I've always sort of liked Specter -- I guess the way that Republicans have always sort of liked Lieberman. But I've come to the belief that even if I wanted him to win he wouldn't. Given his statements in the last week, Ridge would beat him in a general and Sestak would beat him in a primary. It's unfortunate that Obama, Biden, Rendell and the rest pledged their support to him. They're going to have to walk that back. Specter's doing everything he can possibly do to make his candidacy a laughingstock. If his intent is to alienate all Republicans and all Democrats, he should run as an independent and see how he does against the other contenders. Because he's not a Democrat. And he's not a Republican either.
Oops. Meant to include the news item that pushed me over the edge. Specter is calling for the courts to overturn the vote in MN and seat Coleman. Most Republicans in good standing aren't even stupid enough to push that idea anymore. Add to that his opposition to Free Choice and national health care and I'm pretty sure he's given up any right to be treated as a member of the Democratic Party. And he's sure as hell given up his right to be considered a Republican. Add to that his open admission that the party ID shift was one of political expedience and he's finished. He couldn't have played this thing out in a dumber way if he tried.
It apparently may have been a joke: With your departure from the Republican Party, there are no more Jewish Republicans in the Senate. Do you care about that? I sure do. There's still time for the Minnesota courts to do justice and declare Norm Coleman the winner. Which seems about as likely at this point as Jerry Seinfeld's joining the Senate. Well, it was about as likely as my becoming a Democrat.
what is specter going to do? not allow the senate to seat franken? will he filibusterer it? i dare him. as always, he's all talk.
i think he's pretty clearly kidding around - the NYT magazine interveiw always has joke questions in it.
He may be kidding, but bats is right. I'm not liking how Specter's handling himself so far and some of the things he’s said. People are taking notice.
This thread needs to be memorialized for the HILARIOUS GAFFE that it has turned out to be. How representative of an Obama voter's NAIVETE. We must name this thread. We must. Sam has been humiliated before and had threads named for it. Two that come to mind immediately are The Stradivarious Conquest and The Tax Deferred Conquest. Naming ideas for this thread? Sestak's Stinking Pile of Pewp The Cinco de Mayo Exposure Batman's Catastrophic Theatrical Humiliation A Lover's Guide to a Libpoosie's Lobotomy
Lots of Dems are opposed to the Free Choice bill. And I don't think he's opposed to national health care - he's opposed to a specific type of it (a public plan option). This whole ideological purity thing is how the GOP got into the mess they are in.
I'm not concerned about ideological purity. I'm concerned about national health care and about party unity. It doesn't do the Democrats any good to reach 60 if the 60th vote is entirely unreliable. Especially in PA, a Democratic Party stronghold, where we can easily elect a pro-labor, pro-health care, progressive senator. I don't need all party members to toe the line, but since Specter seems hell bent on demonstrating his independence daily I think he should run as an independent. He said himself that he joined the Democratic Party only because it was his only path to victory. That's not a good enough reason.
you're not concerned about ideological purity, but you are concerned about party unity? what's more important to you, your convictions, or your party? i won't mention "country" since i know that's well down on your list.
The trolls are out in full force today! Good for them. It wasn't a joke; it was a mistake: http://politicalwire.com/archives/2009/05/05/specter_backs_away_from_coleman_comments.html
^ I wonder when he will retract his comment about having inside info on Dole and Viagra. Honestly people need to lighten up - the insta-whining from some of the left wing blogs/comments on this was embarrassing because it resembled the right wing echo chamber's typical insanity and pathological inability to appreciate context.
I made this point before the November elections. Dems need 64-65 seats to get 60 fairly solid votes to close debate. And the more seats they get, the more independent-minded and bold centrist Dem senators will become. Specter's switch getting them to 60 means nothing at all aside from the political theater. The 2010 election is where the Dems might gain the ability to cram through their agenda unfettered.
interesting. you claimed it was a joke. specter didn't agree. so you attack people who brought up the issue?
yes - you should see the bleating on dailykos, by kos himself, who has not oen but two threads about it- it's embarrassing and reminds me of Glenn Beck-type knee jerkism. It was a joke. It was a mistake for him to make it, because 1) it wasn't particularly funny, and 2) taken out of context, it ignited a firestorm of silliness. Are you honestly arguing that Specter's commitment to jewish republicans is so great that he really, honestly reversed field on Coleman, just to have a bar mitzvah'd-GOP senator after he reversed his own party? The fact that anybody would believe he really would do it, just for that reason, is even dumber than him making the joke in the first place. Anybody who's ever read the Sunday NYT Mag Q&A page would know that most of the questions are frequently non-serious. And I'm pretty sure that kos and the rest have picked up the NYT from time to time so they don't have the same excuse as wingnut nation. The silly people flying off the handle on this should be as embarrassed as Specter.
