Pennsylvania 2010 - The Official Thread

[Keystone Phil]

A cynic in me wants to suggest that Luksik is either doing this in an attempt to:
1) Force Toomey out of the primary

LOL

I hope for her sanity that she doesn't think that that will happen.

[Lunar]

My cynical side was mostly thinking of #2, but that may be conspiratorial crazy



But yeah, big fundraisers tend to be very, very, pragmatic people.

[Keystone Phil]

http://www.wilknetwork.com/Sen--Specter-says-he-s-trying-to-lead-the-Republic/3984964

Keep digging, Arlen.

[Keystone Phil]

Listen to that interview! Oh wow.

First of all, Arlen is back to being Arlen (never calling Toomey by his name, just "my opponent.")

Then he says he was his opponent from "2000...uh...the last election...his group, the Club for Growth, was directly responsible for defeating Senator Chafee in Rhode Island...had he been re-elected, we would have maintained the Senate for that two year period."

Uh, Arlen, Senator Chafee won the primary and the Club for Growth wasn't involved with Whitehouse's campaign.

[Keystone Phil]

Listen to that interview! Oh wow.

First of all, Arlen is back to being Arlen (never calling Toomey by his name, just "my opponent.")

Then he says he was his opponent from "2000...uh...the last election...his group, the Club for Growth, was directly responsible for defeating Senator Chafee in Rhode Island...had he been re-elected, we would have maintained the Senate for that two year period."

Uh, Arlen, Senator Chafee won the primary and the Club for Growth wasn't involved with Whitehouse's campaign.

Calm down, Phil.  I think what he's trying to say here is that the Club for Growth dragged Chafee down so that he couldn't win.  At issue here I think is the word 'directly'.  That's what I think he's trying to say here.

Either that, or he's a malevolent old man, or senile, or both.  Take your pick.

That's not being directly involved though.

When did you become a RINO sympathizer, Vander Blubb? 

[Keystone Phil]

I actually like old Snarlin' Arlen.  He is so mean.

Only you could get away with saying that.

[Fmr. Pres. Duke]

Wait. So Toomey is definitely running? It seems like its a forgone conclusion that he'll run, but I thought he was telling friends privately he was? That doesn't always pan out.

[Keystone Phil]

Wait. So Toomey is definitely running? It seems like its a forgone conclusion that he'll run, but I thought he was telling friends privately he was? That doesn't always pan out.

Some of his key supporters/closest friends leaked an e-mail that said he decided to do it. He's running. He's already getting endorsements.

...and Specter is already making it clear that he's afraid.

[JWHart]

Phil will either be pleased or dismayed that Kos basically agrees with him on Specter's re-election odds and chances of switching parties. Though obviously not on Toomey's general election odds.

I mostly bring this up since Markos' ambivalence, at worst, on the matter means that Specter shouldn't expect a serious primary challenge if he does flip -- if Rendell won't back it, labor won't back it, and the netroots won't back it, who does that leave?

[Keystone Phil]

on the matter means that Specter shouldn't expect a serious primary challenge if he does flip -- if Rendell won't back it, labor won't back it, and the netroots won't back it, who does that leave?

No one

That's been my point. If Specter switches, he gets it with little to absolutely no trouble.

[Brittain33]

murder suicide?  maybe sue the RNSC like Bunning? I can't think of anything else, maybe just an interesting spokesman phrase

Resign now and throw the seat to a Dem appointee? I concede, that is extremely unlikely...

[Keystone Phil]

murder suicide?  maybe sue the RNSC like Bunning? I can't think of anything else, maybe just an interesting spokesman phrase

Resign now and throw the seat to a Dem appointee? I concede, that is extremely unlikely...

That would make no sense at all. 

Why would he do that? He'd be giving the seat to the Dems so he clearly wouldn't have a personal problem with the party switch. Why wouldn't he just switch himself, have a good chance at getting re-elected, etc.?

[Keystone Phil]

Someone thought it would be cute to invite Santorum to the Toomey for U.S. Senate 2010 Facebook group. This will be fun to watch. 

[Lunar]

As someone who actually is an administrator of some senator's facebook profiles, don't be surprised when it's ignored.

[Keystone Phil]

As someone who actually is an administrator of some senator's facebook profiles, don't be surprised when it's ignored.

Oh, wow. What a big shot. 

Yeah, I expect it to be ignored.

[Fmr. Pres. Duke]

I heard on Foxnews last night that Specter has become wishy washy on whether he'd support card check or not.

Maybe I'm reading too much into this, but he comes out and opposes it, could it signal that he's going to remain in the GOP?

[Keystone Phil]

I heard on Foxnews last night that Specter has become wishy washy on whether he'd support card check or not.

Maybe I'm reading too much into this, but he comes out and opposes it, could it signal that he's going to remain in the GOP?

If he opposes it, he's staying because he thinks that will give him a shot in the primary. It helps but not enough.

[bullmoose88]

Other options??  What in hell could he think his other options are, battle it out in the GOP and likely lose (damnit) or switch to the dems (he was a dem once right?)?  Is he thinking administration job? at his age and health status?

[Bleeding heart conservative, HTMLdon]

It would be hilarious/sad if Specter switched parties and beat Toomey as a Democrat.  I'd hate to see another Democratic Senate seat, but it would be exactly the same thing that happens in so many races Toomey and his minions are involved in.  A good Republican is defeated in the primary, and a Democrat is elected in their place.  Specter would just be passing up the opportunity to be "Toomyied" and instead become the "Toomyier".  The only question would be  whether there would be a stand-in candidate to give sane people a candidate to support in the primary so Toomey wouldn't take the nomination unopposed.  Toomey should never be unopposed, there should always be someone to stand up for dignity, decency, and justice.

[Keystone Phil]

It would be hilarious/sad if Specter switched parties and beat Toomey as a Democrat.  I'd hate to see another Democratic Senate seat, but it would be exactly the same thing that happens in so many races Toomey and his minions are involved in.  A good Republican is defeated in the primary, and a Democrat is elected in their place.  Specter would just be passing up the opportunity to be "Toomyied" and instead become the "Toomyier".

A "good Republican." Oh, Don.

Imagine what will happen if Specter switches. He'll go from a "good Republican" in Don's book to one of the most evil people ever.

[Keystone Phil]

http://www.thebulletin.us/articles/2009/03/11/top_stories/bullet_points/doc49b7486ef18c5683509931.txt

Basically, she's throwing a huge fit because Toomey decided to change his mind about running.

Don't get too happy, Specter fans. She won't get the money or recognition that Pat will get.


Oh, check this out...

http://grassrootspa.com/blogcore/pdf/ErosionSpecter.pdf

[Holmes]

Oh, check this out...

http://grassrootspa.com/blogcore/pdf/ErosionSpecter.pdf

Doesn't that also worry you for the general?

[Keystone Phil]

http://audio.wilknewsradio.com/m/audio/21975249/pat-toomey-talks-about-running-for-specter-s-seat.htm

Impressive, as usual.  

Oh, check this out...

http://grassrootspa.com/blogcore/pdf/ErosionSpecter.pdf

Doesn't that also worry you for the general?

Sure it's a concern in the General but I don't think Specter magically solves that problem. They don't want him either.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

That quote about Specter blaming the loss of the Senate on Toomey and the Club for Growth is hilarious. Does he honestly thing that Chafee would have remained a Republican at the height of the Surge. He probably would have done a Jim Jeffords. RI was one of the states most likely to switch hands along with Burns and Specter's 2004 Messiah. That was clear in early 2006. If the Senate were to be held it would have been on the backs of Allen, Talent and DeWine. So even if Laffey had not run against him, Chafee still would have lost most likely. It sounds like Specter wants to join the same club as Bunning.

[Keystone Phil]

So even if Laffey had not run against him, Chafee still would have lost most likely.

Yeah, that's what us normals have said from the beginning. The man had a 62% approval rating on Election day and still lost by about eight points. He wasn't going to win. They wanted a Democrat elected.