Welcome Back Arlen!

[iman]

Arlen started life in Philadelphia as a Hubert Humphrey ADA Democrat and in a magnificent power play has come back to his roots.

Thanks goofy right wing Repubs, you sent Specter home.

http://edition.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/04/28/specter.party.switch/?iref=hpmostpop

 

[Lostlover]

GREAT News.

Michael Steele says Specter switched parties because he would have lost the republican primaries in Penn due to his left wing tendencies.

LMAO, whatever.

 

[PabloZed]

He was in a tough fight with a right winger in the PA GOP primary for his 2010 reelection and that is considered one reason for the switch. Also, 200,000 registered republicans switched their registration to democrat so that they could vote in the 2008 democratic primary. That means that a number of voters he needed for the primary switched.

What a nice gift for Pres. Obama as he approaches his 100th day. This virtually assures passage of a health bill because Spector supports universal healthcare.

One other note. Do you guys remember that Spector appeared with Obama in Philadelphia as he was beginning his train ride to DC before the inauguration? That was a sign to me that Spector was quite comfortable with the President.

YAY!

 

[Julian89]

Where are the hate, anger and vitriols? I'm disappointed I'm not seeing one yet....LOL

Change has come...

As the saying goes...when it rains, it pours...

With Franken and that of Collins and Snowe somewhere in the future (please, please, please)...

Universal Health Care, EFCA, Climate Change bill and other priority bills are only a heartbeat away...

A very nice gift to the 100th day in office of President Obama.

 

[hotatlboi]

GREAT News.

Michael Steele says Specter switched parties because he would have lost the republican primaries in Penn due to his left wing tendencies.

LMAO, whatever.

You know, I don't always agree with your statements but you never came off as stupid to me.

That's EXACTLY the reason he switched, and if you can't see that, well... yeah.

He wants to stay in power just like every other politician. All of the rural Repubs were probably pissed about his vote on the stimulus bill so they were ready to dump him. By going blue, he gets to become the preferred candidate on the other side and avoid being drummed out in the primary.

Also, I think the part of his statement talking about how he is ready to be in a "general election" makes it pretty evident.

I'd sure like to be able to think that he switched because of how idiotic the Repubs have gotten of late, but that's just not the case here.

 

[PabloZed]

The most powerful part of Spector's statement was when he spoke about other republicans who were attacked from the right in primaries. Lincoln Chafee of Rhode Island, Wayne Gilcrest in Maryland and others were attacked by the Club for Growth and each either lost in the primary or in the general.

So, sure, Spector was thinking of his own political future, but he was also thinking of other moderate republicans who the national party did not defend when they were attacked from the right.

 

[MisterMajestic]

I welcome Spector into the fold but we all know he has a Democratic mind but a Republican Heart...

 

[iman]

Who knows what is going on in his mind.

But this had to play into his decision.

Of course it did. It is also apparent that crazy Pat Toomey would not have a chance against the probable Dem candidate retired Admiral Congressman Joe Sestak. It was simply a no brainer for Spector to switch, he goes from being a losing candidate that would have been replaced by a Democrat to a shoo in Senator with seniority and enormous leverage with the Dems.

Nicely played Arlen!

The real question is why the Republicans would allow anyone to oppose him in the primary. The extreme right is tearing up the Republican party.

 

[hotatlboi]

Of course it did. It is also apparent that crazy Pat Toomey would not have a chance against the probable Dem candidate retired Admiral Congressman Joe Sestak. It was simply a no brainer for Spector to switch, he goes from being a losing candidate that would have been replaced by a Democrat to a shoo in Senator with seniority and enormous leverage with the Dems.

Nicely played Arlen!

The real question is why the Republicans would allow anyone to oppose him in the primary. The extreme right is tearing up the Republican party.

You pretty much nailed it.

 

[Lostlover]

You know, I don't always agree with your statements but you never came off as stupid to me.

That's EXACTLY the reason he switched, and if you can't see that, well... yeah.

He wants to stay in power just like every other politician. All of the rural Repubs were probably pissed about his vote on the stimulus bill so they were ready to dump him. By going blue, he gets to become the preferred candidate on the other side and avoid being drummed out in the primary.

Also, I think the part of his statement talking about how he is ready to be in a "general election" makes it pretty evident.

I'd sure like to be able to think that he switched because of how idiotic the Repubs have gotten of late, but that's just not the case here.

I don't think you understand what I wrote... Steele the RNC chair says that Specter left the GOP because he wouldn't be the Republican candidate for his seat because Penn republicans would have ousted him because he's too moderate.

That's complete BULLSHIT. The truth is Republicans are losing steam in Penn and Specter jumped ships.

Specter also saw that he was DOWN in internal polls for his seat and he knows the 200,000 Republicans in the state switched parties to the Democrats in the last election. He ain't no fool. He knows who butters his toast.

 

[hotatlboi]

I don't think you understand what I wrote... Steele the RNC chair says that Specter left the GOP because he wouldn't be the Republican candidate for his seat because Penn republicans would have ousted him because he's too moderate.

That's complete BULLSHIT.

LOL no it isn't. It's spot on actually. They would have ousted him among other things for his (you could surely call 'moderate' for a Republican) vote on the stimulus bill. He even said as much in his statement.

The other guy was WAY to the right and he was leading Specter by 20 points in the potential primary poll. The fact that Specter isn't a whore for the religious right is precisely what was hurting him. The Repubs have gotten farther and farther right since Obama has been in office and Arlen has always been a moderate.

The fact that PA leans blue overall is just another bonus. To win any contest as a Republican, politicians are increasingly finding that they have to take hardline positions on the right as the party goes further and further off the deep end and that turns off moderate voters in the general election.

 

[naked gent]

Its easy enough to say that the republican party is becoming less of a party and more of a gathering but seriously if Areln is re-elected he'll be 81 when his next term begins.....enough already.

There are few things I am more suspicious of than old pols who refuse to go away.

 

[PabloZed]

Wake up call? The GOP has lost, I believe, four special elections in a row in conservative districts. They lost the house, senate and white house. The next time the phone rings it will be last call.

 

[letme]

Palindromos is absolutely correct. Be careful what you ask for.

I hope Sen. Snowe is the next senator to leave the GOP. And I hope she does it soon. I will be very glad ,at this time in history , to see a 61 vote margin in the Senate.

Think back not to many years ago..The GOP had Newt and controlled the House and the Senate had Delay. That changed and the Dims took control. Then for several years every bill that voted down or blocked...The GOP was blamed.
The filibusters, the spending ,the War... blame the Pugs.

I hope for 61/39 . The House has 256/178 . A very secure voting block.

Congress has the lowest of low approval rates. It will sink even lower.

Enjoy the next two years of your Full Power in the White House and on the HILL. History will change on 11/2010.

 

[chuck10x]

Excellent move on Specters part.
The republicans here in Penn. were going to endorse Toomey and dump Arlen.
It seems Arlen hasn't been endorsing the party line and the republicans were going to retire him.
Toomey, A Rick Santorum clone was going to replace him and take them to the hard right.
Arlen Specter's switch to Democrat was a huge F.U. to the Republicans and in an election against Toomey will be a clear winner.
Specter has now become a nightmare come true for his old party.
It's should be interesting to watch Sean Hannity to see how he handles this.

 

[syntax]

Its easy enough to say that the republican party is becoming less of a party and more of a gathering but seriously if Areln is re-elected he'll be 81 when his next term begins.....enough already.

There are few things I am more suspicious of than old pols who refuse to go away.

I agree, NG. I'd like to see the Democrats in PA have a real primary and allow a credible challenge to Specter.

I suspect that Specter was given a guarantee by Democratic Party leaders that the nomination is his before he made the switch.

 

[syntax]

Think back not to many years ago..The GOP had Newt and controlled the House and the Senate had Delay. That changed and the Dims took control. Then for several years every bill that voted down or blocked...The GOP was blamed.
The filibusters, the spending ,the War... blame the Pugs.

letme I'm not sure what fuels these confused, marginally incoherent, mostly inaccurate and almost illegible posts of yours. (Actually, I am. As I am sure almost everyone at CE&P who reads them is.)

For the record:

1) Newt Gingrich and the GOP took control of the HOR in 1995, i.e 14 years ago
2) Delay? I assume you are referring to Tom Delay. He was many things (US Rep, exterminator, liar, corrupt politician) but he was never a US Senator.
3) The GOP controlled the US House from 1995-2007.
4) The GOP controlled the US Senate from 1995-2007, except for a brief period in 2001-2002, when VP Al Gore had the deciding vote and again when Jim Jeffords switched from GOP to Dem and shifted the balance of power.

http://clerk.house.gov/art_history/house_history/speakers.html

http://www.senate.gov/pagelayout/history/one_item_and_teasers/partydiv.htm

Maybe a cup of coffee will help?

 

[Lostlover]

LOL no it isn't. It's spot on actually. They would have ousted him among other things for his (you could surely call 'moderate' for a Republican) vote on the stimulus bill. He even said as much in his statement.

The other guy was WAY to the right and he was leading Specter by 20 points in the potential primary poll. The fact that Specter isn't a whore for the religious right is precisely what was hurting him. The Repubs have gotten farther and farther right since Obama has been in office and Arlen has always been a moderate.

The fact that PA leans blue overall is just another bonus. To win any contest as a Republican, politicians are increasingly finding that they have to take hardline positions on the right as the party goes further and further off the deep end and that turns off moderate voters in the general election.

The guy that was way to the right would have never had a chance to win the whole thing, especially being a Republican in a state that just lost 200,000 Republicans to the other party. Obama has said he'd campaign for Specter now that he's the Democrat.

It's not a stretch to believe he would have campaigned for a non-Specter Democrat next year.

Specter was screwed by the Republican party (being down in the polls against Toomer) and really really screwed by being a Republican right after the Bush debacle.

Specter chose to fight with the people that the bigger army. And he picked the right side.

 

[PabloZed]

Rep Sestak sounds like he intends to challenge Spector, but Rendell, Mayor Nutter and Pres Obama are all behind Spector. Part of the thinking is probably that Spector is a known quantity and a good bet against a right winger. That might change if Gov. Ridge enters that race.

 

[hotatlboi]

The guy that was way to the right would have never had a chance to win the whole thing, especially being a Republican in a state that just lost 200,000 Republicans to the other party. Obama has said he'd campaign for Specter now that he's the Democrat.

It's not a stretch to believe he would have campaigned for a non-Specter Democrat next year.

Specter was screwed by the Republican party (being down in the polls against Toomer) and really really screwed by being a Republican right after the Bush debacle.

Specter chose to fight with the people that the bigger army. And he picked the right side.

Well sure I can agree with all that, but none of that makes what Steele said false because it wasn't. The whole reason that he was down big in the polls to Toomer is because the Republicans have gone off the deep end and Specter has remained somewhat sane. He made the choice he had to to stay in the Senate (rather than lose in the Republican primary).