Republican-turned-Democratic Sen. Arlen Specter faced a barrage of sometimes hostile questions about health care from wary and frustrated voters at a town meeting Tuesday.
A town hall protester voices his objection to the limited amount of questions that were allowed to be asked at the meeting.
Katy Abram, who attended Arlen Specter's town hall meeting in Pennsylvania, discusses her found interest in politics.
This is what grass roots is all about! This is not a Democrat or Republican debate. It's and American debate.
In his book, "The Good Fight: Hard Lessons From Searchlight to Washington" , Sen. Harry Reid said Arlen Specter "is always with us when we don't need him."
However, he recently contradicted himself , saying "I hope he's going to be with us when we need him."
He lies further, saying that despite having a 60 Vote "super majority", the Senate still has to work in a bipartisan manner. There you go again, Senator!
From Roll Call: Specter Will Be Junior Democrat on Committees
Despite promises from Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) that Sen. Arlen Specter (Pa.) would retain his seniority after switching parties, Specter will be put at the end of the seniority line on all his committees but one under a resolution approved on the floor late Tuesday.
Under the modified organizing resolution, Specter will not keep his committee seniority on any of the five committees that he serves on and will be the junior Democrat on all but one — the chamber’s Special Committee on Aging. On that committee, he will be next to last in seniority.
As a result, Specter — who as a Republican was ranking member on the Judiciary Committee and a senior member of the Appropriations Committee, as well as ranking member of the panel’s Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education — will now rank behind all the other Democrats, at least until the end of this Congress.
According to a senior Democratic aide, it remains unclear whether Specter — who will still retain his seniority in the Senate outside of the committees — will see a boost in his committee seniority should he be re-elected for the next session. The status of his seniority for the next Congress will be determined once the 112th Congress convenes in 2011, the aide said.
"Least reliable Democrat?" That's odd considering he wasn't a particularly reliable Republican. One could conclude that maybe Specter is simply not a very reliable Senator!
ConservativeXpress encourages you to donate to Pat Toomey's Senate campaign to help send Specter out to pasture where he belongs!
Carville gives Specter "credit" for becoming a Democrat just to win an election; sounds just about right for a Liberal to win an election at any cost.
From Huffington Post:
In a separate interview with the Huffington Post, Democratic strategist James Carville was equally sour on Specter's recent party switch, calling the defection a potential "major event in terms of how the Senate conducts its business," but "a relatively minor event in political history."
"[Specter] was the least reliable Republican. So he will just switch to become the least reliable Democrat," said the longtime Clinton confidant and author of the upcoming book, "40 More Years: How the Democrats Will Rule the Next Generation." "I wouldn't try to make much more out of it than the political survivor comes up with one more act in a long running play of political survival... The one thing I will give him is I will give him some points for candor for being so upfront about [his switch]."
"I'm not sure this is going to have a great ending," added Carville, who has worked extensively in Pennsylvania politics. "He could get primaried, you know... If [Rep. Joe] Sestak runs, [Specter] will have to fight."
Senator Arlen Specter admits "I don't expect people to agree with all my votes; I don't agree with them all, at this point" but fails to elaborate on which he regrets when pressed by Bob Schieffer.
Comments at 2:30 mark.
Kemp comments begin at 8:10 mark.
Fox News reports:
Jack Kemp would still be alive if the federal government had done a better job funding cancer research, Sen. Arlen Specter said Sunday, one day after Kemp, the 1996 Republican vice presidential nominee and former congressman, died of cancer.
The Pennsylvania senator, who last week switched his party affiliation from Republican to Democrat, made the claim on two Sunday shows.
On CBS' "Face the Nation," Specter suggested that one of the reasons he left the GOP was because it did not share his interest in funding medical research.
"Frankly, I was disappointed that the Republican Party didn't want me as their candidate. But as a matter of principle, I'm becoming much more comfortable with the Democrats' approach," Specter said. "And one of the items that I'm working on ... is funding for medical research. I've been the spear carrier to increase medical research."
Specter added: "If we had pursued what President Nixon declared in 1970 as the war on cancer, we would have cured many strains. I think Jack Kemp would be alive today. And that research has saved or prolonged many lives, including mine."
Specter has been treated for Hodgkin's disease, a cancer of the lymphatic system. Through his Web site, specterforthecure.com, the senator has called for more federal resources and funding to be directed toward medical research.
Specter on Sunday touted his record of increasing funding for research for the National Institutes of Health. His Web site details the strides he's made -- "doubling the nation's health research budget" and helping include funding for the NIH in the stimulus bill.
But his claims about Nixon's "war on cancer" and Kemp, the former Buffalo Bills MVP who died of an undisclosed cancer after a lengthy illness, raised eyebrows -- since the government has devoted billions to cancer research since Nixon's call in 1971 for a campaign to find a cancer cure.
Turncoat Arlen Specter appeared on "Meet The Press".
In doing so, he has officially sold his soul for political gain. This switch has nothing to do with ideology and everything to do with maintaining his seat in the Senate. Specter has placed self-preservation and political expediency above the good of the Country and the will of the people of Pennsylvania. Specter is currently trailing in Republican primary polls in PA and most pundits agree he would have lost next year's Senate primary to Rep. Pat Toomey.
Term limits anyone?
Sen. Arlen Specter cited a potentially-tough primary race in switching from the Republican to Democratic party, but a look at his voting record and the political makeup Pennsylvania may offer other clues as to why he decided to change.
Forget donating to Toomey; how about encouraging Pennsylvania to defeat him in the Democratic Primary next year! Wouldn't that be some poetic poetic?
Led by Sen. Mitch McConnell, Republicans react to news of Arlen Specter switching parties. No more checks and balances will hurt America, he says.
Video from Specter's press conference. Clearly, he hates Republicans.
Thats whats wrong with the Republicans today according to Specter.
No, Senator, people like you are what's wrong with the GOP. Good riddance ro bad rubbish.
Full statement:
Steele says "good riddance" if socialism is your thing.
Says Specter "disrespectful" and "flipping the bird" at Republican leadership.
Specter failed to notify any Republican colleagues of this switch.
CNN corners Arlen Specter prior to his scheduled news conference.
Sen. Arlen Specter, Republican of Pennsylvania, intends to become a Democrat.
In doing so, he has officially sold his soul for political gain. This switch has nothing to do with ideology and everything to do with maintaining his seat in the Senate. Specter has placed self-preservation and political expediency above the good of the Country and the will of the people of Pennsylvania. Specter is currently trailing in Republican primary polls in PA and most pundits agree he would have lost next year's Senate primary to Rep. Pat Toomey.
President Obama called Specter to let him know Democrats were "thrilled to have" him. Of course they are excited! With the likely appointment of Al Franken to the U.S. Senate, the Democrats will have a filibuster-proof super majority. Combine that with the overwhelming majority in the House, and there is nothing anyone can do to stop the radical socialist take-over of America by Obama, Pelosi and Reid.
Congratulations, America! You have destroyed my country from within. Thanks for nothing!
Via Politico
Statement by Sen. Arlen Specter:
I have been a Republican since 1966. I have been working extremely hard for the Party, for its candidates and for the ideals of a Republican Party whose tent is big enough to welcome diverse points of view. While I have been comfortable being a Republican, my Party has not defined who I am. I have taken each issue one at a time and have exercised independent judgment to do what I thought was best for Pennsylvania and the nation.
Since my election in 1980, as part of the Reagan Big Tent, the Republican Party has moved far to the right. Last year, more than 200,000 Republicans in Pennsylvania changed their registration to become Democrats. I now find my political philosophy more in line with Democrats than Republicans.
When I supported the stimulus package, I knew that it would not be popular with the Republican Party. But I saw the stimulus as necessary to lessen the risk of a far more serious recession than we are now experiencing.
Since then, 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. I have not represented the Republican Party. I have represented the people of Pennsylvania.
I have decided to run for reelection in 2010 in the Democratic primary.
I am ready, willing and anxious to take on all comers and have my candidacy for reelection determined in a general election.
I deeply regret that I will be disappointing many friends and supporters. I can understand their disappointment. I am also disappointed that so many in the Party I have worked for for more than four decades do not want me to be their candidate. It is very painful on both sides. I thank specially Senators McConnell and Cornyn for their forbearance.
I am not making this decision because there are no important and interesting opportunities outside the Senate. I take on this complicated run for reelection because I am deeply concerned about the future of our country and I believe I have a significant contribution to make on many of the key issues of the day, especially medical research. NIH funding has saved or lengthened thousands of lives, including mine, and much more needs to be done. And my seniority is very important to continue to bring important projects vital to Pennsylvania's economy.
I am taking this action now because there are fewer than thirteen months to the 2010 Pennsylvania Primary and there is much to be done in preparation for that election. Upon request, I will return campaign contributions contributed during this cycle.
While each member of the Senate caucuses with his Party, what each of us hopes to accomplish is distinct from his party affiliation. The American people do not care which Party solves the problems confronting our nation. And no Senator, no matter how loyal he is to his Party, should or would put party loyalty above his duty to the state and nation.
My change in party affiliation does not mean that I will be a party-line voter any more for the Democrats that I have been for the Republicans. Unlike Senator Jeffords' switch, which changed party control, I will not be an automatic 60th vote for cloture. For example, my position on Employees Free Choice (card check) will not change.
Whatever my party affiliation, I will continue to be guided by President Kennedy's statement that sometimes party asks too much. When it does, I will continue my independent voting and follow my conscience on what I think is best for Pennsylvania and America.
Breitbart reports:
WASHINGTON (AP) - Veteran Republican Sen. Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania disclosed plans Tuesday to switch parties, a move intended to boost his chances of winning re-election next year that also will push Democrats within one seat of a 60-vote filibuster-resistant majority.
"I now find my political philosophy more in line with Democrats than Republicans," Specter said in a statement posted on a Web site devoted to Pennsylvania politics and confirmed by his office. Several Senate officials said a formal announcement was expected later in the day or Wednesday.
President Barack Obama called Specter almost immediately after he was informed of the decision to say the Democratic Party was "thrilled to have you," according to a White House official.
Specter, 79 and in his fifth term, is one of a handful of Republican moderates remaining in Congress in a party now dominated by conservatives.Several officials said secret talks that preceded his decision reached into the White House, involving both Obama and Vice President Joseph Biden, a longtime colleague in the Senate. Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell as well as Democratic leaders in Congress also were involved, added the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to disclose details.
With Specter, Democrats would have 59 Senate seats. Democrat Al Franken is ahead in a marathon recount in Minnesota, and if he ultimately wins his race against Republican Norm Coleman, he would become the party's 60th vote. That is the number needed to overcome a filibuster.
