In the unfamiliar position of conducting a primary election that actually counts for something, Vermont Democrats have been all ears as the candidates laid out their positions on hot issues in the chilly state. Barack Obama holds a wide lead over Hillary Clinton, but neither is taking the state for granted, reports the Burlington Free Press, which interviewed both last week about issues holding Vermonters' attention.
The candidates differed on relicensing aging nuclear power plants—Obama opposes it; Clinton doesn't, but criticized the NRC. On requiring people crossing the border to show passports, Clinton was strongly anti while Obama called for a review of the plan. Neither has visited Vermont, but Clinton said daughter Chelsea had a "great time" there last week, and Obama joked, "It's not to avoid the snow." (More Hillary Clinton stories.)