Faced with dim prospects for reelection in Pennsylvania, Sen. Arlen Specter has announced that he will switch parties. The question is how democrats in Pennsylvania will feel about Specter who supported Bush on critical issues. After eight years under George W. Bush, Specter has come to the conclusion that he is really a Democrat and does not share the same GOP values as his former party.
Specter issued a statement that “I now find my political philosophy more in line with Democrats than Republicans.” Specter came to this epiphany not during the torture debate or the unlawful surveillance debate (which he publicly criticized the Administration but ultimately voted to back up the president), but rather when Republicans are failing like leaves and Democrats are preparing for a highly likely victory. By resigning now, Specter hopes to start to vote in line with his state to erase the memories of the last six years in his votes on Supreme Court nominees, immunity and other issues. Spector has often played Hamlet on such issues publicly, but largely worked with the Administration in securing votes on most of these issues. Indeed, his Chairmanship (before the fall of the GOP in the Senate) was based on his assured loyalty to the Bush agenda.
What is interesting is that in the statement below, Specter focuses on the unpopularity of the stimulus vote to Republicans and says that he regrets that so many in the GOP do not want him for their candidate. It falls a bit flat as a statement of principle and value differences.
The Senate Democrats have welcomed Specter into the fold and are expected to give him some seniority benefits for his defection.
Specter, 79 is in his fifth term and his new strategy will test how short the memory of Pennsylvania voters is. , is one of a handful of Republican moderates remaining in Congress in a party now dominated by conservatives. Several officials said the White House as well as leaders in both parties had been involved in discussions leading to his move.
If Franken wins in Minnesota, it will give Democrats total control and filibuster proof in the Senate.
Here is his full statement this afternoon:
Statement by Sen. Arlen Specter:
I have been a Republican since 1966. I have been working extremely hard for the Party, for its candidates and for the ideals of a Republican Party whose tent is big enough to welcome diverse points of view. While I have been comfortable being a Republican, my Party has not defined who I am. I have taken each issue one at a time and have exercised independent judgment to do what I thought was best for Pennsylvania and the nation.
Since my election in 1980, as part of the Reagan Big Tent, the Republican Party has moved far to the right. Last year, more than 200,000 Republicans in Pennsylvania changed their registration to become Democrats. I now find my political philosophy more in line with Democrats than Republicans.
When I supported the stimulus package, I knew that it would not be popular with the Republican Party. But I saw the stimulus as necessary to lessen the risk of a far more serious recession than we are now experiencing.
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. I have not represented the Republican Party. I have represented the people of Pennsylvania.
I have decided to run for reelection in 2010 in the Democratic primary.
I am ready, willing and anxious to take on all comers and have my candidacy for reelection determined in a general election.
I deeply regret that I will be disappointing many friends and supporters. I can understand their disappointment. I am also disappointed that so many in the Party I have worked for for more than four decades do not want me to be their candidate. It is very painful on both sides. I thank specially Senators McConnell and Cornyn for their forbearance.
I am not making this decision because there are no important and interesting opportunities outside the Senate. I take on this complicated run for reelection 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.
I am taking this action now because there are fewer than thirteen months to the 2010 Pennsylvania Primary and there is much to be done in preparation for that election. Upon request, I will return campaign contributions contributed during this cycle.
While each member of the Senate caucuses with his Party, what each of us hopes to accomplish is distinct from his party affiliation. The American people do not care which Party solves the problems confronting our nation. And no Senator, no matter how loyal he is to his Party, should or would put party loyalty above his duty to the state and nation.
My change in party affiliation does not mean that I will be a party-line voter any more for the Democrats that I have been for the Republicans. Unlike Senator Jeffords’ switch, which changed party control, I will not be an automatic 60th vote for cloture. For example, my position on Employees Free Choice (card check) will not change.
Whatever my party affiliation, I will continue to be guided by President Kennedy’s statement that sometimes party asks too much. When it does, I will continue my independent voting and follow my conscience on what I think is best for Pennsylvania and America.
For the full story, click here and here.
LindyLou,
He will get a boost and be treated with open arms, since he was the first to defect.
How will this affect the senate committees he’s on. Isn’t he the ranking member of the senate judiciary committee?
FF LEO,
I have a windows based phone cell phone and not a Blackberry (For those not informed the CIA used them out of Great Britain, for what ever reason I do not know) I can sync up everything and never miss a beat. It has a regular keypad on it. Motorola has come or will be coming out with one that is not only touch screen but a regular keyboard that slides out as well.
I can do the touch screen for small directional issues but for word processing, I prefer to use by good ole two thumbs.
Former Federal LEO 1, April 28, 2009 at 2:28 pm
AnonY:
Thank you for that explanation about using a phone keypad; that explains a lot! BTW, I have never sent a text message (texted) and I probably never will.
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I usually read most of the messages on my phone, I just find that it is easier. Well sir if you have children at the age that most of my counterparts have grandchildren, ya just have to learn.
One day I was texting my 14 year old and a young girl about 18 walks by and I hear her say. “I have never seen an old man text before.” Oh well.
But FF LEO. I take that as a compliment.
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Mike 1, April 28, 2009 at 2:49 pm
Arlen Spector is one of those guys who is on your side ….. until you need him. This decision was motivated by political survival. He was going to lose to his challenger who was then going to lose to the Democratic candidate.
When I was on the SDEC everyone had issues with Phil Graham and his party switch. We did want to keep the seat Democratic. I will give you this, he resigned, which I think was the correct thing to do and ran as a Republican.
FFN:
I would not look a gift horse in the mouth. The whole Repub calculus just changed due to this move, and ,as Earl Warren understood very well, in matters of State, just enough is good enough every time. I suppose Specter took Emerson to heart albeit a little late that:
“A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds, adored by little statesmen and philosophers and divines.”
No “little statesman,” this Specter fellow. Bring on the war crimes tribunals.
A filibuster-proof majority. Yawn.
Who gives if this filibuster-proof majority is not used to accomplish anything that progressives stand for? The past decade the only qualities Democrats in the Senate have shown have been sheepishly conceeding to Repulican demands and utter incompetence.
As Greenwald notes, having Specter on the Democrats’ team is meaningless if he rejects most purportedly Democratic views. http://www.salon.com/opinion/greenwald/2009/04/28/specter/index.html
Thanks for the perspective Gnome, I’m about as excited about Specter as a Democrat as I am about Lieberman.
Perhaps you missed his disgusting smears of Anita Hill during the Clarence Thomas hearings or prefer to ignore his support for some of the worst ‛legal minds’ on the Supreme Count.
Arlen Spector is one of those guys who is on your side ….. until you need him. This decision was motivated by political survival. He was going to lose to his challenger who was then going to lose to the Democratic candidate.
AnonY:
Thank you for that explanation about using a phone keypad; that explains a lot! BTW, I have never sent a text message (texted) and I probably never will.
bdaman, that is called good political strategy; not the way I would play, but good.
Ah yes Hannibal Specter, the correct thing would of been a switch to an independent. They will no doubt give Franken his seat and the coup d’ etat will be complete. 60 votes all day long.
AY, please don’t get Patti started on this thread.
This reminds me of the early 80s when Phil Graham of Texas defected to the GOP. I will say that when he did that, he resigned from office and ran as a Republican. I will add that he did win.
It sounds more like this decesion is a realization that this is a party of Conviencen,rather than a heart felt consciencness. I suppose when the GOP membership in PA is dropping faster than flyes at Shea. I guess I would do the same thing.
Patti C would you please correct this entry asd I sent it from my phone.
Bob,Esq., I second your views on Pelosi. I wouldn’t mind if Reid were replaced either.
Don’t forget that Lieberman would be one of the 60.
While I’m happy that the Democrats are on the brink of amassing an artificial spine for themselves, I would have been happier if Nancy Pelosi resigned.
The Blues will probably filibuster the seating of Franken, to forestall the apocalypse.
He is not changing his postition on the labor priority bill, the Employee Free Choice Act EFCA, which would allow unions initial recognition by card check rather than an election.
That tells me that he cannot expect enthusiastic labor support in PA, one of the last strong union states.
I don’t agree that his decision is necessarily “craven.” He has usually appeared moderate and thoughtful in his decisions and he has a very good legal mind, an increasingly rare phenomenon in Congress. I have no problem welcoming him aboard the train.
he should have retired. it appears to be a craven move on his part.
I welcome the good flip-floppin’ Senator’s defection from my Republican Party. This will give the citizenry the opportunity to observe if the Democrats can perform better than the Republicans did; better, so I trust!
Besides, even if this is purely a political move (ha!), I respect a man who admits his mistakes and I do think Sen. Spector is a decent man and a skilled attorney who simply kowtowed to the GOP ideology instead of thinking critically about important issues.
My Republican Party failed miserably, we need to denounce their wrongheaded philosophy, wipe the slate clean, and give the Democrats the full reins to see if they can turn this runaway stage around…and not make a ‘spector-cle’ of themselves.
Do not get your hopes up for filibuster 60-proof whiskey.
That total of 60 holds a few potential blue dogs from red states who may be forced by politcal forces back home to support a GOP filibuster.