Democrats may play hardball in Pennsylvania-MSNBC's Chris Matthews could be in the mix

[kpete]

Source: Los Angeles Times

Democrats may play hardball in Pennsylvania

MSNBC's Chris Matthews could be in the mix of candidates hoping to win Republican Sen. Arlen Specter's seat in 2010.

By Josh Drobnyk
November 26, 2008

Reporting from Washington -- The Northeast's dwindling cast of Senate Republicans has Democrats circling Arlen Specter's seat in Pennsylvania, convinced the party is well-positioned to make a competitive race out of the 2010 election.

Leading the pack of prospects -- at least in celebrity -- is Chris Matthews, the MSNBC "Hardball" host and a former Capitol Hill Democratic staffer. The Philadelphia native has been toying with a run for months, and this week he sat down with state Democrats to discuss the prospect of taking on the five-term GOP senator.

Others considered in the mix include Rep. Joe Sestak, who is sitting on $3 million in campaign funds; state Rep. Josh Shapiro; and U.S. Rep. Allyson Y. Schwartz, a two-term Philadelphia area lawmaker who has moved up quickly on the Hill and has a Rolodex full of prospective donors from her unsuccessful 2000 Senate run. "We'll see," she said about a repeat bid.

"There are a lot of compelling reasons why serious Democrats would aspire to run in 2010," said Pennsylvania Democratic Party Chairman T.J. Rooney, who said Matthews had been in Pennsylvania Monday meeting with other Democratic leaders.

Read more: http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-specter26-2008nov26,0,7389657.story

[BootinUp]

1. Sestak is The Man!

Tweety? lol.

[polichick]

2. Well, Tweety would be up against some popular figures.

[ellenfl]

3. tweety still counts as a dem? eom

[Ian David]

4. Pennsylvania would be better-off electing a potato with a blond wig.

[Auggie]

5. I'm going to die from laughter...

That's the funniest post and photo I've seen in a long time.

[eyepaddle]

6. I am gonna have to

second that thought!

[WCGreen]

7. Let's play mash ball...

He always was half baked...

[knixphan]

25. LOL literally!

That is perfect.

[ksimons]

8. I could see him winning - just from name recognition alone nt

[Robbins]

9. Tweety

His biggest problem Is the primary.I expect his primary opporents would attack him as not a real
Democrat.While he worked for both Jimmy Carter and Tip O/Neil and almost certainly voted for Obama(
and In 2004 possabily Kerry too) he can be attacked on this front for admitting for votting for Bush In 2000 and for Michael Steele for the senate In 2006.And for calling Jim Talent,Gordon Smith,
and John Sununu good senators.

If Democrats really go all out Arlen Spector Is Vulenable.He Is not as Moderate as he trys to claim.
He claimed John Roberts and Samual ALito good choices for the court.Claims to be proChoice but always votes for proLife Judges.If he votes against Obama's Economic policy he could have hung
himself If Democrats act on It.

The Idea Senate Candiate If he would run would be Ed Rendell.Question for PA DUers are governors
limited to 2 terms because If they are he can't run for another term as Governor.

[AllentownJake]

12. Ed Rendell would lose to Specter

He isn't as popular as he used to be. I'd be torn but would do the right thing at the end.

[malachi]

13. Rendell - Specter

You'd be torn? They don't compare. Specter votes with repubs 95%+.

[AllentownJake]

14. I really don't like Ed Rendell

Like really really don't like him.

[tavalon]

24. You are a political wonk. I am a political wonk

We know who Tweetie is. I doubt he's nearly as widely known among the average voter.

[harun]

10. I hope to win that seat for myself.

[PaDem]

11. My vote goes to Shapiro.......

he has a high ceiling in my view.

[JaneQPublic]

15. The biggest hurdle for a Tweety campaign would be...

...the "listening" tour... and for him to shut up long enough for voters to get a word in edgewise.

[Life Long Dem]

16. Chris is hitting the campaign trail!

:bounce:

[Kurska]

17. Well, you could do worse then tweety

[elleng]

21. HOW?

He's totally unpredictale, unreliable, a loudmouth and a know-it-all. In order to win, he'd have to re-create himself, so what good would his 'celebrity' be?

[ClarkUSA]

18. I am looking forward to working/volunteering for Matthews in the primary.

Sestak has to charisma of a carp. He also has a bad rep on Capitol Hill for being usually harsh towards his staff (there's
a very high turnover rate), which might lead to some unpleasant stories in the press.

[ooglymoogly]

19. Tweety is a democrat like Reagan was a democrat.

Though has been trying of late to sound like one. Anybody else notice the left turn.

[Lugnut]

20. I've noticed the u-turn.

Tweety is a political windsock in my opinion. Snarlin' Arlen needs to go but I'm not conviced that Chris is the one to dethrone him.

[elleng]

22. Turns round and round and round,

unreliable.

[Laelth]

26. Matthews comes fom a family of Democrats.

And I think he's a Democrat at heart. I think what changed was his masters' instructions. He has only recently been allowed to be the Democrat he is because his masters determined, after Kieth Olberman's success, that there's a market or liberal thought and opinion.

just my 2 cents ...

The United States is a LIBERAL Country.

:dem:

-Laelth

[UTUSN]

27. Sorry, but Tweety's family were "cloth coat (Rethugs)" by his description. His brother is a Rethug

office holder. Tweety's main link to Democratic leanings was the ethnic and religious pride of JFK's win. After that, it was sheer opportunism: He has said (admitted) that it wasn't idealism that led him to join the Peace Corps, it was just to avoid Vietnam. Then he got jobs with Democratic leaders--it was where his fortunes lay. But when RAYGUN beat the pants off of Tweety's Dem bosses, his D.C. sycophant's love of a WINNER as the only way to POWER, led his worm to start turning. He adores RAYGUN. Period. Then he moved to the t.v. yakking business under the tutelage of his fellow Rethug G.E. RUSSERT.

*My* 2 cents are that surely the great dominion of Pennsylvania can come up with a REAL Dem.

[ooglymoogly]

29. Not with Rahm calling the DLC shots.

He has been dumping on real democrats and getting deno's elected for years.

[Laelth]

31. I thought his father and grandfather were REAL Philadelphia Democrats.

I don't deny what you say. No doubt Pennsylvania has plenty of true progressives from which to choose. On the other hand, I have some faith that Tweety has seen the light. Perhaps, though, it's just opportunism. Hard to say.

The United States is a LIBERAL Country.

:dem:

-Laelth

[ooglymoogly]

28. Yes and perhaps that is somewhat true

but do you recall his frothing at the mouth when someone in the press generously called Reagan a B actor.

[Laelth]

30. I do.

There's a reason he's called "Tweety" around here. In the past, he has often been hostile to the left. But I like the Tweety I've seen this past year. I have hope that he has "seen the light."

The United States is a LIBERAL Country.

:dem:

-Laelth

[tavalon]

23. Tweetie wants to perch in the Senate?

Snort! That's funny. :rofl:

[AlinPA]

32. Joe Sestak or Allyson Schwartz would be fine for PA. No way I'd

vote in the primary for that slobbering fool loudmouth Matthews.