The Arlen Specter decade | Philly

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Tuesday, April 28, 2009

The Arlen Specter decade

I believe we're entering what I like to call the Arlen Specter Decade. Oh, for me, Arlen Specter, the 10's will be pretty much the same as the 00's. I'll still be thinking of me, Arlen Specter. But for you, you'll be thinking more about how things affect me, Arlen Specter. When you see a news report, you'll be thinking, "I wonder what Arlen Specter thinks about this thing?", "I wonder how this inflation thing is hurting Arlen Specter?" And you women will be thinking, "What can I wear that will please Arlen Specter?", or "What can I not wear?"

-- (slightly modified from "Saturday Night Live," December 1979).

It seems that Al Franken isn't the only (likely) new member of the Democratic uber-majority in the Senate with a famous riff on what it all means to me, me, me. For eight years, Arlen Specter for the most part just sat there -- sometimes on mute, sometimes enabling -- while his Republican Party drifted to the far, far right and crossed its triple "Ts" of torture, tax-cuts-for-the-rich, and teenage abstinence-only sex-ed. Now he's speaking out -- because a poll said he might lose an election and lose his job.

I don't think this will make the updated version of "Profiles in Courage."

Posted by Will Bunch @ 7:19 PM Permalink | 25 comments

Comments

Posted 07:34 PM, 04/28/2009

SteveMG

Don't discount the deal he made. He brings all his seniority to the Democratic Party. Otherwise, he's just the ranking minority member. You also can't ignore that the Republican Party has gone off the deep end. So he's supposed to be obligated to go along with them?

Posted 07:36 PM, 04/28/2009

SteveMG

And what about the hundreds of thousands of PA voters who changed their registration? They have to go back?

Posted 07:46 PM, 04/28/2009

beetlejuice

Back and to the left......back and to the left.... back and to the left....... that's one magic senator.

Posted 07:55 PM, 04/28/2009

Mr. Baseball

Heard some commentators on TV speculating this is just another nail in the coffin of the Republican Party. While I don't necc. agree with that, they do make an interesting point that the far right has turned the GOP into a fringe party everywhere but the deep south (which of course includes the T of Pa.) When you hear Michael Steele decrying Specter as a leftist, you know they have lost touch with reality.

Posted 08:00 PM, 04/28/2009

The Genius

Liberal Demmys- YOUR party is a mess- NANCY PELOSI- HARRY REID- TOMMY TELEPROMPTER- THE COLON COWBOY FROM NY- the epic debalce goes on and on.......

Posted 08:09 PM, 04/28/2009

Comrade Xi back from reeducation

Good riddance...let the purge begin.

Posted 08:10 PM, 04/28/2009

beetlejuice

Specter is a career politician who knows nothing but running for office. The man from Kansas would be lost out there on the range if it weren't for politics. He found a niche in life and has rode it to the very edge. If he were back on the Midwest plains they would say he got everything out of that horse he was riding. His ride hopefully is over. This pea brained single shot theory nincompoop has finally met his match. Good riddance Mr Specter.........

Posted 08:25 PM, 04/28/2009

calm weather

"Pea brained single shot theory nincompoop" . . . well, you know that the Zapruder film and computer graphics have proven that, because Kennedy and Connolly were both turned a bit in their seats and Connolly was in a lower jump seat, that Spector's single bullet theory is correct. But, hey, don't let facts or science get in your way.

Posted 08:26 PM, 04/28/2009

beetlejuice

Tonight, is Arlen watching the Phils or watching the Sixers or is he watching the polls.........?

Posted 08:27 PM, 04/28/2009

jmc

.."while his Republican Party drifted to the far, far right." I'm sorry to inform you that the Republicans are in the trouble they're in because they drifted left. They blurred the distinctions between them and the Dems. If Dems are big government statists, then the Republicans were statists that favored only slightly less government.

Posted 08:32 PM, 04/28/2009

beetlejuice

Right or wrong Arlen was a tool in the Warren Commission investigation.His only role was to explain the assassination without any loose ends. He did his job and was properly awarded. Who gives a dam what the truth was.

Posted 08:49 PM, 04/28/2009

beetlejuice

After just reading will's prior post I now understand why there are so few responses to this thread. There were 130 something responses to the magic bullet post. I should have known that was all about Arlen and his defecting to the other side. The side that flies 747s over New York just to have a little fun.

Posted 09:09 PM, 04/28/2009

E.Plebnista

"YOUR party is a mess" - thank you, chip diller. of course, for most people issues aren't a partisan thing, but thank you for your postcard from irrelevance. "Good riddance...let the purge begin." - Your Hate America Firsters thank you for your support. Let nothing stop you from hating your fellow Americans, no matter how few of them you think there are with each passing day... This isn't a matter of teh teevee, this is a matter of reality. The modern "conservative" is a joke - and not a good one. They have the intellectual credibility of a radish danish. Until they climb down from their ivory towers they will forever be a discredited, fringe element at best tolerated and at worst defended againt.

Posted 09:21 PM, 04/28/2009

georgel

Bye,bye!Sorry I ever voted for him. Really betrayed those that voted for him. The Dems are welcome to him.

Posted 09:53 PM, 04/28/2009

chasing history

As usual the neococonuts don't "get it." Then again, the thought Palin was a slamdunk. lolz...........

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About Will Bunch

Will's book: Learn about it here and purchase it here.

Will Bunch, a senior writer at the Philadelphia Daily News, blogs about his obsessions, including national and local politics and world affairs, the media, pop music, the Philadelphia Phillies, soccer and other sports, not necessarily in that order.

E-mail Will by clicking here.

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