Senate Bids Adieu With Bipartisan Barbecue
By Warren Rojas
Posted at 5:59 p.m. on Aug. 2, 2012
Democratic Sens. Bob Casey and Amy Klobuchar attend the pre-recess barbecue today. (Courtesy Senate Photo Studio)
Political hacks love to equate recess with the stink of jet fumes.
Today, the Senate office buildings were flooded with the intoxicating scents of hickory-smoked swine and sugary baked beans.
Sens. Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.), Kelly Ayotte (R-N.H.), Mark Pryor (D-Ark.) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) banded together to co-host a bipartisan barbecue fest for the entire body. An Isakson aide said Sam’s BBQ 1, an award-winning establishment from Marietta, Ga., provided a spread of pulled pork, beef brisket, baby back ribs, baked beans, mac and cheese, sweet tea and pecan pie for the 70 to 80 Senators who mingled and munched to their hearts’ content.
The Isakson aide noted that GOP lawmakers routinely commune at their “Thursday Lunch Group,” but he ndicated that this was the first time Democrats had been invited to participate. Ayotte was credited with pitching the all-inclusive plan.
No word on which of the smoked meats was the runaway favorite. But we’re guessing that because Isakson’s PAC picked up the check, it all tasted pretty sweet to homeward-bound legislators.
