Pick on someone yer own size!

Vermont Senator Patrick Leahy told the Joker that he's not afraid of thugs. Turns out, Senatory Leahy isn't afraid of thugs who want to stop kids from playing baseball either.

Republic representative Lincoln Diaz-Balart has expressed "serious reservations" about a group of Vermont and New Hampshire kids going to play some youth baseball in Cuba. Diaz-Balart even convened a session of the Cuba Democracy Caucus to discuss the matter. Leahy's reaction? Pick on someone your own size.

"I don't like the idea of the government telling ordinary Americans, let alone Little Leaguers, where and when they can travel," Leahy said. "If the president can go to China at taxpayers' expense, these kids ought to be able to go on a privately paid trip to Cuba to play some baseball."

Well done, Senator, well done.

Pure, unadulterated awesome

How do I know Senator Pat Leahy is awesome? First, he grew up in the same neck of the woods that Dews and I grew up in. Second, he was a county prosecutor for years. Third, he got VP Dick Cheney to drop the f-bomb on him. Oh, and he's got a cameo appearance in the new Batman movie. My Senator is, hands down, much cooler than your senator.

King of Vermont has weighed in

Breaking news indicates that Senator Patrick Leahy D-VT (King of Vermont) has decided to endorse Barack Obama for President...

I'm sure there will be some press conference at some point, so details will be updated as they come.

UPDATE: (From Politico)

If Leahy endorses as expected, it would be the latest(sic) in a string of Senate validations for Obama, and to the extent that endorsements play a role in voters' decisions, Leahy's -- along with those of Senator John Kerry and others -- could counterbalance charges that the Illinois senator lacks readiness or establishment credibility. Like Kerry, he's also a liberal stalwart and a veteran of battles with the Bush Administration.

People that know me, know I'm a huge fan of Senator Leahy for many reasons, so I can't really weigh in on this from a "Fair and Balanced" angle, but I will say that I am surprised in the timing of this announcement given that Vermont has really nothing to do with the process at the moment. Leahy's influence of course goes far FAR beyond the state he represents though, as he is a very powerful figure within the Senate as well as the party itself.

UPDATE:
"We need a president who can reintroduce America to the world – and actually
reintroduce America to ourselves," Leahy said in the conference call, saying
Obama carried the "hope" to end the war in Iraq and to bring "healthcare for
all."

He also compared the decision to support Obama to supporting John F. Kennedy for president.

Update: The Dude abides...