Democratic voters remain skeptical of Arlen Specter

[bemildred]

Source: LAT

As Sen. Arlen Specter stood alongside steelworkers whose pensions he helped save, he urged Democratic voters to remember his record in Congress, even his decades as a Republican.

He always put principles before party, Specter said, citing his vote for President Obama's economic stimulus plan. He reminded them that was the vote that pushed him out of the Republican Party and into the Democratic fold, whose primary voters will decide the five-term senator's fate Tuesday.

"The little guys need representation in Washington," he told supporters at a union hall here. "You need somebody who will … figure out what's in the public's interest and vote that way, politics be damned."

But many Democrats remain skeptical, which is why the 80-year-old Specter is fighting for his political life in a tight, nasty primary battle with Rep. Joe Sestak. Incumbents in both parties are facing difficult reelection battles across the nation, but Specter has the added challenge of facing voters who are suspicious that he changed political parties as a matter of convenience rather than core beliefs. A Morning Call/Muhlenberg College tracking poll released Wednesday showed Sestak and Specter tied, with each receiving the support of 45% of likely Democratic voters. The winner is expected to take on former Rep. Pat Toomey, the presumed Republican nominee, in the fall.

Read more: http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-specter-primary-20100513,0,7821937.story

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Looks like Snarlin Arlen is finally going to spend more time with his family.

[socialist_n_TN]

1. Sestak seems to actually have a CHANCE

against Toomey. It doesn't look like Specter does. Reason enough by ITSELF to vote for Sestak, IMO.

[LibDemAlways]

2. Specter's move to the D party wasn't any great principled decision.

It was a craven political move to try and save his ass this election cycle, and it looks like it may be backfiring. If the PA voters hand him his walking papers, he'll have a big fat pension, probably join a few corporate boards, and live out his life very comfortably. No tears for Arlen.

[uberblonde]

5. You mean, like Sestak's sudden switch to Democrat?

He was an independent all his life until shortly after Rahm Emanuel recruited him. His cover story was that he didn't think he should appear "biased" but I can assure you, that's only a convenient alibi.

Now tell me the last time Rahm recruited someone who didn't turn out to be a Blue Dog.

Go ahead, I'll just sit here and wait.

[catgirl]

6. But he wasn't a republican

And your point is? Sestak has a better chance to beat the republican here. AND he's
obviously better than Spector.

[BumRushDaShow]

7. However

people here continue to forget that in this state, the only reason why Specter has been in so long is not because of the rethuglican votes - it's because of the Philadelphia Democrats who continually crossed parties to put him in. When Lynn Yeakel had a chance to unseat him in 1992, guess what happened? Specter brought much bacon home to Philadelphia and Philadelphia put him over the top in a close race. This a city that is > 80% Democrat.

I have gotten 3 robocalls over the past couple weeks - one from my Congressman (Chakah Fattah), one from Phillies shortstop Jimmy Rollins, and one yesterday from one of the city at-large Councilwomen Blondell Reynolds Brown, all targeting Philadelphians to support Specter. Not one piece of mail or a call from Sestak.

If the city turns out, Sestak would lose. If not, he has a shot. IMHO, Specter should have retired and someone other than Sestak should have run.

[Demit]

9. You make a good point. But I think it's too much nuance for out-of-state commenters here.

I bet they don't know that Arlen Specter is married to Joan Specter, a LONG time Democratic City Councilwoman in Philadelphia. Arlen never was the rabid Republican that some people want to make him out to be. Which is why Phila area Democrats have voted for him time and again, me included. Sometimes I'm really not happy with his actions, but then again I'm sometimes really not happy with Obama's actions over the last year and a half either.

Joe Sestak is not exactly a reincarnation of the golden age of principled Democrats. And he made a very poor showing in their debate last week. He came across as insincere, and rote, and I can't help but think here is a very ambitious man, wanting to jump right to the Senate before completing his second term as a House member. But I don't think he has the political chops. I have no confidence in him going up against Toomey in the fall. This is a big state, and Toomey is from the western part of it, which has an instinctive resentment for anybody from the Phila area. They may not, however, be quite ready to put Mr. Club for Growth into power. I think Arlen represents the moderate compromise to those voters— and he's the devil we know—and thus has the better shot to beat Toomey. I'm leaning Arlen.

[BumRushDaShow]

10. Agree and I am concerned

that Sestak doesn't have the ruthlessness needed to play dirty politics like a Fast Eddie or a Specter when it comes to dealing with teabagger candidates and the media that supports them. I also think that alot of the suburban Republicans are moderates (at least here in the east) and many voted for Obama or sat home and decided to become independents out of disgust for Bush. And as new independents, these folks would never be able to stomach a Toomey or any of the teabagger nonsense - particularly if the campaign becomes one of focussing on wedge issues.

If anything, the independents will decide as I have a feeling that there may be a low turnout from both parties - even with the gubernatorial race going on and despite the 1.2 million Democratic advantage in terms of registration. A Toomey might do extremely well in a red state like Utah, but except for certain counties, this state has a different type of Republican.

[catgirl]

11. "too much nuance for out-of-state commenters"

I bet you're just a miserable snarky-assed commenter. I appreciate the response from above, but yours
is just idiotic.

[Demit]

12. ok, Massachusetts and New Hampshire. You prove my point.

[catgirl]

13. That you're pathetic?

I've lived in many states. Not that it's any of your business. The only point you've made is
that you mistakenly think you're smarter than everyone and feel the need to be snarky for
absolutely no good reason. It must suck to be you. Good-bye my IGNORED friend.

[MH1]

16. Yeah but

Unfortunately I misplaced which poll it was and I need to get to bed here, but I saw one that despite endorsements from the big unions for Specter (while Sestak has quite a few small union endorsements), union families poll 60% for Sestak. Maybe they are fed up with Specter on EFCA. Union folks I know, will readily acknowledge the corruptness of the big unions' leadership ... they're not necessarily going to "do as they're told" on election day.

I also think that PA, like MA, has trouble voting for women in top political roles. (Yeakel's problem)

But I think Philly is a big concern for Sestak. Obviously I am pulling for him but I fully recognize it's an uphill battle with the Philly mindset and Rendell against him. (but that only hurts in Philly - across the state, Rendell's popularity is abysmal. See latest QPac poll.)

[AlinPA]

8. He was in the Navy for 31 years. When he was an Admiral he was not able to express

a political party because of his rank (Army, Air Force and Marine Generals also follow this rule and register as Independent). He got out of the Navy in 2005 and shortly after registered as a Democrat.

[MH1]

15. Sestak worked in the Clinton White House.

What was Specter's relationship with Clinton during that time? I'd like to think that Arlen called for sanity on the whole Lewinsky stupidity but I'm not holding my breath for someone to come up with the link.

[pattmarty]

3. Ya fucking think. If I lived in Pa I would vote for Sestak. Specter is...........

...........old and always was a moderate Republican or since he "switched" (again), a conservative Dem.

[pokercat999]

4. There is only one Democrat in that race and his name isn't

Arrrrrlen.

[sendero]

14. Always put principal above party?

Like when you accused Anita Hill of making it all up.

Specter is a lying douchebag. Though most of his colleagues are no better, it would warm my heart to see him sent home.