U.S. Senate: April 2009 Archives

How's this for timing? U.S. Sen. Arlen Specter, R-Pa. ... Oops! Make that D-Pa. ... is coming to our newsroom on Monday.

Obviously, in light of yesterday's announcement that he's switching parties, we've got a lot to talk about.

I'm talking to one of my editors about the logistics of this, but we're trying to get some video of that talk on the York Daily Record Website. If so, I'll try to post it here as well.

This whole affair may carry a note of bitter irony for state Rep. Eugene DePasquale, D-West Manchester.

I believe the term rhymes with "goalie spit." Word just came over the wire that U.S. Sen. Arlen Specter is changing his party affiliation from Democrat to Republican.

I just found out about this minutes ago. I'd like to find out more about what Specter himself has to say. But my first thought was: Damn! He went ahead and called their bluff!

By "their," I mean the more conservative wing of the Pennsylvania Republican Party, who almost handed Pat Toomey a primary win over Specter four years ago. Toomey, who's long criticized Specter for not being conservative enough, was talking about running in next year's primary too.

The general consensus was that Toomey was too right wing to win in the general election. But I suspect a lot of Republicans were figuring that it wouldn't come to that. The prospect of another bruising primary fight would oblige Specter to lean further rightward, because there was no way he would actually switch parties.

Oops.

So what do you think? Am I right? Am I an idiot? Is Specter simply making a logical choice based on his beliefs, or is he an opportunistic sell-out?

Please feel free to weigh in.