Reason # 347827859 why I love Vermont: from Hall Monitor's Darren Allen, who ran into Senator Patrick Leahy at the Hunger Mountain Food Co-op on Saturday. Leahy spent the weekend at home before returning to DC as the session winds down.
After a brief chat with the senator very much in the news latelyfor opposing President Bush's approach to renewing the Patriot Act --and for angrily denouncing a domestic spying program that has Bush verymuch on the defensive -- he bade goodbye.
As he left thecheckout line, a woman in the aisle spotted him, and started clappingloudly. Soon the entire store erupted into cheers.
I'll bet you that most senators in the country don't get that kind of a reception while stocking up on a few provisions.
I love it that it's possible to run into one of our two senators at the local co-op.