"We Didn't Have to Lose Arlen Specter"

[georgesbluegirl]

Woot Maine!

From today's NY Times:

IT is disheartening and disconcerting, at the very least, that here we are today

[MorningGlory]

I don't think Spector's decision to change parties was the result of soul searching, lack of inclusiveness or any of that bilge that's being pumped out of his office....I believe, much like the proverbial rat, he believes he's jumping off a sinking ship. It's all about staying in office. Unfortunately, for him, I don't think he'll be relected no matter what he does.

[kat8585]

Woot Maine!

From today's NY Times:

IT is disheartening and disconcerting, at the very least, that here we are today

[georgesbluegirl]

I don't think Spector's decision to change parties was the result of soul searching, lack of inclusiveness or any of that bilge that's being pumped out of his office....I believe, much like the proverbial rat, he believes he's jumping off a sinking ship. It's all about staying in office. Unfortunately, for him, I don't think he'll be relected no matter what he does.

I mean, he's being pretty frank that his immediate reason is the primary situation. However, two things -- one, Biden's been working on Specter literally for years; apparently they've had the conversation about his possible switch; two, what does Snowe have to gain by saying something like this unless she wants to make a legitimate point from her corner? She's not beholden to him in terms of PR; she's a GOP moderate watching the ideological diversity within her party shrink day by day, and she sees Specter's defection -- and part of that IS his inability to win a GOP primary in PA -- as a real problem.

[kat8585]

I don't think Spector's decision to change parties was the result of soul searching, lack of inclusiveness or any of that bilge that's being pumped out of his office....I believe, much like the proverbial rat, he believes he's jumping off a sinking ship. It's all about staying in office. Unfortunately, for him, I don't think he'll be relected no matter what he does.

He said as much on tv yesterday, that his decision was based on his political situation.

[georgesbluegirl]

Woot Maine!

From today's NY Times:

IT is disheartening and disconcerting, at the very least, that here we are today

[nebula]

If being a 'moderate" Republican is so much better for the party, why did it not help the last election?

Moderates arguing for moderation.

[kat8585]

Snowe and Collins, ME's two Senators, are moderates in the truest sense -- they split their votes about evenly along party lines/not. That's why they're popular among the independent-minded Mainefolk.

Well, they sure showed their true colors when they voted for the porkulus bill! That's why Specter leaving won't really make any difference, with these 2 traitors still there.

[georgesbluegirl]

If being a 'moderate" Republican is so much better for the party, why did it not help the last election?

Moderates arguing for moderation.

McCain had a reputation as a moderate due to truly bipartisan achievements like the Feingold-McCain act, and if he'd stayed THAT McCain he might have had a shot at it. Instead, he bowed to party pressure and turned a sharp right -- and while many on this board, I noticed, generally supported it, the general American public didn't. Looking past the issue of having an ® next to his name after eight years of Bush, that change was what lost him a credible shot at the presidency. He wasn't staying true to himself. Just look at video of his last campaign stumps of October and compare it to the concession speech, which was relaxed, tremendously articulate, and positive -- if he had been that McCain all along, things might have been different...at least closer.

[MorningGlory]

I don't think Spector's decision to change parties was the result of soul searching, lack of inclusiveness or any of that bilge that's being pumped out of his office....I believe, much like the proverbial rat, he believes he's jumping off a sinking ship. It's all about staying in office. Unfortunately, for him, I don't think he'll be relected no matter what he does.

I mean, he's being pretty frank that his immediate reason is the primary situation. However, two things -- one, Biden's been working on Specter literally for years; apparently they've had the conversation about his possible switch; two, what does Snowe have to gain by saying something like this unless she wants to make a legitimate point from her corner? She's not beholden to him in terms of PR; she's a GOP moderate watching the ideological diversity within her party shrink day by day, and she sees Specter's defection -- and part of that IS his inability to win a GOP primary in PA -- as a real problem.

Olympia Snowe has nothing to gain by making these observations. I don't fault Spector for switching parties either; he's akin to the subway passenger who suddenly realizes, at seven a.m., that he's on the express to the north side of the city and he works on the south side. I do NOT want to hear the press conference angst from him concerning his decision though. Just GO already. He's nearly 80; how much longer can he eat from the public trough anyway?