Specter to switch parties

[Mint]

Guess he's smarter than Chaffee.

That's not very hard.

[Mint]

Specter's own words: “I have traveled the State, talked to Republican leaders and office-holders and my supporters and I have carefully examined public opinion. It has become clear to me that the stimulus vote caused a schism which makes our differences irreconcilable. On this state of the record, I am unwilling to have my twenty-nine year Senate record judged by the Pennsylvania Republican primary electorate.”


Translation: I have slighted and flat out betrayed my loyal Republican constituents over 29 years one time too many and they won't put up with it any longer. I must therefore leave the party, retire from politics or end my career with a humiliating primary defeat. If the economy tanks more like I think it will this is going to be fun...

[Mint]

Specter's own words: “I have traveled the State, talked to Republican leaders and office-holders and my supporters and I have carefully examined public opinion. It has become clear to me that the stimulus vote caused a schism which makes our differences irreconcilable. On this state of the record, I am unwilling to have my twenty-nine year Senate record judged by the Pennsylvania Republican primary electorate.”


Translation: I have slighted and flat out betrayed my loyal Republican constituents over 29 years one time too many and they won't put up with it any longer. I must therefore leave the party, retire from politics or end my career with a humiliating primary defeat. If the economy tanks more like I think it will this is going to be fun...

flat out betrayed? Seems more like the party betrayed him to me.

He groveled for cash and they supplied it to him. Then he thumbed his nose at them and a large number of his constituents highly publicly, on issue after issue. Now when people are tired of him repeatedly ignoring their requests on everything from immigration to the stimulus, he's bowing out and pretending it's due to some profound realization. Give me a ing break.

[Mint]

Seems that during such a long time in the Senate, the party would have eventually stopped supporting him if they didn't feel he sufficiently represented their views...but no, they kept on sending him there....although 2004 was certainly the first indication of that changing.

I'd say the change was obvious right after he got re-elected.

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I would agree except it seems like he's gone out of his way with every vote and media statement to piss people off. Doesn't matter if it's EFCA, the Stimulus, Immigration, whatever. I know some Republicans are insane but it doesn't really look like he even bothered trying to reach out or salvage things.

Of course he's doing what's in his best interest (at least seemingly), but the spin is insulting nonetheless.