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Published Tuesday, April 28, 2009 | 10:41 a.m.
Updated Wednesday, April 29, 2009 | 2:18 p.m.
Sen. Harry Reid statement
“I have known Senator Specter for more than a quarter-century. He has always been a man of honor and integrity, and a fine public servant.
“Senator Specter and I have had a long dialogue about his place in an evolving Republican Party. We have not always agreed on every issue, but Senator Specter has shown a willingness to work in a bipartisan manner, put people over party, and do what is right for Pennsylvanians and all Americans.
“I welcome Senator Specter and his moderate voice to our diverse caucus, and to continuing our open and honest debate about the best way to make life better for the American people.”
Sen. John Ensign statement
“To say that I am disappointed is putting it mildly. I can only hope that his decision is not the death knell for bipartisanship. It is imperative that we have checks and balances to ensure that Democrats don’t take our country radically left.”
WASHINGTON — Just last month, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid disclosed that he had talked with Sen. Arlen Specter about the prospect of the long-serving Pennsylvania Republican switching parties.
Today, those conversations seem fruitful as word comes that Specter is indeed changing party affiliation, according to reports.
Specter could help nudge Democrats to the magical number of 60 – the amount of senators needed to overcome Republican filibusters that can block the legislative agenda.
Reid essentially operates with a 58-seat majority -- but if Democratic candidate Al Franken wins the still-contested Minnesota Senate race that would push Reid’s majority to 60.
Specter, a moderate Republican, was crucial earlier this year in advancing the Obama administration’s economic recovery bill – one of three Republican senators who crossed party lines to vote with Democrats. The bill passed with exactly 60 votes (one Democrat, Sen. Edward Kennedy, was absent.)
In Reid’s autobiography, he writes that Specter always votes with the Democrats when they don’t need him.
Perhaps those days have changed.
Yet veteran Senate-watcher Jennifer Duffy of the Cook Political Report reminds that 60 is “an arbitrary number” and not a guarantee of a filibuster-proof Senate.
Specter, she notes, is not one to change his position on key issues, and may not be likely to do so now.
The switch, she believes, is more symbolic for the message it sends about a Republican Party that is unable to make room for a moderate like Specter.
Coming on the eve of President Barack Obama’s 100th day, the switch is deep in symbolism, indeed.
More evidence of the tidal shift of the republican party away from it's core ideals toward more radical fringe segments of the party. The Limbaughs, Becks and Hannitys of the radical right leave moderate republicans with a bad taste in their mouth.
The republican party of 2009 is more isolated and alienated than ever. Without broadening its appeal and allowing the moderates in their party to have a voice, the party will be doomed to lose more elections.
Also, Jim Tedisco's loss bodes very badly for the future of the republican party. If they cannot win a republican stronghold, how do they think they'll be able to field decent candidates in the next mid-term elections?
America is moving past these extreme Sarah Palin Bible banging idiots.
Finally sanity is getting a voice. Republicans are way too extreme now. The tide is turning. Who ever thought North Carolina and Indiana would be Blue states?
Things are looking up!
Yet another win for Michael Steele. Huzzah.
I couldn't agree more! Maybe now we can get universal health care...and a single payer system!
By the way, the Republican approach to killing health care will be to say that a government buraucrat will overrule your doctor and deny you care. Of course they conveniently leave out the fact that a FOR PROFIT corporate buraucrat, who has an economic interest in denying you health care, now has that job!
Here we go again more crying from the LIBERALS everyone of you sound like big cry babys I did not get these in life and I did not get that in life, Shut the f##k up and man the f##k up, So your not making $100.000 a year so what neither am I, So in the end you also did not get the girl neither did I, But IL be dammed if im going to let the government take what I truly have and that,s freedom of choice over my own life and the capabilities that I do have. My freedom to me is not worth losing control over my own life, IT,S NOT FOR SALE. What do you people want to be one of these you - less hollywood celebrities that everyone is always laughing at. There the most screw up people in the world anyway, that,s nothing to be proud of, People like you need to start worrying about yourselfs in life, Because nobody has your best interest at heart better then you, SOCIALISM IS NOT THE ANSWER THINK ABOUT IT.
Ironically, POWERPLAY, you are the only one "crying" about anything. Even more ironically, "crying" is all we've heard from the right wing since Obama won the election. (In reality, it's all we ever hear from the right wing. But I digress.)
And true to form in their tradition of projection, they accuse their political opposites of exactly what they are doing.
I'm pretty sure you don't see that, though. Not surprised.
obamas" buddy Brago got indicted for trying to sell obama seat
Can obama, and obiden be indicted for selling Specter seat,
probably could draw a crowd with reid, schummmer and more involved
Looks like a good case for a grand jury to me.
obama and obiden
A Million Lies in 100 days
Wow, Powerplay has really become unhinged.
The decline of the republican party is officially underway.
Hmm the government in charge of healthcare hmm...
If I remember correctly..The Feds took over the Mustang Ranch after indicting Joe Conforte...and had to cloes it...how hard is it to run a brothel? And you wanna give them the whole healthcare system?
By the way that comment was meant as against the government running it not Democrats or Republicans...government in general screws things up when they try to take over private industries...
Powerplay,
"I truly have and that,s freedom"
"IT,S NOT FOR SALE"
Is your apostrophe broken or don't you know the difference between an apostrophe and a comma? no offense, just curious.
BTW, "$100.000" should read $100,000 with a comma not a period or decimal.