The Other McCain

"One should either write ruthlessly what one believes to be the truth, or else shut up." — Arthur Koestler

So, How’s That Whole Party-Switching Thing Working Out for You, Mr. Specter?

Posted on | May 12, 2010 | 18 Comments

“Specter will be less useful to the Democrats now than he ever was when he had an ‘R’ beside his name.”
— Robert Stacy McCain, April 28, 2009

Arlen Specter’s belief that he would be welcomed warmly by Democrats was never realistic. Liberals had cheered him every time when, as a Republican, he plunged his knife into the backs of his colleagues, but why would Democrats invite a known backstabber into their own ranks?

[O]ne year after he switched his affiliation from Republican to Democrat in part to claim a sixth term, he is still viewed with suspicion by many in the party and faces the gravest threat of his 30-year Senate career because a significant portion of Democratic voters simply cannot get accustomed to the idea that Specter is one of them.
Rep. Joe Sestak, a second-term congressman and retired admiral, is surging in the polls and seems to have momentum headed into Tuesday’s primary . . .

Concern about such a Sestak surge — a gut-hunch that, in the end, Democrats would prefer to vote for an actual Democrat — was what inspired my “Republicans for Specter” idea. We want Arlen to win the Democratic primary, so he can lose in November. Look at the polls:

Rasmussen
R – Pat Toomey . . . . . . . . . 50%
D – Sen. Arlen Specter . . . . 38%

Franklin & Marshall
R – Pat Toomey . . . . . . . . . 48%
D – Sen. Arlen Specter . . . . 36%

Republican Pat Toomey would stomp Specter into geriatric smithereens in November, and the attendant demoralization of Democratic voters would help GOP candidates down the ticket. If Specter should lose the primary, however, Joe Sestak might be able to rally Democrats. Sestak would certainly get more support from independents, who can at least respect an honest Democrat, whereas a political hermaphrodite like Specter . . . not so much.

Specter’s meltdown was accelerated when Sestak hit him with this ad reminding Democratic primary voters that Specter was endorsed by the detested George W. Bush:

So Specter fires back with this ad featuring Obama’s endorsement:

Some clever fellow responded by putting together this mash-up ad:

Even if Specter’s got Obama on TV, though, that isn’t quite the same as having Obama in the flesh:

Arlen Specter launched a TV ad Tuesday featuring the Democrats’ biggest star, President Barack Obama.
But Obama won’t be bringing his star power to Pennsylvania to stump for Specter ahead of next week’s primary election, according to the White House. . . .
The new ad follows a statewide anti-Specter ad put out by Joe Sestak, Specter’s challenger in the Democratic U.S. Senate primary. Sestak’s ad shows then-Republican Specter receiving similar accolades from President George W. Bush in 2004. . .
Specter’s Obama ad will play especially well in Philadelphia, where both men remain popular. Philadelphia is Specter’s traditional base, and his political future may hinge on voter turnout in the city. But Obama’s failing to appear there in person may hurt Specter’s effort to energize the base.
Meanwhile, Vice President Joe Biden confirmed on NBC’s ‘ ‘Today” show Tuesday that he will be campaigning for Specter before next week’s primary.

So the White House is sending in the B-team, suggesting that they’ve spotted him for a hopeless loser and don’t want to diminish the President’s prestige any further by associating Obama too directly with that useless old crapweasel, Arlen Specter.

“You almost feel sorry for Arlen Specter. I mean: Almost.”
— Charle Krauthammer

Exit question: If Democrats can see through Arlen Specter, why are some Republicans still supporting useless crapweasel John McCain?

Category: Pennsylvania, Senate

Comments

18 Responses to “So, How’s That Whole Party-Switching Thing Working Out for You, Mr. Specter?”

  1. Joe
    May 12th, 2010 @ 9:59 pm

    If It’s A Wonderful Life was made about Arlen Spector, he would realize that everyone would be better off had he never been born.

  2. Joe
    May 12th, 2010 @ 4:59 pm

    If It’s A Wonderful Life was made about Arlen Spector, he would realize that everyone would be better off had he never been born.

  3. just a conservative girl
    May 12th, 2010 @ 10:02 pm

    One thing that I don’t get is Sestak has said on several different occassions that he was offered a job to drop out of the race. Why would someone vote for a man that obstructing justice to a crime?

    Don’t get me wrong, I want Specter gone, but this isn’t even a choice between lesser evils. Good for Toomey I suppose.

  4. just a conservative girl
    May 12th, 2010 @ 5:02 pm

    One thing that I don’t get is Sestak has said on several different occassions that he was offered a job to drop out of the race. Why would someone vote for a man that obstructing justice to a crime?

    Don’t get me wrong, I want Specter gone, but this isn’t even a choice between lesser evils. Good for Toomey I suppose.

  5. Joe
    May 12th, 2010 @ 10:03 pm

    I disagree with Mac on many issues, but as bad as he can be, he is no Arlen Spector. Not even close. Arlen demonstrates a certain level of creepiness and decay of soul not often seen in politics and public life. Frankly the Republican that really needs to go is Lindsay Graham, and even he is hardly in the same league as Arlen.

  6. Joe
    May 12th, 2010 @ 5:03 pm

    I disagree with Mac on many issues, but as bad as he can be, he is no Arlen Spector. Not even close. Arlen demonstrates a certain level of creepiness and decay of soul not often seen in politics and public life. Frankly the Republican that really needs to go is Lindsay Graham, and even he is hardly in the same league as Arlen.

  7. Joe
    May 12th, 2010 @ 10:07 pm

    Arlen Specter launched a TV ad Tuesday featuring the Democrats’ biggest star, President Barack Obama.
    But Obama won’t be bringing his star power to Pennsylvania to stump for Specter ahead of next week’s primary election, according to the White House. . . .

    You mean the way the way Obama saved Coakley in Massachusetts or Corzine in New Jersey? Maybe Spector concluded he had enough problems already.

  8. Joe
    May 12th, 2010 @ 5:07 pm

    Arlen Specter launched a TV ad Tuesday featuring the Democrats’ biggest star, President Barack Obama.
    But Obama won’t be bringing his star power to Pennsylvania to stump for Specter ahead of next week’s primary election, according to the White House. . . .

    You mean the way the way Obama saved Coakley in Massachusetts or Corzine in New Jersey? Maybe Spector concluded he had enough problems already.

  9. Miss Sharon
    May 12th, 2010 @ 10:11 pm

    The Dems deserve Benedict Arlen to be their candidate. I want the pleasure of seeing Toomey hand him his walking papers.

  10. Miss Sharon
    May 12th, 2010 @ 5:11 pm

    The Dems deserve Benedict Arlen to be their candidate. I want the pleasure of seeing Toomey hand him his walking papers.

  11. ak4mc (McGehee)
    May 13th, 2010 @ 12:24 am

    …don’t want to diminish the President’s prestige any further by associating Obama too directly with that useless old crapweasel, Arlen Specter.

    “…diminish the President’s prestige…”

    Good one.

  12. ak4mc (McGehee)
    May 12th, 2010 @ 7:24 pm

    …don’t want to diminish the President’s prestige any further by associating Obama too directly with that useless old crapweasel, Arlen Specter.

    “…diminish the President’s prestige…”

    Good one.

  13. Estragon
    May 13th, 2010 @ 7:27 am

    “Exit question: If Democrats can see through Arlen Specter, why are some Republicans still supporting useless crapweasel John McCain?”

    Exit answer: Are you just a complete idiot? You must be to compare Specter to McCain. Specter: lifetime ACU rating – 44. McCain – 82. Yeah, practically twins.

    PLUS, McCain is running against known crook and loud-mouthed idiot J.D. Hayworth, one of the few Abramoff bribe, I mean contribution, recipients NOT to return the ill-gotten funds, and who has NEVER reimbursed Abramoff for the cost of using his stadium sky-box for fund-raising events AS REQUIRED BY LAW. The Birther-promoting jerk who only avoided a formal Ethics investigation by losing his “safe” House seat.

    If you can listen to J.D. Hayworth for five minutes and not conclude he is a moron, it means you are one, too. He is only way we could possibly endanger this seat in the election.

    No matter how lacking in intelligence you may be, do try to strain your brain on this one. Just because Babs likes the jackass and sprung for a few meals for RSMcC . . . oh, never mind.

  14. Estragon
    May 13th, 2010 @ 2:27 am

    “Exit question: If Democrats can see through Arlen Specter, why are some Republicans still supporting useless crapweasel John McCain?”

    Exit answer: Are you just a complete idiot? You must be to compare Specter to McCain. Specter: lifetime ACU rating – 44. McCain – 82. Yeah, practically twins.

    PLUS, McCain is running against known crook and loud-mouthed idiot J.D. Hayworth, one of the few Abramoff bribe, I mean contribution, recipients NOT to return the ill-gotten funds, and who has NEVER reimbursed Abramoff for the cost of using his stadium sky-box for fund-raising events AS REQUIRED BY LAW. The Birther-promoting jerk who only avoided a formal Ethics investigation by losing his “safe” House seat.

    If you can listen to J.D. Hayworth for five minutes and not conclude he is a moron, it means you are one, too. He is only way we could possibly endanger this seat in the election.

    No matter how lacking in intelligence you may be, do try to strain your brain on this one. Just because Babs likes the jackass and sprung for a few meals for RSMcC . . . oh, never mind.

  15. Virginia Right! News Hound for 5/13/2010 | Virginia Right!
    May 13th, 2010 @ 5:30 am

    […] So, How’s That Whole Party-Switching Thing Working Out for You, Mr. Specter? […]

  16. Why Michelle Todd Will Never Work for a Republican Campaign Again : The Other McCain
    May 13th, 2010 @ 8:25 am

    […] volunteer networks to draw from.”Nobody trusts a traitor. And nobody respects a quitter, as Arlen Specter is belatedly learning. Like Specter’s switch to the Democrats, Crist’s decision to go independent was pure […]

  17. Alexander Miller
    July 20th, 2010 @ 7:09 pm

    Fund Raising is always needed to support existing and future projects.:’,

  18. Alexander Miller
    July 20th, 2010 @ 3:09 pm

    Fund Raising is always needed to support existing and future projects.:’,