Sep 15, 2005 — Senators Chuck Schumer from New York and Patrick Leahy from Vermont, both Democrats, have taken leading rolls this week in the John Roberts confirmation hearings. Despite their reservations, it's considered a foregone conclusion that the Senate will approve Roberts as the next Chief Justice. Adirondack Bureau Chief Brian Mann has been working this year on a special project, studying the influence of rural America on national politics. In this morning's news analysis, Brian says the outcome of the Roberts confirmation is shaped to a surprising degree by a rural bias hardwired into the Senate's composition.
     Welcome to the Homeland Brian Mann's book on rural American politics will be published next year by Steerforth Press.