The guy has never been all that much of a radical conservative, but he's always been willing, when push comes to shove, to carry their water. Just ask Anita Hill. He's made a career out of swinging wildly between voting his conscience and placating the extremists in his party.
So let's be clear on this - the guy is not moving to the left with this switch. It's just that his (former) party has moved so far to the perverse "right" that (a) he could not have survived the Republican primary (which he effectively admitted), where the increasingly blue Pennsylvania has seen its moderate Republicans re-register as Obama Democrats, stripping Specter of his GOP base, and (b) he couldn't stand to associate with their increasingly radicalized views. (What's remarkable to me - although it probably shouldn't be given his record as a pro-military action hawk - is that he blames his irreconcilable rift with the GOP on economic policy - which is GOP posturing and hypocrisy, although with a nasty edge that is bringing out some truly vile elements in America - rather than on their heartfelt, gross and sadistic endorsement of torture.)
Case in point: Rush Limbaugh is happy "to be weeding out people who aren't really Republicans." And this after Specter, before seeing the Republican primary polls that told him he had no choice but defect, debased himself earlier this month and said he liked Rush. Some gratitude!
How soon before there are no Northeastern Republicans remaining in Congress? And how many Jewish Republicans are left holding national office? Eric Cantor is a lonely, lonely man - not that he doesn't deserve it. (Contra: Joe Lieberman has welcomed Specter into the Democratic party. Hmmm.)
Norm, it's time to hang it up on the election challenge, brother, and get back to "help[ing] the RJC as it plans for the future and looks at ways to continue its historic record of growth and success." Clown school is getting very lonely, and the tent is getting smaller.
UPDATE: Just caught Olbermann, and Chris Matthews was on, showing how he would have campaigned against Specter had Matthews decided to run for the Senate as a Democrat, and Specter had somehow remained a Republican and won the GOP nomination. In short, Specter is without principle, blows with the wind, and will say and do anything to remain in power. Hard to argue the point. Thirty years in the Senate has not made Matthews respect Arlen Specter, has it?
No comments:
Post a Comment