The worst job in Washington: they're still answering phones at the Kerry campaign.

• Author: Franklin, Daniel
• Position: 10 Miles Square - John F. Kerry

In early February three months after the end of the presidential election, I heard that the Kerry-Edwards campaign headquarters was still open for some reason. Curious, I walked from the offices of The Washington Monthly to its building on McPherson Square, three blocks from the White House.

Just inside the entrance, across from a security desk, was a building directory with the names of various law firms and lobby shops, but no listing for the John Kerry for President offices. The security guard noticed me studying the directory. "Can I help you?" she said." Is the Kerry campaign still here?" '"Sixth floor. I need you to sign and show picture I.D." And I was off.

When the elevator doors opened, there was still no sign of the campaign. Every door was locked and unmarked. Around one comer, slightly open, was the door to a closet filled with cardboard boxes. Out of one fell a bumper sticker which read: "Like father, like son. One term and you're done." I was in the right place.

Around the next corner I saw a sliding window that opened onto a mailroom. "Kerry for President" signs were taped to the walls. Steal shelves held bins filled with dozens of cellphones. Next to them, more bins overflowed with satellite-TV receivers. I knocked, but there was no answer. Just then, a young man, mid-twenties and casually dressed, emerged from the elevator. "Is this the Kerry Campaign?" He nodded. "May I talk to who's in charge, please?"

Swiping an electronic passcard in front of one of the unmarked doors, he led the way in to a large office, where he asked me to wait while he asked the director if he would see me. The office seemed typical. About a dozen staffers sat at computers working on what appeared to be spreadsheets. The only off-kilter detail was the large, white dry-erase board. Written in large letters across the top was, "Kerry-Edwards victory party. Live from Copley Square. 8.30." On the left side, in blue marker; were the names of the states that went for Kerry, their electoral votes written beside them. On the right, in red, the states won by Bush. No one had bothered to add up the totals: And no one, in all the days since Kerry had conceded defeat, had summoned the heart to erase the board.

The young man came back. "Nogo," he said. His boss wouldn't talk. He walked me out. Why were they all here? "The FEC auditors," he said. "They arrive in a month," he said.

By law, the Federal Election Commission audits every federal campaign. And so...