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Washington is all astir today at the bombshell news that Republican Senator Arlen Specter will leave the GOP and join the Democratic Party, bringing Democrats within reach of a filibuster-proof majority—if and when Al Franken is seated as Minnesota's senator. A 29-year senate veteran and the fifth-oldest senator, Specter is switching his party affiliation now so he can run in the Pennsylvania Democratic Senate primary.
Earlier this year Specter was one of three GOP senators to back President Obama's $787 billion economic stimulus plan, a move that was strongly condemned by conservatives but played better in his home state—which has seen some 200,000 Republicans migrate to the Democratic Party, according to a statement he released at noon:
Since my election in 1980, as part of the Reagan Big Tent, the Republican Party has moved far to the right... I now find my political philosophy more in line with Democrats than Republicans. Since then, I have traveled the State, talked to Republican leaders and office-holders and my supporters and I have carefully examined public opinion. It has become clear to me that the stimulus vote caused a schism which makes our differences irreconcilable. On this state of the record, I am unwilling to have my twenty-nine year Senate record judged by the Pennsylvania Republican primary electorate.Sources tell Politico that Specter made his decision after seeing a recent poll showing him badly trailing former Congressman Pat Toomey in the Republican primary. After being informed of his decision, President Obama called Specter to say, "You have my full support. [We're] thrilled to have you." The news seems to have caught the GOP by surprise; former Republican Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum called it "a huge blow to the Republican's ability to moderate any of Obama's very liberal proposals. I can only hope that Arlen will be as independent as a Democrat as he has been as a Republican.”
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This seems completely reasonable and a well thought out move on Sen. Specter's part. If switching parties will help him better represent the people who elected him to be their voice in government, then it's the best possible thing to do.
Well stated.
Very well thought out! And soooooo reasonable too.
You run as a candidate for one party and after being elected you switch allegiance to the OTHER party. What's the f'ing difference anyway, bottom line the guy REALLY works for Goldman Sachs.
If you can't understand how he just wants to be re-elected---well then you've nicely followed Specter's strategy.
I swear I thought it was a late April Fools Day joke when I saw it on CNN's site.
This will cause the GOP to develop facial tics and move even more to the right.
great news!!!
Really not a shock, as he has basically been one for years. Anyone who would vote for him regardless of party would be an idiot though, as he was the mental giant who came up with the infamous Single Bullet Theory and he apparently is an asshole in person.
Yeah, that whole "Single Bullet Theory" is completely nuts. Unless you believe in ballistics, metallurgical analysis, and state-of-the-art 3D computer renderings like these:
http://www.jfkfiles.com/jfk/html/concl2.htm
But hey -- the GOP doesn't believe in science, why should anyone else?
Isn't Santorum a former Senator?
Yes, he is a former Senator from Virginia who somehow managed to get elected in Pennsylvania.
YEAH "BIG SHOCKER" !?!?
Its about keeping his seat, spector is afraid of losing the nomination in the primary. Self preservation plain and simple.
For 30 years the republicans have been haunted by this Specter, now it's the democrats' turn. And Rick Santorum will have to just finger his silver Opus Dei rosary beads a little harder because the Republican Party has molded itself into a sad replica of Likud in Israel, except that Likud can win on an electorate fractured by numerous small parties. D'oh!
"which has seen some 200,000 Republicans migrate to the Democratic Party,"
Many of them wanted to vote in the extremely close Democratic primary between clinton and Obama. Most of those voters havent switched back.
he changed since being diagnosed with cancer.
this is good news. (not the cancer) best of luck to you Senator Specter.
Originally from PA, the fact that PA took Dem. in the first place is still a shocker. Especially WEST PA, better known as Pennsyltucky. Either way, most republicans today are simply embarrassed by their own party. They've become a circus. Anyone care to guess who the bearded woman would be?
Great, but where's the NYC connection? You guys don't need to repeat every piece of major national and international news that arises.
Seems like part of your sentence got cut off by these flaky Gothamist servers. I'll finish it for you:
"...but since it's your website, you can if you want to."
Seriously. Enough rehashed national news.
Yeah, why would the Democrats moving closer to a filibuster-proof majority in the Senate interest anyone in NYC anyway? It's not like there are any problems here that federal support, or lack of it, might affect.
Sen. Specter must be on the crack pipe.
I'm glad he switched, but I'm still angry about his treament of Anita Hill during the Clarence Thomas Senate hearings. If he had done the right thing, the nation wouldn't be saddled with a mediocre Supreme Court Justice.
It's like when a professional wrestler who wore black trunks and insulted crowds suddenly comes out wearing white trunks and saying nice things, albeit with slightly more gravitas.
Specter says the GOP would rather "purify the party than win on election day and he doesn't understand it"..that says it all....what does staying true to your beliefs matter against winning an election and staying in power.And people wonder what is wrong with BOTH parties...keeping a cushy seat and entitlements has become more important than their own values or God forbid the people they are supposed to represent