Specter condemned Jim Jeffords' party switch in 2001

[ingac70]

Source: Los Angeles Times

---Reporting from Washington -- When a Senate Republican left his party in 2001, elevating the Democrats to majority status, one member of the GOP was especially vocal about his displeasure: Arlen Specter.

Specter said then- Vermont Sen. Jim Jeffords' decision to become an independent was disruptive to the functioning of Congress. He proposed a rule forbidding party switches that had the effect of vaulting the minority to majority status in the middle of a congressional session.

"If somebody wants to change parties, they can do that," Specter said at the time. "But that kind of instability is not good for governance of the country and the Senate."

Now it is Specter switching parties, proclaiming himself a Democrat. While the move won't throw one party out of power, it could potentially hand the Democrats a 60-vote majority and deprive the GOP of the ability to block legislation through a filibuster.---


Read more: http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-specter-jeffords29-2009apr29,0,2430682.story

---

I genuinely hope he has a Dem primary challenger. I'd hate to end up with Toomey because the Dems put all their eggs in Arlen's basket.

[w4rma]

1. He'll have to vote the way Democratic primary voters want him to vote.

Or else he won't be in the general election as a Democrat, either. There are many Democrats in his state who would like that seat and have earned it.

[polichick]

2. There were some potential challengers, but with Obama supporting Specter...

...they'll probably drop out.

[w4rma]

3. Obama hasn't said he'll support Spector in the Democratic primary.

He can easily not get involved in that part of the political process. Spector will get Obama's full support in the general election. Don't get that confused.

[polichick]

6. NPR in Philly reported that one has already dropped out - seems clear Obama, Biden and Rendell...

...want Specter.

[No Elephants]

17. Obama immediately said he would help Specter raise money.

[Buzz Clik]

4. No way! Specter is dead to me.

[EmeraldCityGrl]

5. Too many are assuming Dems will embrace Specter in the primary.

I'd like to see a poll on this subject.

[Turbineguy]

7. McConnell

won't be too far behind. In the end, he wants to keep his job.

[Wetzelbill]

8. yeah then he saw the world go insane for the next 8 years

and he's come to his senses.

[ingac70]

11. senses my foot.

He's always known the Republican party was full of crackpots. He's just saving his own career... the lunatics have taken over the asylum and he wants out!

He's an opportunistic whore like Lieberman.

[Ian David]

9. Let's not bicker and argue over who condemned who... this is supposed to be a HAPPY occasion! n/t

[ingac70]

12. I'm tickled, right now.

I just don't want this fucker around very long. Toomey is a nut and most Pennsylvanians know this, so we need a Dem primary challenger.

Arlen will do for the time being.

[No Elephants]

19. Some of us don't think it is all that great. Effectively, the Pubs have two candidates in the

general election for the Senate next year. Without support from Specter's own party, I think a real Democrat could have beaten Specter and a newcomer who primaried Specter. Instead, we'll get Specter who will be, IMO, not even as good as a DINO. He's already said that he will not necessarily even vote for cloture.

[Forkboy]

20. +1

:rofl:

[bemildred]

10. Specter is a tool. This is what tools do. nt

[dmallind]

13. Oh come on

Doubtless most Republicans slammed it and most Democrats said it was just fine. Just like the positions would have been reversed when Nighthorse-Campbell switched to Rep.

Do people REALLY expect ANY politician to say "switching is always bad - we'll never accept anybody who ever wants to join our party unless they have never even thought of supporting anything about the other!" or "switching is always good and I think all the folks who don't feel too happy about every single thing in our party platform should just move on over to the opposition!"

The die hard anti switchers should be happy anyway as Specter is switching BACK to where he started.

[digidigido]

14. Q. How many Republican Senators does it take to stop a moving bus?

A. Not enough

[Vidar]

16. LOL

[spanone]

15. that's because arlen wasn't desperate about his job at the time....he's a politician

[cali]

18. isn't it ironic that that opportunistic, narcissistic little prick

blasted Jeffords, a man who really does have integrity for doing what he's now doing? And it's clear that Jeffords, unlike Snarlin', did not switch for self-serving reasons. He was in no trouble in Vermont, and this was a man who's family had been republican since the civil war.

[pipoman]

21. I've always despised turncoats regardless their stripe

I think they shouldn't be allowed to switch until they are running for re-election. Specter has always struck me as a caricature of the lifetime politician...this only finishes off that image. Give it up moran, let someone who earned the party affiliation have the seat.