But Senator Olympia Snowe of Maine, who also supported the Obama administration’s economic stimulus legislation, said Mr. Specter’s decision reflected the increasingly inhospitable climate in the Republican party for moderates.
And, as usual, the Republicans only have bad words for their former colleague, while turn-coat Lieberman was welcomed with open arms by the Democrats after he supported Palin/McCain.
“On the national level of the Republican Party, we haven’t certainly heard warm, encouraging words about how they view moderates, either you are with us or against us,” Ms. Snowe said. She said national Republican leaders were not grasping that “political diversity makes a party stronger and ultimately we are heading to having the smallest political tent in history for any political party the way things are unfolding.”
Olympia Snowe is a Republican, btw.
Mr. Specter, who has had serious health problems in recent years, remains active on a variety of major issues and has been a leading advocate for increased funding for health care research.
Ah, no wonder he broke with Repubs – if there’s one thing they hate, it’s federal funding of anything but killing-”bad guys”-technology.
“Specter’s decision could be more consequential because it came just as the Senate was beginning work on health care reform,” said Senator Ron Wyden, Democrat of Oregon. “Specter’s decision is a big impact decision.”
Which, of course, would be blocked by Republicans. Well played Mr. Specter, well played.
Mr. Specter’s move to the Democratic column is likely to have a chilling effect on other potential Democratic candidates for the Senate. So far, Joseph Torsella, former head of the National Constitution Center and a former deputy mayor of Philadelphia, is the only Democrat to have declared his candidacy.
Others with higher name recognition seem to have been holding back to see how the field would shape up. Even before Mr. Specter announced his switch today, Representative Allyson Schwartz, a Democrat representing parts of Philadelphia and the nearby suburbs, had told The New York Times she was unlikely to make the run. Other possibilities, including Representatives Patrick Murphy and Joe Sestak, had also stayed mum.
WTF, come again? “Chilling effect” ? Ohhh, see, they saying “chilling effect on other potential Democratic candidates for the Senate” – leaving out “in his state.” Making it sound like Specter is going to poison the Democrat party nationwide or something. NYT’s liberal bias, I guess. I mean, it doesn’t matter who ran as Democrat anyway, Specter would still have crushed them no matter what party he represented.
However, it’s a GREAT thing that he’s listening to his constituents. Most Republicans seem to believe that listening to your constituents and making decisions democratically like that is absolute anathema and crazy-talk. Far be it from you to represent your electorate’s will – they elected you so you should enforce your personal beliefs on them. Now that’s democracy!
Tags: holy shit, republicans, WTFocrats