Daniel Leaderman Opposition to same-sex marriage heated up in a Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee hearing Tuesday and the night before, shown here, at a rally against the proposed legislation.

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A group of visiting dignitaries in Annapolis got to see how the state government works — and doesn’t work — firsthand Thursday.

When Sen. Barry Glassman stood to read the names of the members in a 19-member “multiregional delegation” seated in an upstairs gallery, he was cut off by Senate President Mike Miller.

“Why don’t we bring them down here? Bring them all down here, and we’ll let everyone look at them and see what they’ve got,” Miller said, to great laughter in the chamber. “These people traveled thousands of miles across the ocean, the least we can do is say, ‘Hi,’ you know?”

As the laughter was dying, Miller continued, “We need to extend a proper Senate greeting, that’s what I meant to say.”

Minutes later, the State Department delegation from Algeria, Bangladesh and 17 other countries arrived on the floor to be announced by Glassman, who as a “farm boy from Harford County,” apologized for any pronunciation gaffes in advance.

Charity Gaba Timothy, the representative of newly established South Sudan, elicited a few cheers, and the representative from Turkey presented Miller with a handmade plate depicting a gypsy girl.

Miller said he hoped the visit might, in some way, promote world peace.

Not so fast, Mr. President.

Sen. Verna L. Jones-Rodwell, taking exception to Miller’s putting the delegation on display, stood to speak. During her travels throughout the world, Jones-Rodwell once ventured to Poland, where, she said, she was greeted by stares and strangers wanting to touch her skin, a reaction that offended her.

“A few minutes ago when we had visitors announced, I think in the spirit of being light and welcoming, we might sometimes not be as sensitive as we need to be,” Jones-Rodwell said. “When that happened to me, it was very frightening and did not make me feel welcome.”

“It’s a point well taken,” Miller said. “In my defense, I didn’t know who these people were. I didn’t know if they were from Harford County or Greenbelt or wherever. I thought I apologized.”

The biggest laugh of the day came when Jones-Rodwell retook the mic to clarify. “Mr. President, I was not referring to you,” she said.

“People make terrible mistakes, you know. We move forward,” Miller said, before sniping: “There were some mistakes on reapportionment, we’ll see if we can correct them.”

Peace was restored by Sen. Jamie B. Raskin, who paraphrased Alexis de Tocqueville: “The charm of their simplicity of manners and directness in speech is simply irresistible to Europeans.”

— Danielle Gaines

Overheard at the hearing on same-sex marriage…

Although most of the arguments for and against same-sex marriage are familiar, some testimony at Tuesday’s Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee hearing showed some originality.

After her name was called, Martha Jenkins of Silver Spring told the committee that she did not put her name on the list to give testimony, but credited God with her presence at the hearing.

“I didn’t recognize His handwriting,” quipped Sen. Brian Frosh (D-Dist. 16) of Bethesda, the committee chair.

And later...

Forget the pony and the video games. One young Bowie resident wanted a birthday gift only the legislature could provide.

“Today is my 14th birthday, and it would be the best birthday present ever if you would vote ‘no’ on gay marriage,” Sarah Crank cheerfully told the committee, adding that she felt sorry for kids with parents of the same gender because they had “no idea what kind of wonderful experiences they miss out on.”

— Daniel Leaderman

Barn bison scary prospect

[Don't] give them a home. Don't fence them in.

That was Del. Adelaide C. Eckardt's plea for bison on behalf of farmers, such as her constituent Bill Edwards of Hurlock, who have learned a thing or two about the Old West creature they are raising for meat.

She's sponsoring legislation to exempt bison from animal care laws that require shelter to be provided. Bison are large animals and need lots of space, Eckardt, a Republican, told the House Judiciary Committee.

They are well adapted to handle weather extremes, and they retain their wild instincts, she added.

And "bison farms are a growing agribusiness," Eckardt told the members.

“Containing bison in any manner raises their adrenaline and makes them aggressive," continued Edwards, who has been raising them since 1995.

Chairman Joseph Vallario Jr. (D-Dist. 27A) of Upper Marlboro cut Edwards short.

Some members shared their bison knowledge, speculating that the beasts would probably knock down a barn.

Eckardt said farmers are worried they could be prosecuted for doing the right thing for the animal.

"I hear no opposition" to the bill, Vallario interjected.

— Margie Hyslop

Ravenmaniac — birds-he-wanted-to-save edition

U.S. Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar made a stunning announcement in Baltimore on Thursday — and it had nothing to do with wind leases, which he was in Charm City to tell the world that the U.S. was ready for.

“Let me just conclude by saying that I was a cheerleader for the Baltimore Ravens,” Salazar told a crowd assembled in a World Trade Center room overlooking the Inner Harbor.

We’re assuming the Colorado native was wryly implying that he would have liked to send the New England Patriots packing for beating the Denver Broncos, 45-10, in the AFC semifinals.

(We doubt he meant that he’d worked in a purple hot pants with Constellation CEO Mayo Shattuck’s wife, Molly, recently or ever.)

But, hey, what does he tell the masses in Massachusetts?

— Margie Hyslop