Sources: Sen. Specter intends to switch parties »
Posted By Eagle_Eye 7 months, 1 week ago in News
WASHINGTON – Several officials say veteran Republican Sen. Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania intends to switch parties, advancing his own hopes of winning a new term next year while pushing Democrats one step closer to a 60-vote filibuster-resistant majority.
Read Full Story at news.yahoo.com »
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Eagle_Eye
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Eagle_Eye7 months, 1 week ago
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not2needy7 months, 1 week ago
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Tcaros7 months, 1 week ago
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Senator Specter is a man of principle. He respects the judicial system in our country.
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I went to his Washington DC office and spoke against Bush's illegal domestic wiretapping. I was in a group of about 20 people and we were well received. Specter was a former prosecutor in our state when I was in school. He has conservatives views, but you'll find nobody as fair on issues. He looks for the correct side to be on.
He should be commended by his colleagues on both sides. -
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CRYMTYPHON7 months, 1 week ago
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I makes no sense to me.
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As a moderate Republican he already has both sides
trying to please him (being in a tie-breaking position).
If he switches to dem, he will be a newcommer among them,
- and absolutely hated by his old friends and base.
He is 79; way to late to start over.
I am going to bet this isn't true*.
*but if it is true it doesn't mean I was wrong it
just means Specter did something dumb. So there.-
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memestryker7 months, 1 week ago
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It IS true, and the result of a lot of moderates finally dumping the republican party. Many of his voters had become democrats because they simply couldn't go with the religious right anti-science pro-fundamentalism extreme corporatist agenda.
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dgoodii7 months, 1 week ago
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He is just going back to the party he started in. Ran for DA on Republican ticket as registered democrat to start political career. No real big surprise for most of PA though. Must believe that rural PA is now in the tank for the democrat party. Since far too many vote party line, he is well known name, which is half the battle most of the time.
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Hopefully a third party candidate comes out to run against the main two parties. Third party probably can't win in the Commonwealth do to the three or four main urban strong holds. Entitlement groups and political elites control the urban parts. But a large vote here for the third party would end up with the same lame representation we currently have, if not large enough to win. Specter may have done both parties a disservice, depends on how truly outraged public is by the 2010 midterm election. Both main parties rely on the Commonwealth for some of their presidential electoral power.
Now I can only hope we change our primary system to allow registered voters to vote for third party candidates and for the candidates in their party of register. This has a snowballs chance with the current two party totalitarian election code. -
hefaa1Comment removed: Hard Banned
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libsRfunnyComment removed: Hard Banned3 Replies
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not2needy7 months, 1 week ago
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Hey EE, how's it going my good friend!?
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I think Specter's already made the announcement! I read another article about it just a few minutes ago!
I have gotten to the point that i don't like Yahoo's news anymore. They give slanted accounts of the news.. Specter didn't change parties because he was hoping to win a new term in 2010, (although i am sure he does) he changed because he said the republican party had moved so far to the right, he felt he now had more in common with the democratic party, and that he represented the people of Pa, not the republican party! If more of our representatives felt that way, we'd be in a lot better shape than we are today..-
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Eagle_Eye7 months, 1 week ago
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I don't like yahoo news either, it was actually the first place I saw the report
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Things are going ok.....today they are plastering the nest and this weekend we are having a painting party with the kids. Trying real hard to save money because I keep going over budget...the worst thing about designing and building your home is that as you go you see things that need to be changed. I am glad we have a wonderful contractor but the "Change Orders" are ticking me off.....I don't like to be rushed in decisions because when I have time to think I usually change my mind......
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AnteUp7 months, 1 week ago
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Saturday's paper said that Rep.Pat Toomey(R) lost the last
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primary against Specter by only 17,000 votes. Maybe that
is a narrow margin - as the paper seemed to indicate.
If the Republicans are going to support the more fringy
candidates.........then it's time for Senator Specter to
be welcomed to a party that celebrates it's moderates, as
well as it's progressives.
I'm never 100% with Specter's views - but at least he is
not a one-dimensional candidate, i.e., tax cuts for the rich -
pro-choice - anti-gay marriage - anti-stem cell research,and
privatizing Social Security( a stated goal of Toomey's), etc.
Where would a moderate feel comfortable if those views
are the bedrock of what is left of the Republican Party?
America needs a MUCH stronger and diversified foundation
than that........Glad to have you, Arlen!-
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AnteUp7 months, 1 week ago
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Re: "Glad to have you, Arlen" -
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Be carefull what you wish for? Bite my tongue? Think before speaking?
I'm just crushed now - I hear that Pennsylvania Congressman Joe Sestak (D)
was thinking of running for the seat - that might have been against Toomey if
the pollsters are correct about Specter's chances in the primary.
Rep. Sestak has always impressed me but now there is obviously some
understanding that the Dems won't give Arlen a hard time - Rendell, Obama,
Reid, etc. will, more or less, make sure it's smooth sailing.
If I'd known that Sestak was considering a run - I would have held my
enthusiasm for what I really want and not gotten all gushy about the
lesser of evils..........son of a gun!
Hopefully there will be a time - in the future - for Sestak to run.
I really enjoy being excited about my candidates and he seems like
a quality choice..............................next time!
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Spadecaller7 months, 1 week ago
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It appears to be a strategic move for the old politician who had become quite estranged from a party that had moved to the extreme right. But, there is more to it in my honest opinion.
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In the past I always felt respect for Spector's seemlingly independence of thought. Though I commended Spector for supporting President Obama's recent legislation, I also have become somewhat suspicious about his "seemingly" blind support of the Bush appointment - Attorney General Alberto Gonzales.
I believe Spector knew about the memos from Judge Bypee and Jack Goldsmith regarding their contrived defense of torture and waterboarding. And, to stamp the approval of Gonzales with that knowledge bothers me. It is there that I think he dropped the ball and was swayed by the party line. The consequences of which had grave implications on those detainees subjected to torture.
For this reason, I believe Spector's vulnerablility on this issue that has become much hotter in recent days may have helped him to make this move.
Nonetheless, his complicity regarding torture and his rubber stamping of Attorney General Gonzales' appointment does not rest well with me. -
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tadair9197 months, 1 week ago
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arlen spector invented the single-shooter magic bullet theory when he aided the warren commission.
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magic bullet path: http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_q5KlmdfTujo/R8953uH3A7I/...
watch: http://www.jonesreport.com/article/04_08/08spector...
this guy is way to close to the fire not to already be in jail for fraud and high treason. -
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mntnman444Comment removed: Spammer, Hard Banned
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fiftynine7 months, 1 week ago
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"Don't let the door hit you in the a$$ Specter or is it Sphincter. Good riddance to bad garbage. Just a RINO anyway."
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Can't you just feel the love ?
And these people want to run the country again...God let's hope the right never occupy's the white house again.
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NoWayMan7 months, 1 week ago
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he just announced. its official. wow. specter is now a dem. don't know if thats good or bad for the dems overall but don't see how it could be anything but bad for the GOP. they're simply falling apart.
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at least there will be no more filibusters from the GOP in the senate. -
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Eagle_Eye7 months, 1 week ago
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I think he made the right decision if he sees that his districts are no longer GOP but are more Centrist and Democratic. I also IMHO, feel he has supported President Obama so far so I don't think, IMHO, it is all just "Job Preservation".
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simonsez7 months, 1 week ago
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There will be a lot of ammunition to use against him in 2010.
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Astronomical deficits and the very real possibility that the stimulus won't be working out as expected.
Problems with taking over GM, Iraq and Afghan not going as well as hoped.
I think I would rather be running against this government in 2 years.-
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NoWayMan7 months, 1 week ago
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last year, in PA alone, 200,000 voters switched from republican to democrat.
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so, to think specter doens't know what he's doing is ridiculous. he's got a plan. the guy's crafty. we all know that.
and you're just dead wrong about things not going as well as hoped.
its going pretty much as expected, and the approval polls all show that.
no one thought this would be an easy or quick fix. no one thought we'd be out of a hole that took 8 years to dig in a mere few months. but things are stabilizing worldwide, and at least we all know that overall Obama is trying to do the right thing and not simply lining the pockets of his friends and maintaining a status quo that obviously doesn't work.
specter knows which way the wind is blowing, even if you don't.
and that wind is blowing to the left. -
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mesodude7 months, 1 week ago
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"There will be a lot of ammunition to use against him in 2010.
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Astronomical deficits and the very real possibility that the stimulus won't be working out as expected."
--But clearly cons didn't think "astronomical deficits" were much of a liability in Nov '04 since you people re-lected Bush and everyone who enabled him to plow through the budget surplus he inherited from the Clinton administration. ;-P -
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mesodude7 months, 1 week ago
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simonsez insists on boring us with his lame "predictions" like this one:
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"This will be the most entertaining election of my lifetime, for sure. It's hard to imagine how McCain's (David) will be able to compete with the style of Obama (Goliath). The masses love his tune, but have yet to listen to the lyrics.
We will be accused of being racist if we are for him or against him. We know his support has come from blacks, liberal elitists and students. That's not enough for November.
We're going to find out something about ourselves in the next few months ... I'm glad I'm around to see it."
http://www.propeller.com/story/2008/06/07/lies-bou... -
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AndyJ2157 months, 1 week ago
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It must have been difficult for Specter to remain in THE TORTURE-APPROVING PARTY, as it should be for anyone with a conscience!!!
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THE GOP IS THE PARTY THAT CLAIMS TO HAVE CHRISTIAN "FAMILY VALUES," but promoted the TORTURE OF PRISONERS, in violation of international law, according to THE INTERNATIONAL RED CROSS.
There are many sources for that fact. Here’s one:
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/03/16/terror/m...
Conservatives hate to have to admit it, but Obama has already signed an order for the closing Guantanimo and has ended the efforts to move prisoners (known as “rendition”) to places where torture is less likely to be prosecuted.
*** All or any part of this comment
*** may be copied, re-posted, etc.
*** No copyright is claimed on it.-
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CRYMTYPHON7 months, 1 week ago
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You are spam-pasting the same words into every thread and forum.
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Torture is a serious subject.
It requires you address the subject seriously.
Copy and paste spam is not serious.
Are you trying to make us switch subjects?
Won't work.
Are you trying to make us ignore the subject?
Won't work.
Are you trying to be considered a fool?
That will work. -
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jovial7 months, 1 week ago
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Andy, I got your back. You should have that right to express yourself. You have a message to convey and you keep on keeping on to convey it. Just remember though, there are those that want it to be somehow related to the story. I thought by you adding Specter to the comment that sufficed. One of the things that we fail to realize sometimes is that we are all on the same side. Even if the techniques we use are different. That's what makes the world go around.
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pokydoke7 months, 1 week ago
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deathray7 months, 1 week ago
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While Specter won't abandon his core beliefs and suddently vote all Democratic interests, a majority will INDEED be reached on vital issues like healthcare.
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A month or so for the Franken situation to be resolved...of course, that's not counting Coleman's inevitable rush to Federal Court.
WHEEEEeeeeeeeeee! -
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RedstateLib7 months, 1 week ago
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Apparently both VP Biden and the Governor of Pa ask suggested the move to him a couple of months ago and he has been thinking it over since then. He claims the GOP has swung so far right that they no longer represent the people he was elected to represent.
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Eagle_Eye7 months, 1 week ago
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"He claims the GOP has swung so far right that they no longer represent the people he was elected to represent.", I agree and think he did the right thing regarding the people and party he wants to represent. It is sour grapes from his GOP people now calling him names, etc.
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flyonthewallzz7 months, 1 week ago
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Well here is my thought, and it may be a dumb one.
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I wonder if the RNC would have cut there support of him, after his stimulating vote.
He may not have had a choice.
Part of me wonders if the Republican party could have afforded to actually block the Stimulus bill. Had they done so they would own this economy.
I think Specter took one for the team, but now realizes he may not be picked for the next game.
Like the kid with the pocket protector stuffed in his gym shorts, and the coke bottle glasses at the beginning of a dodge ball game. -
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DarkWizard7 months, 1 week ago
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FTA - "Specter is a 79-year-old veteran of five Senate terms, and one of only a handful of moderate Republicans left in Congress in a party made up largely of conservatives."
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Can't fault him for being smart enough to abandon the sinking ship Lollipop GOP. There does seem to be a movement within the GOP to either reclaim the party for the moderates or go full tilt neocon. Switching parties makes a distinct statement especially when it follows the mood of the country. -
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scott42617 months, 1 week ago
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Personally, I'd rather Arlen Specter had become an independent to caucus with the Democrats. Labels aside, that's what he's gonna be. He was one of only three liberal Republicans in the Senate (the other two are Olympia Snow and Susan Collins, both of Maine). Other than them, there are no Republicans left in the northeast....at all!
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And I do admire Specter for standing up to the nutballs in his own party on the issue of abortion and the nomination of Robert Bork.
Still, I'll never forgive him for his questioning of Anita Hill during the Clarence Thomas confirmation hearings and saying that she was guilty of perjury (and for the record, I believed her then and I still believe her now....). -
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donald517 months, 1 week ago
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math not your strong suit? With al franken and Spector.... its 60 votes to overcome your repug obstructionism! YAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!...
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It would have been enough to convict Dumya of impeachment for war crimes too!
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