When Newspaper Editors Attack! DeLay on 'Dancing'

In case you're thinking the same thing I am, no, you are not nuts: An incredibly small percentage of the women, many of them over 50, who watch "Dancing With the Stars" give a rat's ass that former congressman Tom DeLay is joining the cast of celebrities for the upcoming season.

So who cares? Newspaper editors, that's who.

There's still an inherent tension at most papers between the arts/entertainment areas (provided they still have the staffs to field one) and the news sections. So anything that allows entertainment to cross over into news -- like a controversial politician appearing on a primetime reality show -- is the epitome of a no-brainer.

So yes, the Texas pol they once called "the Hammer" is indeed being used, with the producers exhibiting some savvy in terms of ways to get journalists writing about their show at this stage of the game. Meanwhile, DeLay is using the network right back to soften his image amid various legal troubles.

This is known as the old Texas two-step.