Congratulations, Arlen Specter

Poor old Spector and his new love, (actualy his old love).... neither seem to know that if convenient, either of them will throw the other under the bus. Both Specter and the democrats in power lack character. When their lips move, they are lying and they care for nobody but themselves. Their vows are utterly meaningless. Their romance will last exactly as long as it takes for Specter to become handy to use as a scapegoat for some failure or another. Old Arlan will be then be looking for a new sugar-momma to save his hide. Me thinks he'll be smack dab outa luck. His old schmooze will slam the door in his face and he'll deserve it. Adios Arlan Defector, you old traitor. Good riddance!!!

Bobbie: yes, I think we're dealing with a genuine 2 Peter 2:22 situation here - not many people remember that Specter started out a Democrat, and has now returned home. It's clear that this is just a marriage of convenience. Everyone knows its a marriage of convenience for Specter: he's almost certain to be hammered in a closed primary against Toomey.

I'm not so sure Specter realizes it's a sham marriage for the Democrats as well. The Prezznit only needs Specter long enough to get his pet bills through the Senate unopposed, and then he can kick Specter to the curb for someone younger, hipper, sexier, and more reliably liberal. By my figuring, he needs Specter for about nine to twelve months; after that, he can afford to trade him in for someone more reliably liberal. Specter's ACU rating is in the low forties, if I'm not mistaken.

There are three groups of people who I wouldn't expect to sit by idly, too. First, you have the union elite, who are going to be mightily steamed at Specter's opposition to Card Check (the right to a secret ballot on unionization votes). Specter will have to choose between flip-flopping and facing the union wrath.

Second, there are all the senior Democrats is the Senate. Specter was promised continuation of his seniority when he jumped, and seniority translates into plum chairmanships and committee assignments. Specter just moved to the head of the line, in front of a lot of long-term Democrat faithful.

Finally, there are Pennsylvania Democrats in office, like Joe Sestak, who famously wants to be a Senator, and is not going to sit quietly and let the opportunity pass him by so the party can fawn over Specter. Sestak must have an ACU rating pretty close to zero; expect him to run in the primary against Specter, and run to his left.

It could be fun to watch...

...that "Jim" is much better off. And so is the GOP without Specter. And if Snow, McCain and others follow in Specters tracks, we'll be still better off. Then it might take us awhile but we can return to our core values as a party and, I believe, the electorate will once again take an interest in the Republican Party. DD

PA in NOTORIOUS for Liberal Republicans and Conservatives Democrats. PA has Labor/welfare Ghettoes on the corners and is a mix of Texas and Alabama in the middle. Specter is just the latest in a long line of Pa Pragmatists (Schweiker, Scranton, etc) and a TEXTBOOK EXAMPLE of Addition by Subtraction.

Spector might have gone back to his first love; but you have to wonder if the Democrats will do much more than try to gain "political hay" from the "desertion".

In my estimation, the Democrats will have a "trustable" Democrat to run against Spector in the primaries leading to the 2010 elections. And I doubt if Spector will get much campaign money from the DNC. And more than likely, Spector will go down in flames in the Democrat primaries.

Adios Spector! Don't let the door hit your b*tt on the way out.

I remember Arlen almost 50 yrs. ago in Philly when he was a Dem DA. Then he ran for state AG and slowly became a Pub. Now he is back with this natural affiliation. He may get a challenge from a Philly State Senator in the Dem primary. And the Pubs could urge Ridge to run against Pat T in a Pub primary. With 15 months to go, one must remember that Arlen is 79 nearly 80 and a cancer survivor. Many things can happen. Nevertheless, if Arlen is the nominee, the Pubs, unless Ridge ousts Tom, will lose. To campaign statewide with many minorities, many ethnic groups, unions , and feminists in PA., it is very difficult for a Pub to win , even against a RINO like Arlen.

Ghost, you're dead-on: Specter's voting record and his stances put him in the ideological middle - far left of mainstream and rank-and-file Republicans, but uncomfortably right for the Democrat party power structure. He's an unreliable vote. That and his second time turning coat gives the Democrats no reason to trust him. They know as much as we do that Specter's only core loyalty is to Specter. It would surprise me not one bit to see the party power jump behind Sestak, who is a party faithful and a consistent vote. Consistently far left, but consistent. The ACORN and Kos factions of the Party of the Left will line up against Specter.

He's their problem now.

Rackoons: I'm lukewarm on Ridge. I have him in my files as pro-"choice,", pro-S-CHIP, and anti-SDI, though I give him high marks for being tough on crime. As a caveat, I'm no expert on Pennsylvania politics. As a senior aide to John McCain in his campaign, I'm just not in my comfort zone with him. I'd love to have a PA expert do a side-by-side comparison of Toomey, Ridge, and the other top seeds.

I'm also - and I say this totally respectfully - in mild disagreement with you about the role of minorities and unions. Here in Los Angeles, I acknowledge that ethnic politics are expected. Hispanics vote for Hispanics and Asians vote for Asians more consistently than whites vote for whites, whenever the choice is offered. But I deny that this is unalterable. Blacks, Hispanics, and Asians need a healthy economy, good schools, and the protection of national defense, just like whites do, and so do rank-and-file union members. A conservative candidate who can persuasively run on issues and do so in an upbeat way can take an election regardless of those balkanized lines. Ask Ronald Reagan.

Good post, Keith! Bill and Ellen ultimately deserve each other, because they can never trust each other.

Too bad, so sad for somebody, but Spector will not be missed. IMAO, he shot himself in the foot when he turned tail on the GOP to embrace his true party once again. Now his legacy will only be that of a turncoat. As an exSeattlite, I recall the elderly Senator Warren Magnussen, who ran his last campaign on his vast connections/experience in the beltway. Something akin to "I may walk slowly but the meeting can`t start until I get there." It was all about him and his "power" He was soundly defeated by Slade Gorton in 1980. Arlen Specter coulda/shoulda finished out his term and then honorably retired, with tributes, etc., ad nauseum. Now, he will face a tough campaign and, no doubt, be roundly defeated, only to put this tail between his legs and limp home.