Can't blame him for wanting to jump from a sinking ship.
Posted by Seven of Six at April 28, 2009 11:31 AMThe real news is not that Specter is becoming a Democrat. The real news is that the Republican Party, dominated these days by obstructionist know-nothing right-wingers, is falling apart.
Our country needs two parties but Bush and his right-wingers gave us a war we did not need and an economic meltdown that could have been prevented; this means the current Republican Party will not be taken seriously until the right-wingers are turned out of office. Republican pundits and consultants are kidding themselves if they think Newt Gingrich, Bill Kristol, Rush Limbaugh, Sarah Palin or Joe the Plumber have any ideas that are useful for solving the very real problems we as a nation are facing.
Posted by Craig at April 28, 2009 12:11 PMWhile not wanting to be ghoulish, I'm seriously wondering why the man doesn't just retire.
Sunday June 1, 2008
Sen. Arlen Specter, who was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma in 2005 and underwent a complete remission, has been once again diagnosed with the cancer. The recurrence of the lymphoma was detected in April during a routine health exam. Specter had not had any typical lymphoma symptoms and was surprised when it was once again diagnosed.
In 2005, Specter exhibited some typical symptoms before being diagnosed - enlarged lymph nodes and fevers - but this time exhibited no symptoms at all. A lack of symptoms, and the fact that the diagnosis was caught early, has led Specter’s oncologist, Dr. John Glick, to issue a highly optimistic prognosis for the Senator. It is believed that Specter will have a full remission as he did in 2005.
Specter is no stranger to health issues. In addition to his Hodgkin’s diagnosis in 2005, Specter battled a brain tumor twice in 1993 and 1996, and fully recovered from cardiac bypass surgery in 1998.
He does explain that the world simply needs his guidance too much to leave now,
I am not making this decision because there are no important and interesting opportunities outside the Senate. I take on this complicated run for re-election because I am deeply concerned about the future of our country and I believe I have a significant contribution to make on many of the key issues of the day, especially medical research. NIH funding has saved or lengthened thousands of lives, including mine, and much more needs to be done. And my seniority is very important to continue to bring important projects vital to Pennsylvania's economy."
Well, I assume that "Killer" Reid will allow him to pretend he has all that seniority in the Democrat party. Any committee he gets assigned to will have to bump a real Democrat (Ben Nelson please?). There have been assertions to the effect that he will not, but I would certainly feel OUTRAGE if this self-serving, venal viper were given any Committee Chairmanships, at least until he delivers substantially for the Dems, which I will not be risking my respiration in anticipation thereof.
Posted by DeminNewJ at April 28, 2009 12:26 PMSpectre pretending to be a Democrat is better than Spectre pretending to be a Republican.
One point worth noting is that it is in the Democratic Party's interest to push hard for a primary candidate against him in 2010. In addition to the obvious reason that if he wins re-election he'll be an unreliable wildcard, it's also clear that he changes his positions in response to primary pressure. I fully expect he'll cave on EFCA -- possibly pretending to be the moderate who created the union-friendly compromise. It's not like he actually cares about the issue one way or the other.
Posted by Anonny at April 28, 2009 01:14 PManonny,
i'm not sure he cares about any issues... which is why he may turn out to be a better democrat than nelson, landrieu, etc., not to mention liarman
Posted by Turkana at April 28, 2009 02:04 PMDid the Dems have to take him in as "Dem"? And why now?
Another weak link for the already weak, fragmented senate "team". This egomaniac doesn't see himself as a Dem AT ALL.
And the idea that the flopping Arlen will provide Dems a "filibuster proof majority" is comic, yet it'll be blatted 24/7 by the Noise Machine and whip the wingnutter crazies into a mouth foaming frenzy.
Most likely Arlen's Gambit will just be used as one more reason by Repubs everywhere to stop a worthwhile Dem, Franken, at all costs. It doesn't change committee assignments, and Arlen is already doing nothing but yapping about what he WON'T do to help advance Dem bills, not a WORD about about what he will do.
Another great "coup" by Harry......that aids the worst elements of the caucus, Bayh, Pryor et al.
Posted by euzoius at April 28, 2009 02:15 PMTurkana: agree. He has no convictions, and now is no longer locked into trying to woo the far right. Furthermore, he has the advantage of already being in a very Blue state, unlike many Democratic senators. If Obama's team plays their cards right (i.e. we'll give you Senate chairmanship X if you support us on X,Y,Z,A,B,C, etc) Specter could be become a very reliable Democrat.
Posted by Anonny at April 28, 2009 02:18 PMAccording to Chris Matthews--who might actually know something for once--Ed Rendell is going to grease the skids for Specter in 2010. No serious primary challenger.
Specter's move is still good for Democrats, though. The Republicans are going to do some "soul searching"--i.e they're going to move even further to the right. Hannity and Limbaugh really DO run things in that teabagging nuthouse. Who else is there?
Posted by Rick at April 28, 2009 02:19 PMAccording to Chris Matthews--who might actually know something for once--Ed Rendell is going to grease the skids for Specter in 2010. No serious primary challenger.
Of course. That had to be part of the offer from months ago.
Arlen is already doing nothing but yapping about what he WON'T do to help advance Dem bills, not a WORD about about what he will do.
Yeah, and Lieberman whined and whined and whined too. Even now he occasionally lets his inner Likud get the best of him, like his comments on torture. But his voting record has been just fine since Obama intervened on his behalf in December. In the old days he'd pile up a liberal voting record on measures that weren't close, but he was a reliable tie-breaker for the Republicans. Now he's doing the opposite -- voting conservative on certain pointless amendments to bolster his moderate credentials, but sticking to the caucus line on the close ones.
Let's see if they get Spectre to do the same. I don't care what he says in public. How does he perform on the close votes -- that's what matters.
Posted by Anonny at April 28, 2009 02:24 PMif things work out, LIEberman and Specter will not be needed after 2010 anyway.
Posted by T2 at April 28, 2009 02:27 PMif things work out, LIEberman and Specter will not be needed after 2010 anyway.
No, we need to be shooting for 67 Senators.
There are some critical Constitutional amendments -- such as the free media amendment and the voting rights amendment -- that need passing.
Of course, not mentioned by many people is the fact that Congress could choose to accept DC as the 51st state (as long as the non-populated parts of central DC, including the white house, congress, and the mall, were left as the constitutional district). All it requires is a majority of both houses and the President's signature -- and voila, two more senators.
Why is that important? Because Dems would then have 62 of 102 senators, meaning only 6 more, instead of 7, for a 2/3rds majority.
Posted by Anonny at April 28, 2009 02:34 PMWell, we'll see what benefits we get out of this little desperation gambit---I'm concerned that like the German Empire we're shackling ourselves to a corpse, instead of saying "Good Luck with that re-election bid, Arlen!" and getting to run some worthwile Dem against a Club for Growther in Blue PA.
I think this is more likely to backfire on Dems than not and make us even weaker. We lose our chance to get a good PA Dem in 2010 for some (unspecified) but assumedly crucial votes now. So if Specter casts the decisive cloture vote on a climate change bill, well, I'll admit my error.
I won't be holding my breath---this unprincipled hack is no good.
Posted by euzoius at April 28, 2009 02:46 PMSome speculation that he may become the facilitator in an EFCA compromise. He's certainly in the position to do it.
I'm so pessimistic on the chances of EFCA passing. I'm pissed that the Dems are not out there vocally challenging all of the BS that is being spread about the bill from the right. I still haven't seen a reasonable report by the MSM on the bill.
Posted by Simp at April 28, 2009 03:55 PMIt's all about the cash that Democrats and Obama can raise for Specter. Obama wants his healthcare bill passed, this will get Specter's vote.
Simp, Unions are spending a lot of money on commercials for EFCA now. However, they could be preparing to really do battle next year.
Posted by Seven of Six at April 28, 2009 05:21 PM
Congrats Democrats, you're now the party for the guy that brought you Chief Justice Roberts and Justice Alito. A guy that got the gang of fourteen going and many judges approved. A guy that got us the Patriot Act, the revised Patriot Act, the revision of FISA, and numerous other progressive pieces of legislation.
So enjoy all the hard work Majority Leader Reid did to make this so.
And what of all those real Democrats that wanted to challenge him? They'll just have to wait another six years.
Posted by peter at April 28, 2009 09:44 PMHey Petey, if Specter votes with us I don't care if he is a piece of shit. Funny how you would parrot gop talking points, i.e. losing Specter is a GOOD thing for the gop, really? Him being the 60th vote is good for the Neanderthal Party? Today's gop is all about grasping for straws. This is historical, watching a political party self-destructing before our eyes. My advice to our Democratic leaders....crush em, and then spit on those pigs.
Posted by Joe at April 29, 2009 04:12 AMWhat did he say about Jeffords when he changed party affiliation?
Posted by peter at April 29, 2009 04:31 AMJoe,
I'm definitely with you. I despise the sanctimonious sack of venality, but for the next 18 months, if he delivers at least SOME absolutely critical votes for cloture, I don't give a rat's ass how he votes on the actual bills or what he thinks he can do to polish the self-serving turd that is his career.
He's not actually as bad as Ben Nelson and, gulp! he's even better than Connecticut for LIEberman. Some critical votes NOW, will satisfy my unease about his continuation in the Senate. I have a feeling he will not (be around to) run in 2016.
BTW, the proper advice to our "leaders" in Congress regarding the Republic Party revenants is a favorite quote of my (2nd Armored Div. Gods help us!) son's:
Conan! What is best in life?
To crush your enemies, see them driven before you, and to hear the lamentation of their women.
Ann Coultergeist may not qualify for that, but I'm willing to listen to Michelle "Cheerleader" Malkin and all of the silly Republican MILFs and GILFS wail on and on and on! Oh, sacred Muse!
Posted by DeminNewJ at April 29, 2009 07:09 AM
and of course there are always the lamentations of women like shit-fer-brains pete...
Posted by headxray at April 29, 2009 08:00 AM