Neshobe School (Brandon) Online Chat
Members of the Neshobe School's First
And Sixth Grade Classes
April 11, 2007
Sen Leahy:
Hi, this is Patrick Leahy and I am online. I do my own typing, so please
excuse the typos. I do hope I do a better job voting than typing!
Sen Leahy:
I understand you have some questions for me this morning!
Neshobe School: Yes, we do have
some questions!
Neshobe School:
Ben, Tom and Courtney would like to know what a Senator does.
Sen Leahy:
Ben, Tom and Courtney, it changes every day. Today, I started at around
5AM going over memos and emails from my staff, some of whom were already
at work. Then, I did a major hearing on the National Guard. I will meet
with 40 or more Senators this afternoon to set policy and than will plan
a major Judiciary hearing. Should be home around 7:30.
Neshobe School:
Waseya and Louisa would like to know what committees you are in.
Sen Leahy:
Waseya and Louisa, I am on Appropriations Committee, which passes all
our spending, the Agriculture Committee, which is very important to
Vermont, and I am the Chairman of Judiciary Committee, which oversees
the Dept of Justice and many other parts of government.
Neshobe School:
Hunter and Kasey would like to know who your best friend is.
Sen Leahy:
Hunter and Kasey, my very best friend is my wife, Marcelle. We have been
married for over 40 years and I couldn’t do this job without her.
Neshobe School:
John and Henry would like to know if you have ever played baseball.
Sen Leahy:
John and Henry, I really enjoy baseball, but I don't play it. I was born
basically blind in one eye and it is difficult to play - so I took up
other sports.
Neshobe School:
Morgan and Jonathan would like to know why you became a Senator.
Sen Leahy:
Morgan and Jonathan, I was born in Montpelier and spent a lot of time
around our Statehouse seeing how government works. I went to law school
at Georgetown and spent a lot of time watching the Senate and realized
that this was the one place where Vermont is equal to every other state
(all states have 2 Senators whether small like ours or huge like
California) and I wanted to be able to speak for Vermont. It is a great
honor to represent our state.
Neshobe School:
Ken and Jacob would like to know what kind of ice cream you like.
Sen Leahy:
Ken and Jacob, I like Cherry Garcia and just about anything Ben &
Jerry's makes. I know Ben and Jerry very well and I think it is amazing
what they did with their company.
Neshobe School:
Arielle and Megan would like to know what year you were first elected
Senator.
Sen Leahy:
Arielle and Megan, I was first elected in 1974. I was Vermont's youngest
Senator (I was 34) and the only Democrat elected to the Senate from
Vermont. Fortunately, my wife and children helped me a lot in that
campaign.
Neshobe School:
Amber and Adrianna would like to know what you enjoy most about your
job.
Sen Leahy:
Amber and Adrianna, I am excited about going to work every day. There is
always something new to learn about from how to create jobs in Vermont,
to protecting the environment and how we might bring the war in Iraq to
a conclusion. I also get to work with some of the brightest people I
know on the Senate staff and I enjoy working with other Senators of both
parties
Neshobe School:
Chad and Wilson would like to know if you like doing mathematics.
Sen Leahy:
Chad and Wilson, I have always had to work hard at math. A lot of things
I do come naturally, but math is harder. I am glad I had good math
teachers when I was in school and that helps. Do you enjoy math?
Neshobe School:
Yes,
we all love math.
Sen Leahy:
I am glad you
like math - you must have good teachers.
Neshobe School:
Nicki,
Calysta and Cali would like to know if you support sending more troops
into Iraq.
Sen Leahy:
Nicki, Calysta and Cali, I think we should start bringing our troops
home - not send more troops over. The United States will have spent
nearly a trillion dollars in Iraq (money we need here at home) and let
the people of Iraq settle their differences. I don't want to expose the
brave men and women of our forces to a civil war.
Neshobe School:
Brad and Hailey would like to know if you ever held any other political
office other than Senator.
Sen Leahy:
Brad and Hailey, I was State's Attorney of Chittenden County for 8 years
and was in private practice of the law for a few years before that. I
have really enjoyed the opportunity to be both a Senator and a State's
Attorney.
Neshobe School:
Josh and Matt would like to know if you have any children.
Sen Leahy:
Josh and Matt, my wife and I have three children. They are all married
and we have four wonderful grandchildren.
Neshobe School:
Thomas and Bryan would like to know who you think is the best
presidential candidate.
Sen Leahy:
Thomas and Bryan, that is a great question. The next President will have
to re-introduce the United States to the rest of the world and repair
our image abroad. We are a great country and I do want to see that
happen. Who do you think is the best?
Neshobe School:
Scherina and Brandon would like to know where your home is when you are
in Vermont.
Sen Leahy:
Scherina and Brandon, my home is an old tree farm in Middlesex about 5
miles from where I was born in Montpelier. It has been in our family for
a very long time and I can hike, snowshoe, and ski there and everyone in
my family loves it as much as I do.
Sen Leahy:
I really enjoyed talking with all of you. By the nature of your
questions, it is obvious that you are all good students and I am sure
that you are helped by the excellent teachers there. Some of you may
have even gone to a daycare run by Mrs. Berry who is the mother of one
of the wonderful people in my office, Jessica Berry.
Neshobe School:
Yes we know Mrs. Berry and Jessica. We are very proud of Jessica and the
work she is doing. Jessica is a graduate of Neshobe School.
Sen Leahy:
Jessica does a great job here and has been very helpful with Vermont's
law enforcement and first responders.
Neshobe School:
Thank you for chatting with us!
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