bureau. It would have made a great campaign clip if she had ended one of these hearings with the Schwarzeneggeresque statement: “I’ll be back.”

But Warren faces a tough road back to Washington. Although she is a darling of the Beltway media set, she is not a household name in Massachusetts. She would have to garner the attention and following in a primary campaign against at least seven other Democrats. And she will have to overcome GOP Sen. Scott Brown’s advantage as a popular incumbent. But anything is possible given the seesaw swing of Massachusetts voters who elected Republican Brown in a special election then re-elected the entire Massachusetts Democratic ticket in 2010.

Warren is an engaging personality and plain speaker. She comes across well on television and should thrive in debates with both her Democratic rivals and, if she makes it to the next level, against Brown. She also will have Doug Rubin, one of the state’s best Democratic operatives, in her corner. He engineered the successful gubernatorial election of then little known Deval Patrick.

Some Massachusetts Republicans have already attacked Warren’s egghead credentials as a Harvard professor. But running against Harvard in Massachusetts isn’t necessarily the right tact to take, and Warren doesn’t come across as a cerebrally distant liberal academic in the mode of Attorney General Martha Coakley, the loser to Brown in 2010.

Warren sounded more like a populist in her work for Obama on financial reform and her spirited criticism of Wall Street and the banking cabal. Running against those institutions may give her solid traction among Massachusetts independents. It could also be the chink in Brown’s armor. Brown has remained popular in Massachusetts by navigating the tightrope act of limited partisanship as a relatively independent Republican.

But the one area Brown has toed the party line has been his support of business. That may not go down well among voters with the economy still adrift, banks reluctant to loan the cache of money they are holding, and Wall Street wise guys still commanding huge salaries and tax breaks. Warren, with her command of the issues and her engaging personality, could marshal that anti-Big Business sentiment in a run against Brown.

But Warren will have to run hard. She needs both traditional name recognition and a social media buzz to overcome Brown’s advantages. That will mean non-stop, retail campaigning and a hefty war chest to finance a media blitz to introduce her to voters and make the case why Brown should come home and she should be sent to Washington.

Contact Bayles at 617-353-3484; bayles@bu.edu

Contact Bayles at 617-353-7736; fbayles@bu.edu

Contact Bayles at 617-353-7736; fbayles@bu.edu

Bailout in Greece

After a deal, only more challenges (New York Times): “This is the Europeanization of the Greek debt. Everyone prefers to have Europe as their counterparty rather than Greece.” Perry Mehrling, visiting professor, School of Law, and a senior fellow at the Center for Finance, Law, & Policy.

Rupert Murdoch & News Corp.

News Corp. announces new code of ethics. Will it make a difference? (Christian Science Monitor): “It will be interesting to see what kind of enforcement measures Murdoch and his staff are talking about, and how exactly they intend to put them into action.” Elizabeth Mehren, Professor of Journalism, College of Communication

Rupert Murdoch testifies before Parliament (WGBH-TV “Greater Boston“): “The culture was get the story at all costs and that seemed to have just permeated to every level. It’s really unfathomable that the top editor wouldn’t have had at some point asked the question of how are you getting this.” Tom Fiedler, Dean of the College of Communication

News Corp. board should be replaced (Bloomberg Television): “There’s no question the Murdochs are key people because nothing is going to happen without their approval but beyond that I think the independent directors hold the key.” James Post, Professor of Management, School of Management

Murdoch struggles for control as scandal grows (Bloomberg): “The shell of invulnerability that Rupert Murdoch had around him has cracked. His credibility and the company’s credibility are hemorrhaging.” James Post, Professor of Management, School of Management

Murdoch scandal coming to U.S.? (WBZ-TV): “The scandal could potentially place at risk Murdoch’s ownership of TV stations in 18 U.S. cities, including Boston.” Tobe Berkovitz, Associate Professor of Advertising, College of Communication

Japan women win World Cup

Japan’s character seen in women’s World Cup victory (CNN.com): “The women’s performance illustrated some key qualities of Japanese society: hard work and resilience. It wasn’t only skills that got them close…It’s the effort that counts. The women were jubilant that they’d gotten that far. They believe in will, showing when we put our minds to something, we can do it.” Merry White, Professor of Anthropology, College of Arts & Sciences

Possible MA Senate run by Elizabeth Warren

Senate run not off the table for Warren (Washington Post): “Warren’s name recognition might not carry to her home state. You guys in Washington know her very well. But I’m wondering whether or not the rank-and-file vote…is going to be aware of who she is.” Fred Bayles, Associate Professor of Journalism, College of Communication

Elizabeth Warren may be ‘wild card’ in senate race (Boston Herald): “Politics is about getting even. That would be something to see.” Tom Whalen, Associate Professor of Social Science, College of General Studies