The American Spectator : Specter's Last Stand

Text Size

Specter's Last Stand

By W. James Antle, III on 5.14.10 @ 6:09AM

Next Tuesday, Pennsylvanians may be tired of a senator who can't keep his parties straight.

Sen. Arlen Specter (D-PA) caught the crowd at the Jefferson-Jackson Dinner by surprise with his greeting: "I thank the Allegheny Republican Committee for endorsing me for the Democratic nomination." Ten minutes later, Specter concluded his remarks by saying, "Great pleasure to be endorsed by the Allegheny County Republicans, and together we'll win for a victory."

Just one problem: Specter was speaking to the Allegheny County Democratic Committee. The five-term incumbent had a similar slip of the tongue last month when he spoke to a group of College Democrats and said, "I'm proud to have been endorsed by the College Republicans," before an aide prompted him to correct his error.

"I think it's not unusual for anybody to misspeak from time to time," Specter told reporters after Tuesday night's Democratic dinner. "I'm not a television commentator. I'm not as smooth as you guys." As Politico's Jonathan Martin writes, "No one actually expects that from Specter, a grizzled survivor of bare-knuckled Philadelphia politics, two bouts with cancer and five terms in the Senate."

The trouble is that Specter -- a Democrat-turned-Republican-turned-Democrat in the 45 years since he first won elected office, as a registered Democrat running on the Republican ticket -- has been forgetting his party for years. The only thing he consistently remembers is what's good for the political fortunes of Arlen Specter.

Next Tuesday, Specter's political opportunism may finally catch up with him. In the Democratic primary, he faces Rep. Joe Sestak, a liberal second-term congressman and retired admiral. Specter wasn't a terribly conservative Republican, to the left of his former party on abortion, racial preferences, taxes, immigration, and tort reform, but he was conservative enough to give Sestak plenty of fodder.

After joining in the borking of Robert Bork (he had just been re-elected the previous year), Specter helped turn back the borking of Clarence Thomas by grilling Anita Hill (he was up for re-election the following year). He voted for the Iraq war and the Patriot Act. The cozy photo-ops with George W. Bush and Rick Santorum that barely saved him in the 2004 GOP primary are six years later a liability in the Democratic primary against Sestak. Republican Arlen Specter voted against Elena Kagan for solicitor general but Democrat Specter will probably vote for her for the Supreme Court.

But Sestak doesn't have to limit his campaign against Specter to left-right issues. He and likely Republican nominee Pat Toomey, the former Club for Growth president who nearly unseated Specter in the last GOP primary, can make the non-ideological case that the incumbent is someone who will say and do anything to get re-elected. (Toomey has wisely prepared himself to run against either Democrat.)

Last year, Toomey accepted the Sestak campaign's invitation to appear at a joint health care forum. "While I look forward to a substantive debate about honest differences with Congressman Sestak, I wish such an exchange was possible with Arlen Specter," Toomey said in a statement. "Unfortunately, with Senator Specter, one never knows which Arlen Specter will show up -- the May 2009 version who opposed a public health care option, or the August 2009 version who ardently supports it."

Sometimes Specter's malleability reaches almost laughable proportions. Blogger and number-cruncher Nate Silver took a look at Specter's votes in the months before and after his party switch. From the time of Barack Obama's 10-point victory in Pennsylvania in November 2008 to late March 2009, Specter voted with the Democrats on contentious issues 58 percent of the time. Then Quinnipiac released a poll showing Toomey beating Specter by 14 points in the Republican primary. For the next month, he voted with the Democrats only 16 percent of the time.

Specter's lurch to the right didn't stop the bleeding with the GOP primary electorate, prompting his party switch. During his first month as a Democrat, he maintained some independence by voting with his party on contentious matters 69 percent of the time. Then Sestak announced a primary challenge. Specter adjusted by voting with the Democrats on 97 percent of the next 29 contentious Senate votes.

To put it another way: Specter went from an 84 percent Republican to a 97 percent Democrat in just two months, despite nearly 30 years of service in the Senate. "Arlen Specter," Silver concluded, "is either just about the best reflection or the worst reflection on the state of our Democracy -- it's just hard to say which one."

When Specter returned to the Democratic Party, he wasn't shy about admitting why: "My change in party will allow me to be re-elected." He also acknowledged at the time, "I am not prepared to have my 29-year record in the United States Senate decided by the Pennsylvania Republican primary electorate."

Specter hopes Pennsylvanians will have similar motivations and re-elect him because of his seniority and skill at bringing home the bacon. He asks incredulously, "Why would you want to trade 30 years of experience and seniority... for somebody who's a back-bencher?" He said this the same day West Virginia Democrats bounced a 14-term incumbent and just three days after Utah Republicans booted a three-term senator who was also an appropriator.

The polls mostly show the race close but the momentum in Sestak's direction. Franklin & Marshall has Sestak leading 38 percent to 36 percent, Morning Call has them tied at 45 percent, Quinnipiac has Specter up by two. The incumbent hopes that the Pennsylvania Democratic machine, promised to him as part of Obama's naked power grab for a short-lived filibuster-proof majority, will get out the vote to put him over the top.

But not even Obama's friends privately believe Specter deserves it. "It's the party-switching," one told Politico. "He just didn't finesse it and wound up looking pretty ham-handedly like he was trying to save his own ass." Instead Specter may have just painted a big bull's-eye on it.

topics:
Arlen Specter

About the Author

W. James Antle, III is associate editor of The American Spectator. You can follow him on Twitter at http://Twitter.com/Jimantle.

Letter to the Editor View all comments (62) | Leave a comment

Robbins Mitchell| 5.14.10 @ 6:45AM

Unprincipled opportunists rarely if ever end up well....and clearly geriatric senility is less than kind to the charlatan in question....with any luck he will be remembered by history as the shyster lawyer that got murderer Ira Einhorn out of jail on bail enabling him to flee to Europe and avoid justice for years....now let us pray for poetic justice

coal carrier| 5.16.10 @ 7:29AM

I wonder if he returned the money that the Repub Party gave him during his last run.

ggoblue| 5.14.10 @ 6:56AM

if this primary was in michigan i would cross over and vote for Specter...he would make a fine patsy in november...

172 days until the tsunami...

WRTolkas| 5.14.10 @ 9:15AM

Dear ggoblue,

Ditto my friend. My greatest hope would be Reid's finger-puppet Stabenow thrown out of office either by a democrat or Republican - just gone.

My son attends Michigan Tech - go ah? whatever.

Regards and a safe weekend,

WRTolkas

Smeech| 5.16.10 @ 5:36AM

Or maybe in desperation he'll flop to independent ala Christ and patsy himself. Go Blue

drudge ette obama| 5.14.10 @ 6:56AM

Can I watch? I will bring the beer and Kleenex.

Party-switching? That's only part of the source of anger against this creep. He would have gotten the ax regardless.

Slow and steady people, like a turtle, the tea party progresses.

Alan Brooks| 5.14.10 @ 4:56PM

"Slow and steady people, like a turtle, the tea party progresses"

So you can elect another Bush in '16?
And don't say otherwise, you've already given us 12 years of them.

Paul| 5.14.10 @ 10:38PM

Actually, it is now up to 13 1/2 years of the Bush(es) presidencies. Obama has kept in place every single one of GWB's policies. Keep the wars in Iraq and Afganistan, Spend spend spend, Terrible foreign policy, Ignorant about how government works, and on and on. Welcome to GWB's third term!

Alan Brooks| 5.15.10 @ 10:00AM

I'll take my chances with Obama; Paul (if you are a libertarian BTW, drop dead).
I read Karl Rove's "Courage and Consequences"-- what a crock of hog drippings it is-- and I realize now that the Bushes are worse than the Kennedys. So, ignoring your specious, "Obama is a 3rd term for Bush", which is a real stretch, I will vote for Obama.

Alan Brooks| 5.15.10 @ 10:06AM

... think of it:
if Obama were to be thought of as a 3rd term for Bush, then what would McCain be? ...

Bush's siamese twin?

Toolbag| 5.15.10 @ 8:35PM

I'm a Libertarian.

Alan Brooks| 5.15.10 @ 11:56PM

Libertarians are so cannibalistic they can hardly get elected.

chester arthur| 5.16.10 @ 10:24PM

Unlike Mr. Single Bullet theory Spector,I guess.Nobody cares what you think(?) about libertarians,nor should you care what libertarians think of you.None of them seem to run around here very effectively yet.So don't feel so threatened by them or the Bush bunch,they'll never have another family member in the White House anyway.Lesson learned,you know.If only the current Urkle-in-Chief had ever learned how capitalism systems or government worked,instead of how to make them fail.Simplistic Ivy League socialists can't run anything well.

Ret. Marine| 5.14.10 @ 7:01AM

So ole' arlen is having a senior moment is he, gee, with that many years in the senile group he's bound to be forgetful, hell he most likely thinks he is next in line to be the great god of undecided dellusions. Kinda reminds me of the one occuping the office of the so-called presidency. Time to go arlen, you've worn out your welcome in this Republic. good riddence. Don't go away mad, just go away.

Richard Baker| 5.14.10 @ 7:23AM

Time for the buffoon to go.

Bruce| 5.15.10 @ 1:03PM

Hey - don't be talking about Alan Brooks like that, ya hear!

Tim*| 5.14.10 @ 7:31AM

Specter's Toast .

We Tea Party Rebels are supporting Real Conservative Pat Toomey ,who beats both Specter & Sestak in the polls.

We chased Specter out of The Republican Primary & We'll Support Pat Toomey to hammer The Little Admiral , Sestak.

Remember In November

The Tea Party Escalates.

Shamus| 5.14.10 @ 7:45AM

This guy is a joke. The rest home is calling.

Curly Smith| 5.14.10 @ 8:32AM

The saddest thing is that Specter likely would have won had he stayed in the GOP. The RNC would have pressured Toomey to stay out of the race because the Democrats are in such trouble that regaining control of Congress by the GOP is very likely.

1FreeMan| 5.14.10 @ 8:53AM

I disagree,
I think the RINO's in the RNC are almost as scared of the TEA party movement as the Dumb-O-Crats. Real conservitives, those who value freedom, less government and hold the Constitution as our governing foundation are finally thinking outside the party. Watching this shyster go down in history as a joke is not a victory. Just as drudge ette obama| 5.14.10 @ 6:56AM said above: he would have lost anyway.

Remember in November !

Sam| 5.16.10 @ 12:07PM

As a moderate, I will support Specter since I don't want to see a lefty like Sestak or a righty like Toomey. But he is displaying shades of McCain and now we've all discovered that McCain is a snake who is no real moderate or maverick at all. Instead, he will say or do anything to keep power. I hope Specter is different.

John| 5.14.10 @ 10:04AM

You say that like it is a bad thing.

1FreeMan| 5.14.10 @ 4:11PM

Not at all. IT IS A GREAT THING!

Elgordo| 5.14.10 @ 8:40AM

If Arlen Specter loses the primary to Sestek then there is a good chance he will run as an Independent.

Bob K.| 5.14.10 @ 8:55AM

I certainly hope so!
That would guarantee a Toomey win!

michigander_sandusky| 5.14.10 @ 8:52AM

Specter epitomizes what is wrong with national politics...boot his ass out!!

Bob K.| 5.14.10 @ 8:53AM

Be careful what you hope for, you may get it.

I am a Republican in PA. I have no use for Specter but given a choice between him and Sestak, I'd take Specter anytime. Sestak is about as left wing as one can get, and he is as opportunistic as Specter is.

He is a graduate of a Catholic HS and he supports abortion. He has a 100% rating from NARAL.

He is for Gun Control and he supports the Brady campaign to control gun violence. The NRA gives him an "F" rating.

He supported and voted for "Cap and Trade."

He is endorsed by the Sierra Club.

He supports Card Check.

He was a big supporter of Hilary Clinton and he has received tons of money from the Clintons in his campaigns for congress.

Like McCain, he is a legacy appointment to the Naval Academy and like McCain he wraps himself in the American Flag at every opportunity but when he first ran for congress he opposed the Iraq war and he was highly critical of the way the Bush white house ran it. After election he supported it.

He loves Obama Care.

There are many other stances he takes that will make him the darling of the New York Times and the main stream media.

He is every bit as self centered, cynical and power hungry as Specter is and so far he has been able to cover up his stances on the critical issues of our time merely because he is running against Specter.

I'm voting for Toomey, but I think Toomey would have an easier race against Specter because the baggage he carries is better known and because the press will do all it can to hide Sestak's liabilities.

John Navratil| 5.14.10 @ 9:34AM

Excellent points. Remember it was everyone voting against Bush which got us Obama.

Nick| 5.14.10 @ 4:30PM

Bob K.,

I disagree.

S-P-E-C-T-E-R has the advantage, because of all the morons who get in the voting booth and pick the names they recognize.

Incumbency always gives one the upper hand.

Bob K| 5.14.10 @ 8:59PM

No, Specter was about to lose his incumbency to Toomey this time around and he knew it. Specter He thought he would have a better chance against him as a Democrat and took that route without consulting the Political Leaders in the PA Democratic party That was a mistake because he is not well liked at all by politicians in either party. (Truth be told, Sestak also has the same reputation for nastiness that "Snarlin' Arlen" has!) What Specter did do when he switched parties was energize the Republicans who stayed at home in the last election.The Democrats have no reason to be enthusiastic about him as he is a well known commodity in PA.

There are more morons in the Democratic Party in PA than there are in the Republican Party. Sestak will get tons of money from the Clintons and Soros. He will wrap himself in the American Flag and the MSM will portray him as the greatest Naval Hero since John Paul Jones! Toomey will be condemned as an unamerican traitor for even daring to criticize his record as a Congessman!

Nick| 5.14.10 @ 11:59PM

Bob K,

I hope you are right, if S-P-E-C-T-E-R wins the primary.

JBone| 5.16.10 @ 5:50AM

@BobK - one main point of Mr. Antle's article is that Specter would likely vote on those very same issues the exact same way Sestak would if it meant his a$$. I'd take the honest lib Sestak and then beat him on principle than try to battle a dishonest flipflopping scumbag like Specter.

Howard| 5.14.10 @ 8:59AM

When Specter was a Republican (RINO), he was the type of Republican that the mainstream media loves. He was "sensible", "moderate". I would say he is unprincipled and a career hack. Sounds sort of like Charlie Crist.

JmsA| 5.14.10 @ 9:08AM

The democrat party, the last refuge of scoundrels.

Anthony| 5.14.10 @ 9:09AM

As much as I'd love to see Toomey kick the self serving, senile Specter's ass in Nov., I guess we'll just have to settle to let a lefty do it for us now.
Perhaps there is some poetic justice in having the Ds finish off Specter once and for all. Afterall, Specter and the Ds deserve each other. Neither have an ounce of principle, nor decency. Specter might be finally driven from politics by a group of pols with less scruples then he has. Hard to imagine, but at least he'll die politically with his D boot on. How fitting.
Then Toomey can kick Sestak's ass in Nov.

Jobe| 5.14.10 @ 9:53AM

Don't I recall something about Specter and the application of Scottish law which allowed him to give Clinton a pass during the impeachment processes?

Anthony| 5.14.10 @ 11:06AM

You remember right. This buffoon, in attempting to show off his legal bona fides, as well as attempting to be the smartest guy in the room, (not hard to do with a room full of moronic, preening, drooling senators) proudly proclaimed that the charges against Clinton were "Not Proven".
Yep, Snarlin Arlen is a legend in his own mind. This one is gonna be real fun to watch, a tasty tid bit for what November portends. I'm with Drudge ette on this one, bring beer, maybe even a bottle of the Verve, this one is special. To hell with the kleenex, these will be tears of pure joy!!!!

Nick| 5.14.10 @ 5:36PM

Anthony and Jobe,

S-P-E-C-T-E-R was also slapped down by Chief Justice Rehnquist when he tried his "Scottish law" garbage. Slapped down good!

He would not let S-P-E-C-T-E-R enter his "not proven" inanity. He demanded a "guilty" or "not guilty" verdict from the showboating moron. S-P-E-C-T-E-R, of course, voted Not Guily.

This reason alone should have ended his time in the Senate.

Anthony| 5.14.10 @ 6:46PM

Nick, I had forgotten that Rehnquist forced Arlen Mcspecter, Esq to vote guilty or not guilty. Good pick up.
Arlen, we hardly knew ye. (not) Adios amigo.
Now the question becomes if Arlen is screwed by the Ds, which political party will suffer Arlen's retribution? How will Arlen vote on Kagen? Cap & Trade? Hey Arlen, take a page out of Obama's playbook, vote, Not Present!!

Doctor Right| 5.14.10 @ 9:37AM

Arlen Specter is a walking advertisement for term-limits. He represents the WORST that imperial Washington has to offer - a career politician with no core convictions, dedicated to furthering himself at all times and at any cost, even if it means screwing his Party, his base, his constituents, and his country. In short, he's scum.

Bush '43 was STUPID to endorse this ass-clown for re-election in '04. Then again, most of W's second term was one, big lost opportunity, so it fit the pattern.

I hope Specter beats Sestak so Toomey can kick his ass in November. But either way, we'll finally be rid of this jerk-off once and for all.

Good riddance, you lying, duplicitous creep.

John| 5.14.10 @ 10:12AM

We should stop complaining about politicians, the last place that criminals can ply thier trade without fear of prosicution is Congress. If Bernie Madhoff had been elected to Congress, he would still be a free man.

blarset| 5.14.10 @ 11:06AM

Another of those goofy two party incumbents ripe with their top down Domineeringocracy.
The time is now. The way is forward.The tool is anti-incumbent.

Tim*| 5.14.10 @ 11:38AM

Pat Toomey has almost $ 4.6 Million In His War Chest & more comin' in.

We ,Tea Party Rebels Support Pat Toomey and can't wait for November 2nd.

Remember In November !

mark| 5.14.10 @ 11:53AM

The choice between Specter and Sestak is false. The choice is between Toomey on the one hand, and, on the other, an avowed statist in Sestak, or a thinly disguised statist in Specter. See ya' Arlen; it hasn't been nice knowing you.

Clinton nee Publius| 5.14.10 @ 11:56AM

I was amazed that yesterday there was mention of the Sestak/Obama/Specter scandal in Congress with a question posed to Holder regarding the law and whether or not Holder would enforce the law. Holder ducked the question and that was the end of it.

I am reminded of 1973 and Attorney General John Mitchell trying to dodge Congress and the whole special prosecutor question regarding Watergate.

Now we find that the Deputy White House Chief Of Staff (Jim Messina) made the offer of a job to Sestak in exchange for Sestak dropping out of the primary race against Specter.

The questions are:

(1) Who authorized this offer?

(2) Who knew the offer would be made and are therefore part of a criminal conspiracy?

(3) What advice did Holder give the President on the law in this matter?

(4) Did Holder inform the President of his testimony yesterday and the ramifications this testimony would therefore require the Justice Department to observe?

(5) Knowing the ramifications, if Holder does not appoint a Special Prosecutor to investigate the matter, is Holder not a defacto member of the conspiracy?

The first question is important because Messina works for Rahm Emanuel and Rahm Emanuel is Obama's right-hand man. We will assume Mr. Emanuel did not hire Mr. Messina because Mr. Messina is a rash man who is prone to making decisions on his own and instituting policy without the permission of his principals. Therefore, it is logical to assume that Mr. Messina did not wake up one morning and decide he would risk is his career, his personal fortune, his reputation and his very freedom on a lark. Either Mr. Emanuel, Mr. Obama or both asked that this be done. This means that either Mr. Obama, Mr. Emanuel or both have committed a felony for which both would be facing federal prison sentences (just like John Mitchell and the White House "plumbers" did for their roles in Watergate) for their conduct.

Of equal important is the motivation of Mr. Emanuel and Mr. Obama. Who suggested they should undertake this kind of action on behalf of Mr. Specter? Obviously Mr. Specter has some role to play in this criminal conspiracy as well.

This would have also required legal opinions and counsel as all the parties are attorneys (save Sestak), so it is logical to assume that Holder - who dodged the question with alacrity - knows something about what is going on and has failed to act.

So all of this comes down to the toothless Republicans and all of our fortunes rest on the backs of people who are steeped in corruption and perpetuating power at all costs. The real issue here is why there is no hue and cry from the Republicans. Have they been doing the same things? If so, how does America benefit by turning our back on corruption? At what point does it make a difference whether the corrupt politicians are Republicans or Democrats?

In the end, the only solution will be to have the Tea Party movement go its own way as we can see that as long as we leave our fortunes in the hands of the Republicans, the Democrats will be allowed to continue this conspiracy.

That makes the Republicans every bit as guilty in my book as Obama, Emanuel, Messina and Holder.

ACynic| 5.14.10 @ 12:45PM

I am a Pa. resident.
If you want a good definition of a two faced , lying, self-absorbed, phony, egomaniacal, dishonest, untrustworthy, snake of an old fart, just look up Arlen Spector.
Whatever will gain him re-election, power , influence and riches, he will support.

John Navratil| 5.14.10 @ 1:02PM

Spector has made a lot of friends. Was it Nina Totenberg who gave him the finger? It was one of the NPR troika. Seems people from all over the spectrum find something about him to dislike.

NavyBrat| 5.14.10 @ 2:22PM

I too, am a PA resident, & I too can't wait for ExSpecterate to hit the road. I've given more money to Toomey than I have to any other candidate since I was old enough to vote. As if ExSpecterate's party switch wasn't enough, watching him wag his finger in the face of his constituents at last summer's town halls sealed it for me. This man is an egotistical schmuck of the first order.

"Some cause happiness wherever they go; others, whenever they go."...Oscar Wilde

Please Arlen, just go.

J.C.Eaton| 5.14.10 @ 4:12PM

NavyBrat, please give me Toomey's campaign address, want to send a few bucks myself. Many thanks.

Tim*| 5.14.10 @ 6:15PM

See :http://www.toomeyforsenate.com
" If you would rather mail your donation, you may do so to the following address (be sure to include all required information from above) ":
Toomey for U.S. Senate
3440 Hamilton Blvd
Allentown, PA 18103

J.C.Eaton| 5.15.10 @ 10:47AM

I thank you. Best,

Chalkdust| 5.14.10 @ 3:43PM

You can't swing a cat in the halls of congress without hitting a crook. Many more democrats and republicans must hit the road. Lets keep our focus after November, the jobs not finished.

dissent555| 5.14.10 @ 5:18PM

'"He just didn't finesse it and wound up looking pretty ham-handedly like he was trying to save his own ass." Instead Specter may have just painted a big bull's-eye on it. '

Thanks for the image - NOT!

DatsunMark| 5.14.10 @ 8:02PM

Watch the Opportunistic Creep get appointed Solicitor General after he loses. (Sorry for the glass half full comment...I enjoyed reading all your comments nailing his pompass ass to the wall. Keep'em coming.)

Nathan Bickel| 5.15.10 @ 12:45AM

Apart from Specter's party affiliation schizophrenia, this politician needs to go the way of all political flesh. He has outlived his political welcome.

philfl63| 5.15.10 @ 2:03AM

Good riddance to that corrupt, senile, old buffoon.

Yosemeti Sam| 5.16.10 @ 9:56AM

" Specter's Last Stand ...."

Poetic - justice.

Something his career style always wanted to hang its' hat upon.

BTW - I voted for him last time around.

Live and learn - as did Rick Santorum .

Kenneth E. MacAlister Jr.| 5.16.10 @ 3:38PM

Regarding Benedict Arlen Spectacle, if anyone wants a GOOD laugh, go to Spectacle sycophant Michael "Smerconehead" Smerconish's column today "The Senate Needs Specter's Pragmatism" Smerconehead's blatant & juvenile boot licking is sickening, if not hysterical. Bye-bye Benedict Arlen! Take Smerconehead with you when you go.

Nick| 5.16.10 @ 6:13PM

Mr. MacAlister,

"Smerconehead" Ha-ha-ha!
Good one.

Smerconish has spent too much time lapping up Chris Matthspews drool on "Softball."

Unabridged| 5.17.10 @ 1:05AM

Apparently no physical or mental impairment ever disqualifies a man or woman from serving in the Congress, Senate, as President or Vice President. Maybe Ol' Arlen has just had his brainbox tampered with too much. Remember the baseball cap? And Veep Joe Biden has had his skull drilled at least once.

I knew of a flight attendant who wanted to return to flying after a frontal lobotomy. Isn't that the one where, after you have had it, you think everything is OK - a kinda don't worry, be happy feeling? Not a good frame of mind, in an emergency.

Who knows, after a stroke, which wires may have become disconnected? Yet, there they (barely) stand, each with a vote. Crazy Patrick Kennedy gets a vote until he bows out. Poor Bobby Byrd probably doesn't know whether he is afoot or horseback, but he still spouts Scripture and waves the Constitution. Shakily.