Arlen Specter confirms he is battling cancer, says he 'intends to win'
Arlen Specter's office confirmed Tuesday morning that the longtime U.S. Senator is once again fighting cancer. " I am battling cancer, and it's another battle I intend to win," Specter said in a statement from his office.
Arlen Specter confirms he is battling cancer, says he 'intends to win'
Dan Gross
UPDATE: Arlen Specter's office confirmed Tuesday morning that the former U.S. Senator is once again fighting cancer. "I am battling cancer, and it's another battle I intend to win," Specter said in a statement issued by his office. "I am grateful for the well wishes I have received and I am looking forward to getting back to work, to the comedy stage, the squash court and the ballpark," says Specter, an avid Phillies fan.
We reported what follows below on Monday afternoon...
Arlen Specter has been hospitalized with a serious illness, confirm friends of the longtime U.S. Senator. One asked that people keep him in thoughts and prayers.
Specter, 82, announced in 2005 that he had Hodgkin’s disease for which he underwent chemotherapy. His cancer returned and he was treated again in 2008.
Friends declined to comment Monday afternoon on the nature of his illness.
Specter had been scheduled to appear as a surprise guest and perform a comedy set at last Wednesday’s Stu Bykofsky Candidates Comedy Night but his secretary cancelled his long-booked appearance several days earlier, Bykofsky confirms, adding that Specter’s assistant referred to the cancellation as “personal.”
“I’m sorry I can’t provide any information to that effect, you’ll have to ask somebody else,” replied a woman who answered the phone at Specter’s office Monday when asked if she could confirm that Specter was in the hospital.
Specter’s son, attorney Shanin Specter, promptly retured our email Monday, but declined to comment for this report.
Arlen Specter is a decent public-spirited man who did a lot of good while he was trying to sail in tough and contradictory political winds. No partisan or ideological critique of his record can do him justice, because he believed that each issue had to be examined independently in accordance with the latest available information and the most accurate possible political calculation each time it came up.
Repeatedly I joined other Democrats in nominating candidates against him, but his tenacity, hard work and shrewdness enabled him to defeat Pete Flaherty, Bob Edgar, Lynn Yeakel, Bill Lloyd and Joe Hoeffel. Ironically, only when had worn out the Democratic Party, and we backed him, did he actually lose a Senate election.
He is pretty much out of politics now (he did back the Republican candidate for Mayor of Philadelphia in 2011 while remaining a registered Democrat) but I hope he recovers fully and continues on as an independent public voice.— State Rep. Mark Cohen- Horrible news. Who is going to call Angelo Cataldi's show to demonstrate they have absoultely no knowledge of sports anymore. I will sorely miss the mispronounced names and non-existent football players the Senator called in to talk about.— Drew777
- Sorry to hear this news. Arlen was a good public servant, diligent and
hard working. I respected him while he served his terms, and I respect him now. Hope there is a treatment or cure for his problem. Will say some prayers and hope for the best. Get well Arlen.— barbara k - Love him or hate him, get well soon Arlen Specter!!!!— Dadair1
- This is 'erniebanks' again and I will tell you that all you clowns who back Specter have very short memories. He was a Rino and nothing else! He was a liberal at heart and we have seen since 2007 how the liberals think. I have nothing personally against Specter except that he's a jerk! I am glad he's no longer in Pa. politics and I am also glad that I no longer have to listen to his lies. Specter's own library?! What a joke! By the way, you nitwits, I am a 65-year-old Vietnam veteran and I know which politicians care about this country, and Specter is and never was one of them!— erniebanks14
- A complication of recurrent Hodgkin's disease at his age sounds ominous. Give it your best fight Mr. Spector. You always have in everything you've done for this state and this nation. Godspeed.— gilbrook
- All I know is that the hospital staff will be anxious to cure him and check him out. When he was in the Jefferson for the brain tumor, he was unbearable and very ignorant. I wonder if Brucey Marks is visiting him.— TheShadowKnows
- Former Pennsylvania resident and followed the Senator thru his career. My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family at this time. Stay strong and beat this again.— daniel kensek
- A former US senator who has accomplished a great deal more in life than most is reported to be very ill and the usual Philly.com morons climb out from the sewer to comment. Nobody has it easy in this world but for people to make some of the comments that have been posted is genuinely pathetic. If you can't wish the best for any person who is very ill then you should keep your comments to yourselves. I think the time for Philly.com to make users dislose their real names is upon us.— syddan26
- Couldn't agree with you more on all counts!
Noises are being made around the internet about requiring real names being required for posting Comments/opinions but some well-meaning people feel it's a privacy violation - hmmm.
For some of the Blogs on these pages I notice that membership in Social Media is required. Okay, but I resent the ones that rely on Facebook membership since I absolutely refuse to join that faddish club. If they included gamil login I would qualify and my real name would be available.
Not to brag but I do at least include a photo of my face with my Comments.
(Anyone who comes across me and wants to mow me down on the streets around Rittenhouse Square because of a Comment would find me an easy target.) - Hang in there Senator. Get well soon!— ghall1961
- Geez, nobody mentioned the embarrassment he was at the Anita Hill hearings....short memories.— itdepends9933
- Specter lost his way quite a few years ago, when he would take positions based on polls so he would continue as part of the DC elite. But I certainly hope he can pull through this; it does sound bad though
And I do wonder what Warren Commission secrets he'll eventually take to his grave— Polecat_39 - One of the most-articulate people living; concise and honest. The Senate lost an example of what a Senator should be. Provides a living example of high intelligence put to good use; politics aside.— Jay375
- For anyone who knows Arlen Specter, he is a man that votes on the issues, not by party. That is why he made the decision to switch parties to continue to help Pennsylvania. I am a democrat who was very involved with unions. Even though he was a republican he attended almost every union convention that I did. Not knowing his at first I steered clear of him, but he always would seek me out to say hello and tell me how nice it was to see me again. Once I learned his politics I looked forward to saying hello to him whenever we crossed paths and I voted for him many times. He was truly for the people of Pennsylvania. We should be so lucky to have someone of his ethics in office both here and elsewhere in the nation. Stay strong Arlen and remember there are people who really appreciate all the hard work you did over the years to help our state and our country.
— tshewell
