Democratic congressional candidate Peter Welch's proposal to hold four "Sunday Conversations on the Green" around Vermont this summer didn't sit very well with Republican Martha Rainville, but it sounded like a great idea to Republican Mark Shepard.

Shepard, who like Welch serves in the state Senate, said the two of them chatted today about having the conversations with or without Rainville. An interesting strategy that might work well for both: Shepard gets more visibility. Welch gets to pretend Shepard is his only real opponent. The idea presents a tricky decision for Rainville about whether she joins them.

- TH