When does Specter face retribution?

[CARLHAYDEN]

Arlen Specter is one of the most dishonest members of the Senate.

Like Lucy in the Peanuts cartoon strip, he assures other Republicans that he'll behave in the future, and they believe him!!!

Of course, like Lucy, Specter, betrays other Republicans in the Senate on a regular basis.

so, will Pennsylvania Republicans ever get their act together and get rid of Specter?

[Franzl]

Specter is a wonderful example of what the Republican Party should be.

Unfortunately, I think the chance is greater than 50% that Specter gets primaried.

[Joe Republic]

Specter is a wonderful example of what the Republican Party should be.

Slowly dying?

[Kevin]

Specter is a wonderful example of what the Republican Party should be.

Unfortunately, I think the chance is greater than 50% that Specter gets primaried.

Not in terms of supporting this stimulus he shouldn't!

[Keystone Phil]

Specter is a wonderful example of what the Republican Party should be.

Slowly dying?

LOL

Specter is a wonderful example of what the Republican Party should be.

I hope you don't mean personally. He's a spineless, self centered, ego maniac with a very nasty streak. His fans would admit this as well (well, maybe not the first adjective).

[Nixon in '80]

Specter is a wonderful example of what the Republican Party should be.

I hope you don't mean personally. He's a spineless, self centered, ego maniac with a very nasty streak politician. His fans would admit this as well (well, maybe not the first adjective).

Fixed.

Also, Specter probably just guaranteed his defeat in the primary in 2010... unless, of course, the stimulus is an unbelievable success, but I kind of doubt that.

[Lief 🗽]

Specter is one of the few Republicans that cares more about the country than his party.

[Lunar]

Specter is a wonderful example of what the Republican Party should be.

I hope you don't mean personally. He's a spineless, self centered, ego maniac with a very nasty streak politician. His fans would admit this as well (well, maybe not the first adjective).

Fixed.

Also, Specter probably just guaranteed his defeat in the primary in 2010... unless, of course, the stimulus is an unbelievable success, but I kind of doubt that.

Specter is a very good politician.  I wouldn't bet against him yet, yo, I'm serial

[Keystone Phil]

Specter is a wonderful example of what the Republican Party should be.

I hope you don't mean personally. He's a spineless, self centered, ego maniac with a very nasty streak politician. His fans would admit this as well (well, maybe not the first adjective).

Fixed.

Also, Specter probably just guaranteed his defeat in the primary in 2010... unless, of course, the stimulus is an unbelievable success, but I kind of doubt that.

LOL

You clearly aren't familiar with Specter. It's beyond just "typical politician" with that guy and that reputation is well known across PA.

[Boris]

I really hope Toomey goes after Specter again instead of after the Governorship. Both the primary (and the general, if Toomey were to win) would be really fun and he'd make a far more interesting United States Senator than Governor.

[Nixon in '80]

Specter is a wonderful example of what the Republican Party should be.

I hope you don't mean personally. He's a spineless, self centered, ego maniac with a very nasty streak politician. His fans would admit this as well (well, maybe not the first adjective).

Fixed.

Also, Specter probably just guaranteed his defeat in the primary in 2010... unless, of course, the stimulus is an unbelievable success, but I kind of doubt that.

LOL

You clearly aren't familiar with Specter. It's beyond just "typical politician" with that guy and that reputation is well known across PA.

Your statements about Specter are approaching CARLHAYDEN-John McCain levels:

"ZOMG you have no idea he's from my state and he's really, really evil."

I know you probably have a laundry list of everything bad Arlen Specter has done in his career, and I'm sure a lot of it's pretty bad, but I'm also sure that if I devoted some time to it, I could compile an equally impressive list about most other politicians with thirty years of service.

[Keystone Phil]

Your statements about Specter are approaching CARLHAYDEN-John McCain levels:

"ZOMG you have no idea he's from my state and he's really, really evil."

I didn't say he was evil or perceived as being evil. I'm saying that Arlen Specter is a known asshole. Capitol Hill staffers had buttons made up which read, "Arlen Specter Yelled at Me." The man is called "Snarlin' Arlen" by his fans. He's not known to be a nice person. It's well known in PA. He's re-elected for other reasons.

[bullmoose88]

The man is called "Snarlin' Arlen" by his fans.

I won't speak to what else Phil has said, but yes, we Specter fans often use the term Snarlin Arlen as a term of endearment.

[Nixon in '80]

Your statements about Specter are approaching CARLHAYDEN-John McCain levels:

"ZOMG you have no idea he's from my state and he's really, really evil."

I didn't say he was evil or perceived as being evil. I'm saying that Arlen Specter is a known asshole. Capitol Hill staffers had buttons made up which read, "Arlen Specter Yelled at Me." The man is called "Snarlin' Arlen" by his fans. He's not known to be a nice person. It's well known in PA. He's re-elected for other reasons.

I was just joking, I know you weren't implying Specter is evil... I was just doing a slightly exaggerated CARLHAYDEN impression. As for Specter being an asshole, I know that he's got a reputation for being kind of a jerk, but I don't deal with him personally, so I don't care. Even my original statement wasn't denying his alleged assholiness, I was just saying that almost every politician is, to some degree: "a spineless, self centered, ego maniac with a very nasty streak"... maybe Arlen is nastier than most, I don't know, but I do know that criticizing a politician you don't like for being a jerk isn't really a compelling argument, because I still like his politics (for the most part), thus, I like him.

[CARLHAYDEN]

Your statements about Specter are approaching CARLHAYDEN-John McCain levels:

"ZOMG you have no idea he's from my state and he's really, really evil."

I didn't say he was evil or perceived as being evil. I'm saying that Arlen Specter is a known asshole. Capitol Hill staffers had buttons made up which read, "Arlen Specter Yelled at Me." The man is called "Snarlin' Arlen" by his fans. He's not known to be a nice person. It's well known in PA. He's re-elected for other reasons.

I was just joking, I know you weren't implying Specter is evil... I was just doing a slightly exaggerated CARLHAYDEN impression. As for Specter being an asshole, I know that he's got a reputation for being kind of a jerk, but I don't deal with him personally, so I don't care. Even my original statement wasn't denying his alleged assholiness, I was just saying that almost every politician is, to some degree: "a spineless, self centered, ego maniac with a very nasty streak"... maybe Arlen is nastier than most, I don't know, but I do know that criticizing a politician you don't like for being a jerk isn't really a compelling argument, because I still like his politics (for the most part), thus, I like him.

So, lets see:

You prefer liberal to conservative (both the ADA and ACU 2007 ratings of Specter indicate his voting record is more liberal than conservative.  Interestingly enough, the ratings add up to 100),

You a pro-abortion (check out his 2006 from NARAL - 100% and NRTLC - 14%)

He has one of the lowest ratings from Americans against Government Waste among Republican Senators- 29%.

He gets a D from Gun Owners of America (lower not only than most Republican Senators, but lower than many Democrat Senators).

You can check this all out at Project Vote Smart.

Oh, and I have cited specifics about McCain, which you twist, in a Nixonesque fashion, into false generalities.

[Nixon in '80]

So, lets see:

You prefer liberal to conservative (both the ADA and ACU 2007 ratings of Specter indicate his voting record is more liberal than conservative.  Interestingly enough, the ratings add up to 100),

I'm not a fan of the blanket "conservative" or "liberal" ratings, as they can often be deceptive... two Senators who voted the opposite way on every bill, covering a wide spectrum of issues, can end up with the exact same rating. That said, after briefly looking over the votes used to tabulate the ACU score, I don't think 40 is all that far from where I'd be... maybe I'd be around 50, but I don't know.

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I've generally tried to avoid this issue, but I really don't feel like it anymore... yeah, I'm moderately pro-choice. That said, Specter's 2007 NARAL rating is an aberration (his 2006 rating was actually 50, but I assume you were talking about his 2007 rating)... his rating has generally been anywhere between 0 and 65 over the last decade.

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His lifetime rating, on the other hand, is 49%. It's not a good score, to be sure, and Arlen has never been a strong opponent of earmarks... this is one of the reasons I qualified my remark with a (for the most part).

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While the NRA gave him a lifetime rating of "A" in 2004... interesting

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Oh, I did, and it was quite informative... thank you.

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I've actually never twisted anything... I've made fun of you, but that's not really a Nixonesque deception, more like a middle school kid pointing and laughing.

I've also never read a list of your gripes with McCain... I'd be interested.

[CARLHAYDEN]

One of the most interesting of Specter's abilities, is his ability to lie with a straight face.

Check out yesterday's Washington Post in which he alledged that he had reduced the so-called stimulous bill to $780 billion.

I don't know anybody but Specter that would claim its under $800 billion.

[Ogre Mage]

Obama won PA 55%-44%.  John Kerry won it 51%-49%.  Al Gore won it 51%-46%.

Specter hasn't survived this long by being a fool.

[Keystone Phil]

Obama won PA 55%-44%.  John Kerry won it 51%-48%.

Specter hasn't survived this long by being a fool.

Who ever said he was being a fool? He's a good politician. He's great at surviving. He's good at making people feel that they need him or this state would cease to exist.

Specter's won more than anyone else in Pennsylvania but he's not beloved. In 2004, he won with just 53% of the vote. The Constitution party candidate got 4%. 1998 was a landslide because he had a terrible opponent. He barely survived in 1992. He barely won in 1980.

The man has high approval ratings but when it comes down to deciding whether or not to keep him around, he's usually in a tough race and only made it over 50% three times.

I warn my friends that go crazy for Specter to realize that this seat isn't a lock with Specter. He's older and not in the best health. 2010 could be a good year for us but if he gets a strong challenger and conservatives sit this race out, look for another headache for Snarlin' Arlen.

[Ronnie]

I always had a hunch that Specter would vote for the bill.  He wasn't the deciding vote.

[© tweed]

he faces retribution in the primary every six years.  he just always manages to hang on by just enough, usually with the backing of the GOP establishment.

[Keystone Phil]

usually with the backing of the GOP establishment.

And, this time, Santorum and scores of moderate to liberal Republicans (that left the party between 2006 - 2008) won't be around to save his ass.

[© tweed]

usually with the backing of the GOP establishment.

And, this time, Santorum and scores of moderate to liberal Republicans (that left the party between 2006 - 2008) won't be around to save his ass.

Bush too, IIRC.  the GOP doesn't really have any prominent figureheads right now so that could work to his disadvantage in a hotly contested primary.

[© tweed]

did he get any national Republican money in the primary in 2004 or did the RNC/RSCC (or whatever the acronym is) stay out of it?

[Keystone Phil]

usually with the backing of the GOP establishment.

And, this time, Santorum and scores of moderate to liberal Republicans (that left the party between 2006 - 2008) won't be around to save his ass.

Bush too, IIRC.  the GOP doesn't really have any prominent figureheads right now so that could work to his disadvantage in a hotly contested primary.

Yes, Bush, too but the fact that so many Specter "Republicans" left the party is Arlen's biggest problem.

did he get any national Republican money in the primary in 2004 or did the RNC/RSCC (or whatever the acronym is) stay out of it?

Uh...they were very involved. They hated what Toomey was doing. They really believed the idiotic idea that Specter would help Bush win PA.