Maine Sen. Collins surprised, disappointed by Specter switch

[t0dd]

From The Boston Herald...

http://www.bostonherald.com/news/us_politics/view/2009_04_28_Maine_Sen__Collins_surprised__disappointed_by_Specter_switch/srvc=home&position=recent

PORTLAND, Maine — Sen. Susan Collins of Maine says she’s "extremely surprised and disappointed" at the decision by fellow Republican Sen. Arlen Specter to leave his party and align with the Democrats.

Collins said in a statement Tuesday that she has great respect for Specter, whom she described as a leading moderate voice in the Senate.

Collins, who won re-election in November with 61 percent of the vote, said she believes Specter’s decision "is more a reflection of Pennsylvania politics than anything else."

[DJ13]

1. She had better realize the crazies have her targeted too

The Reich Wing Republicans dont even consider her to be a Republican anymore.

[Davis_X_Machina]

3. She has the second-safest seat in the Senate...

....with a 30 point margin, and not up again till 2014. She's goin' nowhere. In fact, she sees herself as part of the way back for the GOP.

Collins' staff, (which has some interesting ties to the Rove apparat) has sold her the idea that she can be the antidote to a GOP spiral into irrelevance as a regional party.

It's a Nixon-goes-to-China argument - portray Collins as:

- "Moderate", when her party isn’t.
- Northern, when her party is Southern.
- A woman in a party of pasty white dudes.
- Proven ability to pull Democratic votes -- ask Tom Allen.

The idea was to use the stimulus fight to introduce America to this new, bipartisan, split-the-difference, high Broderite Great White Hope. That was the significance of here showboating on the stimulus.

[DJ13]

6. If she doesnt mind being marginalized, more power to her

She's a fool for staying in a party that has no respect for people who think like she does, but thats her choice I guess.

[MADem]

2. She's like "Shit, now it's just me and Olympia...! All the rest are nutzo!" nt

[Hepburn]

4. Ummmmmmmmm.....

...maybe she should learn a lesson from Arlen? :shrug:

[notadmblnd]

5. is she that shakey voiced woman whose voice just grates on a person when she speaks?

[Kahuna]

7. That is she. nt