You've heard of exploratory surgery and exploratory expeditions but what are exploratory committees all about?

    In politics they are the vehicles to determine if a potential candidate can translate his passion and desire for this office or that, into a bona fide effort that has some chance of being successful at nailing down this office or that.

     Enter the Virg Bernero Exploratory Committee for Governor.

     The recently reelected Mayor of Lansing has not even been sworn in for a second term and now he's got a committee exploring a possible bid for the democratic nomination for governor.

      Talk about your high achiever.

     This, however, will be a short-lived committee.  It is being slapped together with one goal in mind:  Can Bernero translate all his nervous energy into convincing would-be supporters to do more than just talk about him for governor.

      In other words it is put up or shut up time for Mr. B.

      It's an easy test to score.  It is one thing for supporters to whisper in your ear, "You should run for governor" as they slap him on the back.  It is

quite another for them to open their wallets and grease his palms with some lean green.

     If at the end of next month there is no lean green, Bernero can bury this boom let and contemplate what might have been.

     However if he magically taps in the anger of the electorate and cultivates the feeling  he can actually win this thing, then you've got something to build on.

     Obviously Bernero believes he can pull it off or he would not try.

     That's one and counting.