Nutter Says Specter Switch Shows GOP is Out of Touch
Mayor Nutter today said Sen. Arlen Specter's plans to switch to the Democratic party shows that the Republican party is "out of touch with mainstream America."
Nutter Says Specter Switch Shows GOP is Out of Touch
Catherine Lucey
Mayor Nutter today said Sen. Arlen Specter's plans to switch to the Democratic party shows that the Republican party is "out of touch with mainstream America."
"Sen Specter has been a great American, great public servant, he’s served the interests of Philaedelphia and Pennsylvania, but also the nation very well," Nutter said. "Certainly, that’s a personal decision he’s making. But I think it demonstrates that the Republican party is so out of touch that there’s no room for great moderate like Sen. Specter."
UPDATE: Nutter added that he was very excited to hear the news. "Welcome home, Sen. Specter," he said.
Asked if Specter belongs with the Democrats, Nutter said: "Oh, he absolutely belongs in the Democratic party. He'll be very comfortable in the Democratic party."
Nutter noted that Specter has often voted with the Democrats. He praised Specter's support of President Obama's $787 billion stimulus package, despite Republican opposition. "He full well understood the policy implications as well as the political implications of his vote and still did the right thing."
Comments (31)
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are you kidding me. He was going to lose the primary. Now he has a shot to last longer, but eventually he will still lose. He signed that mess they call the stimulus package, which I guess couldn't "save" the 21,000 jobs lost @ GM!!!— sawgrass- Or it shows Toomey would give him a run for his money. Lets be honest Mayor.— democratsruinedthecity
- "Out of Touch" This from a man who didn't see the cities financial problems coming. I care what Nutter thinks why?— DadofThree
- Hey Nutter! Shut up and clean up your own town which you suck at by the way. The proud mayor of a city of cop killers!!— sawgrass
- Mayor Nutter is so right. Just look at how moderate the Dems are in the city of Philadelphia. They are so moderate they need a bailout. Moderates do belong in the Democratic party. I guess being moderate is gun control national health care and bailouts all that most Americans disagree with. 2010 can't come soon enough.— rgreen72
- And their is no room in the Democratic party for moderate Democrats like Joe Lieberman— jdrox
Senator Specter didn't leave the GOP based on principles of any kind. He left to further his personal political interests because he knew that he was going to lose a Republican primary due to his left-wing voting record- Unfortunately for Mayor Peanut Nutter, he cannot merely switch parties to evade his political failures.— CD75
- As much as I like the mayor, I think he should keep quiet on this one. The dems dont have much to cheer for on their side these days either. They tell you that you are out of touch unless you are pro- killing babies, higher taxes, being told you are a bigot if you are against gay marriage and the list could go on..... Specter is in survival mode and he is very likely to lose no matter what party of choice he chooses that day.— jphil
- why shoudl I support a fake democrat like Arlen Specter. This isn't about principles: that was Jim Jeffords, who jumped ship early into the Bush Administration. arlen embraced some of BushCo's most radical policies, including suspending habeas corpus. i can't see how a rank and file democrat can get behind senator specter after the past 8 years. he should retire.— brendancalling
- Some people will do anything to win. So Penn. just who does he put first, the people or himself.— Daisy J
- good we dont need a guy who helped a socialist prez pass a pork bill to fund his welfare state— JJWISEGUY
- Specter could care less about the democratic party or the republican party...He is one of the few that actually try to do a good job for the country....He is not the typical political party leech......Yes he is becoming a democrat in order to be re-eleced....but don't for one minute think he will buy into that party line....any more than he bought into the republican party line....He is really an independent but knows that he does more good for the country being in the senate than being defeated and sitting on the sidelines.....OJ, if only htere were more Specter types and less self centered leeches inside the beltway..— nuggett
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- cha cha is faster than this— JJWISEGUY
- *** IT'S JUST A S M O K E S C R E E N *** SPECTER DESTINED TO LOSE GOP PRIMARY, QUITS LIKE A WEASAL INSTEAD OF FIGHTING FOR WHAT HE BELIEVES. COWARD, SPINELESS, SELFISH. YOU WILL FIT IN FINE WITH YOUR NEW FRIENDS.— WriteWinger
- nutter loves this because it means more pork the ONE.— fred2fred1
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- Is it just me or do I seem to remember that about fifty years ago the senator started out as a democrat. Well, one good flip flop deserves another I guess.— HARDHAT
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A "great public servant," huh? so all of those allegations of corruption, we just imagined those... Also, speak for those you know. I'm a Republican. That doesn't mean I'm a fear mongering enemy of the people. It could also just mean the Democrats annoy me more.— Ilmare- Comment removed.
- How many screen names do you guys have?— geordigirl
- EGO!— abnrgr
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- Watching the hateful Limburgers destroy the Republican Party is amazing. Where are normal Conservatives supposed to go, the Libertarians?— Ed_Tilton
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- It shows he just wants to be a part of the corrupt gang thats responsible for the destruction of Philly. Nutter, Fumo, Brady, Street, Mariano, Rendell, Goode etc..........the list is endles.— TomM
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- I agree with the Mayor, the Republicans are out of touch. They need to be touching more. I though they were reaching out and touching more people lately - that would certainly explain all the tea bagging on April 15th - but I guess it wasn't enough touching for Senator Specter. If there's any group out there who touches more people it's the Democrats. In fact, the Democrats go above and beyond in their attempts to reach out and touch their constiuents. It's more like political, economic, and social groping. Welcome to the party Senator Specter.— NathanielMerriweather
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Chris Brennan, a native Philadelphian and graduate of Temple University, joined the Daily News in 1999. He has written about SEPTA, the Philadelphia School District, the legalization of casino gambling, state government, the mayor, the governor, City Council and political campaigns. E-mail tips to brennac@phillynews.com
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Sean Collins Walsh is from Bucks County and went to Northwestern University. He joined the Daily News copy desk in 2012 and now covers the Nutter administration. Before that, he interned at papers including The New York Times, The Dallas Morning News and The Seattle Times. E-mail tips to walshSE@phillynews.com
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David Gambacorta spent a small eternity writing about cops, drug dealers and serial killers. Now he’s writing about power and politics – which sometimes reminds him of the old crime beat. He joined the Daily News in 2005. And yes, he knows you’re not quite sure how to pronounce his last name. E-mail tips to gambacd@phillynews.com
Follow Dave on Twitter.
Jan Ransom, a native New Yorker, joined the Daily News in 2010 after graduating from Howard University. She has since written about the difficulty of filing police complaints, tax deadbeats and life after violent home invasions. She joined the Daily News City Hall Bureau in 2011 and has plunged headfirst into reporting on administration budget battles and City Council shenanigans. E-mail tips to ransomj@phillynews.com
Follow Jan on Twitter
Sean Collins Walsh is from Bucks County and went to Northwestern University. He joined the Daily News copy desk in 2012 and now covers the Nutter administration. Before that, he interned at papers including The New York Times, The Dallas Morning News and The Seattle Times. E-mail tips to walshSE@phillynews.com
Follow Sean on Twitter
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