Re: Dec. 8 news story.
Midway through my first year in law school, John Glenn became the first American to orbit the Earth. Twelve years later I joined him as we entered the United States Senate together. We served as colleagues for 12 years and became very good friends. In 1984, Sen. Glenn and I competed for the Democratic nomination for president. When hedecided not to go forwardearly in the primaries, many of his supporters joined our efforts.
John was one of the finest human beings I have ever known. He possessed that very rare quality of combining down-to-earth decency with historic heroism. He took his Senate duties absolutely seriously but did not take himself that seriously. John had a great sense of humor and could laugh at himself as wellas at the ironies of politics.
In an age when heroes are all too rare, John Glenn was a genuine American hero. We already miss him.
Gary Hart,Kittredge
The writer is a former U.S. senator from Colorado.
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