When U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley visited the seniors at Greene County High School Friday morning he demonstrated he’s tech-savvy. He very happily posed for selfies and usies with eager students. (For tech-challenged or lingo-challenged folks, an “usie” is a self-taken picture with more than one person in it.) He’s pictured obliging Kyle McAleer (left) and Noah Exline (right) with an usie.
He also found a place for an Instagram picture and had regional director Fred Schuster take the picture. Grassley was disappointed that he couldn’t get the school’s name in the same photo as the ram.
Grassley is 82 years old, but not the oldest U.S. Senator. Sen. Dianne Feinstein of California is 87 days older. Grassley has served in the Senates since 1981 and is fourth in seniority behind Patrick Leahy of Vermont, Orrin Hatch of Utah and Thad Cochran of Mississippi.
When student Lakota Larson asked Grassley about his 2016 campaign, he replied that he has already begun fundraising. He said he would challenge those who think he’s too old for another term in the Senate to run with him – he runs three miles a day, four days a week. He also said that obviously he has the stamina for the job, as his annual visits to all 99 Iowa counties demonstrate. His visit in Greene County was his 99th and final visit for the year.
He said anyone who thinks it should be someone else’s turn to be Senator is welcome to run against him. “This office doesn’t belong to me. it’s a public trust you hold for six years,’ he said.
