With 29 years in the U.S. Senate, Arlen Specter has racked up not only a reputation, but plenty of seniority. But he just jumped parties, leaving the Republicans to what he thought were the open arms of Democrats. President Obama even said, "I have told him he will have my full support in a Democratic primary." In making the switch, Specter says he was promised his top level positions would be kept. Except: Majority Leader Sen. Harry Reid said no such promise was made, and the Dems have stripped Specter of his senior posts. Not only is it a personal blow, but it's also a political one: Specter jumped to the Democratic party to save his senate seat during the next election and planned to make the case to voters they should keep him in office because his seniority was good for them.
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He deserves it. He's been a dick about it from the rights of labor to appointments to recently saying he favored Coleman over Franken (the later of which can expected to be a strong progressive on gay rights (his brother is openly gay). If they don't apply these pressures, then Specter will continue to give us nothing for his resusistated career.
I'm all for Spectre moving to the Democratic party – if he becomes a Democrat in the process. The problem, so far, is that he seems to be doing everything in his power to prove that he's not going to become one. Because of that, he's gotten what he deserves and I very much hope a progressive Democrat comes up to challenge him in the primary.
Well he never should have made the statement "I'm moving to the Democratic Party. I never said I'd vote with them"
Good move.
He can get it back after the midterms. But he might have been able to keep it through the election if he wasn't such a dick like Gay Numbers said. It would've been a much valued weapon.
Now he'll have to work for it. Yeah, Harry Reid will "revisit the matter" after the midterms alright. He'll also have a ton of crucial votes and stances from Specter to take into consideration.
Specter gets to see what the final years of his senate career will be like if he doesn't fall in line. If he even makes it that is, cause Joe Sestak might be coming for that ass.
Specter is soooooo hot!
He's not acting like a real Democrat, so screw him.
@Michael W.: Draft Joe Sestak!
Good, I guess next he will change to an Independent to keep this gig since he is just old, bitter and trifling and offers nothing to his constituents and is against anything for the middle class and poor.
Good for Reid. Hard to believe I'm saying this, but so far at least, I liked Specter better as a Republican. Maybe he can join a caucus with Coleman. Jackass.
Finally, Harry Reid shows some balls…didn't think he had any. Specter is nothing but an opportunist, out for his own interests. He needs the carrot and stick approach, he plays nice and works with the Dems, he gets some power restored…if he's a obstuctionist d*ck, he's s.o.l.
Can't say I think he deserves much more…
Do you not have independents down there?
If he wanted to jump ship (or was pushed) it would have made sense for him to do that and run as a Dem in the next election – at least give his constituents a chance to vote on the switch.
On the other hand if the Democrats actually accepted him into the fold you would think they would at least have established a working relationship before doing so. Whether or not it is justified, sending a senior politician back to grade one does look very good.
I presume they know the way to the back room. This delicate bit of business might best have been dealt with there, with the door closed.