Reid's Specter deal stirs senior Dems' anger

[babylonsister]

Reid's Specter deal stirs senior Dems' anger
By Alexander Bolton
Posted: 04/29/09 01:22 PM


Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid’s (D-Nev.) deal to allow Sen. Arlen Specter to retain his seniority after he switches to the Democratic Conference has not been received well by senior senators in the party.

Several Democrats are furious with Reid for agreeing to let Specter (Pa.) keep the seniority accrued over more than 28 years as a Republican senator. That could allow him to leap past senior Democrats on powerful panels — including the Appropriations and Judiciary committees.

"I won't be happy if I don't get to chair something because of Arlen Specter," said Sen. Barbara Mikulski (D-Md.), who sits on the Appropriations Committee with Specter and is fifth in seniority among Democrats behind Chairman Daniel Inouye (Hawaii), Sens. Robert Byrd (W.Va.), Patrick Leahy (Vt.) and Tom Harkin (Iowa). "I'm happy with the Democratic order but I don't want to be displaced because of Arlen Specter," she said.

One senior Democratic lawmaker told The Hill that the Democratic Conference will vote against giving the longtime Pennsylvania Republican seniority over lawmakers like Harkin, Mikulski and Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) when they hold their organizational meeting after the 2010 election.

more...

http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/democrats-push-back-on-specter-deal-2009-04-29.html

[rockymountaindem]

1. Another screwup by Reid

We've gotta be up in triple digits by now.

[ixion]

2. Reid never misses a chance to screw the dems

or so it seems.

[blueclown]

3. Reid is such a fuck-up.

We are in serious need of a legitimate Democratic challenger in the primary next year.

[Owl]

8. Yep.

[aquart]

4. Are they mad enough to DUMP REID yet?

Because I pretty much am.

[Ian David]

5. Maybe NOW they'll replace Dickless Harry. n/t

[DebbieCDC]

6. Good -- this 'puke in disguise deserves nothing

If old Arlen thought jumping ship was going to buy him anything, he is sadly mistaken. This is fun for us to watch the 'puke heads explode over Specter's "abandoning the party" but he deserves NOTHING from the Dems and sure as hell should NOT -- I repeat NOT -- get seniority over any Dem in committee assignments, etc. Can't we get rid of Harry Reid? Useless POS. "Majority Leader" my ass.

[cali]

7. Ismell the beginning of a rebellion. n/t

[eleny]

9. How long will Specter realistically stay in the Senate?

I have the feeling that he wants to win again and leave on his own terms. With a Dem governor it would keep the seat as a Dem spot.

I know this all sounds cold. But he's in his late 70s and has been so ill. So I truly think he just wants to do this to thumb his nose at the Republicans and exit "his way".

I'm not thrilled that he's a Dem now. I haven't trusted him in a long time. I've flip flopped on his switch since yesterday and have settled on very mixed feelings. I just hope Obama knows what he's doing and that Specter finds some humility real fast.

[sam sarrha]

10. just more proof that Sphincter isnt a Democrat

[davidwparker]

11. How is Harry Reid majority leader anyhow? He was minority leader when

nobody wanted it?

What is that idiot's charm?

[Uncle Joe]

12. Would Specter chair a committee or sub-committee that is to investigate Cheney/Bush malfeasance?

"Since Reid and Specter announced their deal, Senate insiders have speculated that Specter could bump Harkin from his chairmanship of the powerful Labor, Health and Human Services Appropriations Subcommittee or return to be chairman of Judiciary if the current chairman, Leahy, takes over the gavel at Appropriations. Specter was chairman of Judiciary in the 109th Congress when Republicans controlled the chamber and ushered through the confirmations of Supreme Court Justices John Roberts and Samuel Alito."

[babylonsister]

14. Now there's a great question. I don't know, but will try to find out.

Hi, Uncle Joe!

And I'd HATE to see Leahy leave the Judiciary.

[L. Coyote]

13. It is a damn trick and Spector is a mole saving his own arse!