Specter Becomes A Democrat To Prove He’s A Republican
Bet Arlen Specter wished he lived in Connecticut and could have pulled a Joe Lieberman. Although, given the way he’s started out he might find himself in Lieberman’s boat faster than he realizes. Dean and Carville have fired the warning shot by uttering the word that had Specter running away from the Republican Party in the first place: Primary.
“I’m pleased that he saw the light and decided he would be a better fit for the Democratic Party and I think you have to allow for his political views to evolve,” said former DNC chairman Howard Dean in an interview with the Huffington Post. “But he won’t win the Democratic primary by taking the position that you should not have [the Employee Free Choice Act] or a public option for health insurance… If he takes these kinds of views, of course there is going to be a Democratic primary.” [emphasis mine]
“Of course there is going to be a primary.” Music to my ears, Dr. Dean.
“I’m not sure this is going to have a great ending,” added Carville, who has worked extensively in Pennsylvania politics. “He could get primaried, you know… If [Rep. Joe] Sestak runs, [Specter] will have to fight.” [emphasis mine]
Fight? Golly gee, wasn’t that what Specter was trying to avoid?
Now we all know Specter’s switch was all about Specter and his desire to stay in Washington. That doesn’t mean his points concerning the Far Right were invalid – they weren’t. But if Specter thinks it’s only his former party that’s changed, he hasn’t been paying attention. Democrats have changed as well, and the grassroots of the party are more than capable of nullifying any backroom deal. If he’s just realizing this then he hasn’t been paying attention.
Funnily enough, Specter just might have launched himself out of the frying pan and into the fire.
Update: Looks like Ridge may toss his hat in the ring as well. Still, the question remains: Will Tom Ridge fare any better with the 21% Toomey supporters than Specter? Primaries could very well become the signifcant battle field in Pennsylvania, which is fine by me. I’m all for primaries – they do a country good!
Tags: Arlen Specter, Primary
I love it
Specter is counting on his popularity in the state, his seniority in the Senate and his spanking new friends to get him past the finish line. He will make a lot of showy votes to prove his independence and the TV people will have him on lots for quotes critical of Dems. In the meantime we need to pay attention to PA and their efforts to pick their own Dem.
Getting Tom Ridge in the game will count as the only smart move Rs will make this election season, tho.
What gets me is the arrogance of Specter’s switch. Not only the arrogance that he is somehow entitled to his Senate seat despite being out-of-touch with his party, but the idea that he can become a Democrat and be the same old cranky arsehole he’s always been.
I’m with pandora, I’m not sure if pro-choice Ridge can win a Republican primary.
Run, Sestak, run!
You are forgetting the no-primary clause was the Republican reason given for the switch..
The real reason Specter switched, was that he, as a normal, thinking man, could not stomach the ugly direction in which his crack-headed controlled Republican party was going…
And who does this Carville person think he speaks for anyway?… Didn’t he become a non-entitiy bordering on the line of bufoonery with the outset of the Clinton loss?
Specter definitely has the party support in the primary but that certainly doesn’t stop anyone from filing against him. As long as Specter continues to be a pain in the ass, he’s going to have trouble in a Democratic primary against a high quality opponent like Sestak. Obama can fundraise and support Specter all he wants but he can’t make people vote for him.
Do I think it likely that Specter will survive? Yes, I do but a primary opponent will definitely put pressure on Specter to move left, which is what we want.