Should we just retreat?

[Bleeding heart conservative, HTMLdon]

Seeing the news in Pennsylvania is just depressing.

The animals are gnawing and licking their frothy rabid chops, all aiming to tear our valiant hero, Arlen Specter, to pieces.

The conservanuts are intent on destroying every moderate they can regardless of the consequences.

The Democrats show no mercy regardless of whether one is a moderate or a far-right extremist.

What is our hero to do?

[Keystone Phil]

Yes, the "conservanuts." 

Specter's major potential challengers most likely to win are moderate Democrats. I guess moderation isn't good unless you're a Republican, right Don?

[WalterMitty]

specter needs to go.

and im not a conservanut.

[Bleeding heart conservative, HTMLdon]

Yes, the "conservanuts." 

Specter's major potential challengers most likely to win are moderate Democrats. I guess moderation isn't good unless you're a Republican, right Don?

Moderate Democrats are the most electable kind, just as moderate Republicans are the most electable in a General election as long as they can survive the crucible of a primary.

[Bleeding heart conservative, HTMLdon]

specter needs to go.

and im not a conservanut.

Why?  So the Dems can get to 61?  62?  65?

[WalterMitty]

specter needs to go.

and im not a conservanut.

Why?  So the Dems can get to 61?  62?  65?

specter should retire. is he the only republican that can win in pa?

[Keystone Phil]

Yes, the "conservanuts." 

Specter's major potential challengers most likely to win are moderate Democrats. I guess moderation isn't good unless you're a Republican, right Don?

Moderate Democrats are the most electable kind, just as moderate Republicans are the most electable in a General election as long as they can survive the crucible of a primary.

Why should you be upset by this news? Or is hackery really more important than moderation to you?

specter needs to go.

and im not a conservanut.

Why?  So the Dems can get to 61?  62?  65?

Contrary to the nonsense that you insist on spewing, Specter losing a primary doesn't mean that the Democrats are guaranteed a seat.

is he the only republican that can win in pa?

LOL

Don't ask Don that! You know the answer he'll give.

[WalterMitty]

would tom ridge be open to running?

[Keystone Phil]

would tom ridge be open to running?

He wouldn't primary Specter. Plus, his chances here these days are overstated.

By the way, Don, take a look at this article by Santorum - http://www.philly.com/inquirer/opinion/20090102_The_Elephant_in_the_Room___Hardball__host_may_not_be_Specter_s_chief_worry.html


Santorum mentions other primary possibilities. Orie and Turzai aren't nearly as strong as Toomey would be in a primary but they'd probably be more electable in the General. If Toomey doesn't run, either of these two would be very interesting General election candidates.

[Bleeding heart conservative, HTMLdon]

specter needs to go.

and im not a conservanut.

Why?  So the Dems can get to 61?  62?  65?

specter should retire. is he the only republican that can win in pa?

Specter is one of the few Republicans in Pennsylvania with the potential to survive a Republican primary.... unless Tom Ridge is looking for something to occupy his time.  Any other Republican would have to face the Pennsylvania Republican primary voter's most pressing concerns like:

1. Does the candidate love my version of Jesus, i.e. a hateful mean-spirited monster who hates all people?
2. Does the candidate pledge the immediate execution of all gays, bisexuals, or people who have sex outside of marriage?  (Catholics and Jews will be added to this list once they get done with the gays)
3. Does the candidate pledge to tax the "unproductive" poor and reward the "productive" wealthy with tax breaks?
4. Does the candidate pledge to be pro-life for fetuses, but not for those convicted of a crime
5. Does the candidate pledge to lose rather than express any opinion that might be contradictory to those expressed on talk radio
6. Does the candidate pledge to check in with talk radio hosts, hypocritical preachers and right-wing bloggers before making any decision... even using the bathroom?
7.  Does the candidate pledge to do the opposite of what any Scientist suggests, to the point of denying the existance of Climate Change, Evolution, and other things that 99% of reputable scientists agree on
8.  Does the candidate understand that if any point in time he shows any leadership, any concern for his constituents, any appreciation for knowledge and intellect, and varies from that which is prescribed by the Club for Growth on economic issues or James Dobson on social issues, that he will be castrated as a "RINO" and forced outside the Party in favor of someone more "conservative".

[Keystone Phil]

specter needs to go.

and im not a conservanut.

Why?  So the Dems can get to 61?  62?  65?

specter should retire. is he the only republican that can win in pa?

Specter is one of the few Republicans in Pennsylvania with the potential to survive a Republican primary.... unless Tom Ridge is looking for something to occupy his time.  Any other Republican would have to face the Pennsylvania Republican primary voter's most pressing concerns like:

1. Does the candidate love my version of Jesus, i.e. a hateful mean-spirited monster who hates all people?
2. Does the candidate pledge the immediate execution of all gays, bisexuals, or people who have sex outside of marriage?  (Catholics and Jews will be added to this list once they get done with the gays)
3. Does the candidate pledge to tax the "unproductive" poor and reward the "productive" wealthy with tax breaks?
4. Does the candidate pledge to be pro-life for fetuses, but not for those convicted of a crime
5. Does the candidate pledge to lose rather than express any opinion that might be contradictory to those expressed on talk radio
6. Does the candidate pledge to check in with talk radio hosts, hypocritical preachers and right-wing bloggers before making any decision... even using the bathroom?
7.  Does the candidate pledge to do the opposite of what any Scientist suggests, to the point of denying the existance of Climate Change, Evolution, and other things that 99% of reputable scientists agree on
8.  Does the candidate understand that if any point in time he shows any leadership, any concern for his constituents, any appreciation for knowledge and intellect, and varies from that which is prescribed by the Club for Growth on economic issues or James Dobson on social issues, that he will be castrated as a "RINO" and forced outside the Party in favor of someone more "conservative".

You never do give up, do you? I guess you shift to this nonsense when your "Specter helps the Republicans when we need him!" argument falls flat.

Your rhetoric is actually pretty disgusting these days. Now conservatives want to execute people who have sex outside of marriage! Interesting how sad you get when you're on the ropes.

Stop lying about what mainstream conservatives believe and try defending your guy for once. I know it's hard to do considering your main argument four years ago was "Specter will help President Bush!" Well, we all know how that went. Should I bother to post the image or are you ready to cry "mercy?"

[Franzl]

specter needs to go.

and im not a conservanut.

Why?  So the Dems can get to 61?  62?  65?

specter should retire. is he the only republican that can win in pa?

Specter is one of the few Republicans in Pennsylvania with the potential to survive a Republican primary.... unless Tom Ridge is looking for something to occupy his time.  Any other Republican would have to face the Pennsylvania Republican primary voter's most pressing concerns like:

1. Does the candidate love my version of Jesus, i.e. a hateful mean-spirited monster who hates all people?
2. Does the candidate pledge the immediate execution of all gays, bisexuals, or people who have sex outside of marriage?  (Catholics and Jews will be added to this list once they get done with the gays)
3. Does the candidate pledge to tax the "unproductive" poor and reward the "productive" wealthy with tax breaks?
4. Does the candidate pledge to be pro-life for fetuses, but not for those convicted of a crime
5. Does the candidate pledge to lose rather than express any opinion that might be contradictory to those expressed on talk radio
6. Does the candidate pledge to check in with talk radio hosts, hypocritical preachers and right-wing bloggers before making any decision... even using the bathroom?
7.  Does the candidate pledge to do the opposite of what any Scientist suggests, to the point of denying the existance of Climate Change, Evolution, and other things that 99% of reputable scientists agree on
8.  Does the candidate understand that if any point in time he shows any leadership, any concern for his constituents, any appreciation for knowledge and intellect, and varies from that which is prescribed by the Club for Growth on economic issues or James Dobson on social issues, that he will be castrated as a "RINO" and forced outside the Party in favor of someone more "conservative".

Brilliant!

[Keystone Phil]

Brilliant!

Yes, brilliant! Brilliantly bizzare. Don's rants have gotten so batshit.

You know, the irony is that everything he states is exactly the type of stuff that his hero has been tagged with. But no! President Bush isn't a far right winger; he's a centrist! He and Bill Frist are middle of the road. No way could they be right wing. But people like Santorum and Toomey who are almost identical to Frist...they're the enemies. They're far right loons.

The real problem with Don is not just his rhetoric but his blatant hypocrisy.

[Franzl]

Brilliant!

Yes, brilliant! Brilliantly bizzare. Don's rants have gotten so batshit.

You know, the irony is that everything he states is exactly the type of stuff that his hero has been tagged with. But no! President Bush isn't a far right winger; he's a centrist! He and Bill Frist are middle of the road. No way could they be right wing. But people like Santorum and Toomey who are almost identical to Frist...they're the enemies. They're far right loons.

The real problem with Don is not just his rhetoric but his blatant hypocrisy.

Oh I agree it's hypocritical, but it's still amazingly amusing

[DownWithTheLeft]

Yes, retreat.  I would rather have 100 Bernie Sanders in the senate than one Arlen Specter

[Franzl]

Yes, retreat.  I would rather have 100 Bernie Sanders in the senate than one Arlen Specter

so you prefer socialism to centrism?

[RIP Robert H Bork]

Seeing the news in Pennsylvania is just depressing.

The animals are gnawing and licking their frothy rabid chops, all aiming to tear our valiant hero, Arlen Specter, to pieces.

The conservanuts are intent on destroying every moderate they can regardless of the consequences.

The Democrats show no mercy regardless of whether one is a moderate or a far-right extremist.

What is our hero to do?

And your signature includes the campaign logos for Giuliani, Huckabee, McCain, Romney and Thompson. You must be one of those who think that Huckabee is not a conservative.

Or are you just trying to insult conservatives?

If so, then this avatar suits you better.

[Franzl]

Seeing the news in Pennsylvania is just depressing.

The animals are gnawing and licking their frothy rabid chops, all aiming to tear our valiant hero, Arlen Specter, to pieces.

The conservanuts are intent on destroying every moderate they can regardless of the consequences.

The Democrats show no mercy regardless of whether one is a moderate or a far-right extremist.

What is our hero to do?

And your signature includes the campaign logos for Giuliani, Huckabee, McCain, Romney and Thompson. You must be one of those who think that Huckabee is not a conservative.

Or are you just trying to insult conservatives?

If so, then this avatar suits you better.

 (your current avatar is )

Conservative is not the same as Republican.

[Lunar]

I love it! Htmldon is posting legitimate frustrations against ideological purges of moderate Republicans in Democratic states and someone reacts by telling him to get out of the party

[Keystone Phil]

I love it! Htmldon is posting legitimate frustrations against ideological purges of moderate Republicans in Democratic states and someone reacts by telling him to get out of the party

I know this isn't what you were trying to do but I will never understand why Dems tend to sympathize with Don. I guess people love his "legitimate" (his rhetoric is beyond disgusting) frustrations with conservatives but his hackery is hardly ever called out. In his opening post, he goes off on moderate Dems! He isn't interested in moderation; he just wants his personal favorites and the GOP to win. If it came down to moderation or the GOP winning out, guess which one Don would pick. So please let us be spared of the moderate lectures.

[Rob]

I know this isn't what you were trying to do but I will never understand why Dems tend to sympathize with Don. I guess people love his "legitimate" (his rhetoric is beyond disgusting) frustrations with conservatives but his hackery is hardly ever called out. In his opening post, he goes off on moderate Dems! He isn't interested in moderation; he just wants his personal favorites and the GOP to win. If it came down to moderation or the GOP winning out, guess which one Don would pick. So please let us be spared of the moderate lectures.

^^^^^

Thank you.

[The Mikado]

First off, I'd like to say that Phil, of course, knows Pennsylvania far better than I do.

Secondly, it seems pretty obvious from my vantagepoint that with Senator Specter, a long-time Senator with powerful inroads among Democratic constituencies like labor, running, the seat is lean/likely GOP, and with, say, Pat Toomey, it's lean/likely Dem (more likely than lean).

I'd love Arlen Specter's Senate seat to belong to the Democratic Party.

I'm curious to see what Senator Specter ends up doing on EFCA.  If he votes for it, I don't see how he can survive a closed primary, without it he loses the labor vote that he would otherwise steal a sizable chunk of from the Dems in the general.

[Lunar]

I'm curious to see what Senator Specter ends up doing on EFCA.  If he votes for it, I don't see how he can survive a closed primary, without it he loses the labor vote that he would otherwise steal a sizable chunk of from the Dems in the general.

He has to vote for it or he'll surrender the overwhelming Union support.  People who care about the EFCA enough to vote or volunteer on it are overwhelmingly in favor of the bill.

Toomey has stated though, flat out, that the CFG would get involved against Specter should he vote for the bill (which he will).

[Associate Justice PiT]

I'm curious to see what Senator Specter ends up doing on EFCA.  If he votes for it, I don't see how he can survive a closed primary, without it he loses the labor vote that he would otherwise steal a sizable chunk of from the Dems in the general.

He has to vote for it or he'll surrender the overwhelming Union support.  People who care about the EFCA enough to vote or volunteer on it are overwhelmingly in favor of the bill.

Toomey has stated though, flat out, that the CFG would get involved against Specter should he vote for the bill (which he will).

     It's almost sad how rough the American political system is on moderates. You end up dead either way.

[Keystone Phil]

First off, I'd like to say that Phil, of course, knows Pennsylvania far better than I do.

Don't know if this is a jab especially since I don't know what I've said that is so objectionable here. You'll see in a second that I actually agree with you and have said so several times...

Secondly, it seems pretty obvious from my vantagepoint that with Senator Specter, a long-time Senator with powerful inroads among Democratic constituencies like labor, running, the seat is lean/likely GOP, and with, say, Pat Toomey, it's lean/likely Dem (more likely than lean).
[/quote]

Under regular circumstances, with Specter it is likely GOP and with Toomey it is a tossup or lean Dem. I'm not disputing that (I hope you don't think that I am) and have basically stated what you said (except I don't believe it is "likely" Dem) plenty of times. All that being said, if 2010 is the typical midterm year, Toomey has more than "just a chance."

This is exactly how the Religious Right thinks and it's a shame a Catholic like Phil has sold his soul to them.

Enough with the nonsense, Harry. Seriously. You have every right to be a stupid ass but try to keep it to yourself.