The
Daily Beast has a flattering article on Tom Perriello, entitled, "An Outbreak of Courage on Capitol Hill." Here's an excerpt:
Freshman Democratic Rep. Tom Perriello is one of the most vulnerable incumbents in the country next year. So what on earth is he doing voting his conscience on health care?
[...]
One veteran House aide, accustomed to the pragmatic deals that pass or defeat legislation, admiringly called Perriello “an idealist.” The congressman doesn’t just talk that way, too, though he speaks of his “Catholic social conscience to reduce human suffering.” After he graduated from Yale Law in 2001, he went to Sierra Leone, established a human-rights clinic and then worked for nonprofits on pro-democracy efforts there and in Liberia, Kosovo, Darfur, and Afghanistan. He brought that social conscience to his 2008 campaign, requiring his workers to “tithe” 10 percent of their time to volunteer efforts for charities in the district, working in soup kitchens, adult daycare centers, and Habitat for Humanity.
[...]
Of 13 Democratic freshmen in districts won by McCain, Perriello was the only one to vote for both bills. Perriello acknowledges those votes could make him a one-termer. “If you want to stay here too much,” he says, “then you never get done what you came here to do.”
Great attitude (as always) by Tom, but in my opinion it would be infinitely better if he gets reelected so he's able to keep doing great work for the 5th Congressional District. Go Tom!
