No matter what we think of Specter

[question everything]

and many DUers hate his guts - I think that it was really shitty not to preserve his seniority if one was promised him. And Reid does not deny that, he just weaseled to Blitzer that, um, a seniority is determined with a new Congress. So, first let's wait for 2010 and then will talk.

Nice way to stab someone in the back. Real men do this facing their targets.

[OHDEM]

1. We don't know what was promised him.

We only have Specter's word on it and he seems very confused lately. Does Reid have the power to give him senority over loyal Democrats?

[question everything]

6. Reid does not deny it

and if does not have the power to do this, he should have told him. Whatever arrangement were promised, or perceived as promised should have been clarified before the switch. No, no one was going to let him chair a committee, but sending him to the back of the line?

We can forget about any other Republican switching sided.

[LakeSamish706]

9. I also think that President Obama should have butted out of this and should not...

support Specter over other loyal Democrats in the 2010 election.

[OHDEM]

14. Maybe he changed his mind after Specter started....

...running off at the mouth about not being a "loyal Democrat" (no shit) and that Coleman should be seated. Specter has been in the game long enough to know that Reid doesn't have total and absolute power in the Senate. It's unfortunate if he was misled, but what was his alternative anyway? He switched because he found that he's going to lose in the Republican primary and now he's pissing off Democrats already so senority or not, he's probably going home next election.

At any rate, from what I've read, Specter didn't expect anything to kick in until next Congress. We'll see....

[Political Tiger]

22. Did Reid confirm it? n/t

[question everything]

24. No, Just weaseled

it is up to the chairs of the committees.... he still has his seniority in the Senate..

Could not get a straight answer from him.

[Atman]

2. It's not shitty at all. It's payback.

Specter would have done it in a heartbeat. Any Republican would have similarly fucked him over, then held a special reception honoring their evilness.

I'm not advocating being "just like them." I'm just saying, they wrote most of the rules of this game. Fuck 'em if they cry when forced to play by them.

.

[ShortnFiery]

3. Please tell me this is satire?

:spray: :rofl:

Senator "Give em Hell" Harry Reid could promise the moon, but Specter should have known that REID does not have the power to promise that he'll keep his seniority.

Hell, if Reid had any power, that gutless "Gang of 14" wouldn't of botched the attempted Filibuster on Alito's confirmation.

... IF Reid had any power, the Mortgage Protection bill for us "little people" would have been passed the other day instead of having DEFECTORS from Democratic Senators to "the Corporate side."

Again, Specter should know that Reid has FEET OF CLAY ... "an errand boy sent to the grocery." :evilgrin:

[lsewpershad]

One weasel to another

Ha Ha

[LakeSamish706]

4. First of all, Reid had no business in hell offering that.... It is up to all Senators...

And as was just mentioned on Hard Ball, Seniority comes from the party, not the length of service as a Senator. So all of our loyal Senators should just sit back and let this self proclaimed (Non Loyal Democrat) out rank them in their own party? I don't be thinking so.

[ColbertWatcher]

5. Exactly. All the members of the Senate decide, not just one guy. n/t

[question everything]

11. Then this should have been explained to Specter

He went on a town hall meeting back home assuring his audience that his seniority would assure that he will be able to serve them best. Now he is the laughing stock. Do we want him to win or do we want him to lose? I have no say, I just think that after all the hoopla about him, this is no way to humiliate him.

[mitchum]

12. Specter has been sucking the public tit for a long time...

he only has himself to blame for not knowing how that tit works.

[OHDEM]

17. OMG ROTFLMAO

:rofl: :spray:

[LakeSamish706]

13. I think the big problem here is that Democrats expected him to cross parties....

and be a loyal Democrat. He did not do this and the only reason it would seem that he did join the Democrats was to win his Senate seat. I have no idea who the Democrats were that talked him in to becoming a Democrat under those circumstances, but it was nuts.

[Duer 157099]

28. I disagree. This is a great way to humiliate him

I was cautiously optimistic when he announced his "change" - but it took only hours before his motivation and intentions became clear, due to his own hubris.

He's a big boy, playing in the big leagues, and he knows full well how it all works.

I think it's time for him to retire.

[lib2DaBone]

7. Bull-Oney.....

The democrats don't owe Arlen Sphincter ANYTHING!

Just because he's a broken down politician fighting to save his gravy train/free lunch.. we're supposed to jump?

Sen. Sphincter should go gracefully into the night and count his stolen money.

[DearAbby]

8. Here, let me whip up some tears here....

It's harder than I thought...It's seems the esteemed senator didn't live up to his end of the deal...all bets are off.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

10. Gotta disagree...

Sphincter changed parties only because -- and he admits this -- he realized he was unlikely to be re-elected as a Republican. But he was arrogant enough to assume that the Dems would give him anything he wanted because they needed him to get a 60-member majority. It seems to me the quid pro quo was that he was allowed to become a Democrat, thereby (possibly) improving his chance to keep his Senate seat. He got what he wanted and what he switched for: a better re-election chance. Why should the Dems also let him keep his seniority after he proclaimed that he wasn't going to be a loyal Democrat and he wanted Norm Coleman to be seated? He needs the Democrats at least as much, if not more, than they need him. If he tries to go back to the Republicans he's doomed. If he wants to be a Democrat he'd better start acting like one. They don't owe him anything.

[question everything]

16. The question is: was he promised this or not?

Did he just assumee that his seniority would be kept? I don't think that anyone came out to say: hey, not so fast.

No, we don't owe him anything and someone Reid? should have said: we'd love to have you but we cannot promise you anything.

Unless he is completely confused - a real possibility - he appeared on several venues repeating this and is now humiliated.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

21. He's been in the Senate long enough to know how that works

so he should have known damn well that Reid couldn't promise any such thing. Reid might have told him he'd make a recommendation to the other Dem senators, but that's not a guarantee. No, my heart bleeds not for the weaselly Senator Sphincter, and I care not that he's humiliated. He should have thought of that before he publicly crapped all over his new party colleagues.

[OneGrassRoot]

23. Just about to post the exact same thing. He's been there forever...

he knows how it works.

[mitchum]

15. I'll play my Single Violin for poor little Arlen

[MrSlayer]

18. Bullshit. If he isn't going to vote for what we want, what do we need him for?

We need to hold this over his head. If he votes for EFCA and public health care, something can be worked out in the next congress. Dude was in the party for less than a week before he started talking about how he wouldn't be loyal. We never should have let him in to begin with.

[LakeSamish706]

20. I'm with you, he should have never been allowed in, period... And as far as I ...

concerned he can take Reid with him on the way out.

[Winterblues]

19. So you have real honest to goodness Democrats that have been there for twenty years

are going to lose their seniority because of Specter? I don't think Democrats would stand for that for one second and in fact they did not no matter what Reid or Obama Promised.. Specter has ten days Seniority as a Democrat and that is just the way it is.....

[question everything]

25. No, they should not

and he certainly should not be the chair of any committee. But, one example was that when Souter replacement will appear before the Judiciary committee, he will be the last one to ask questions.

Perhaps this is the way it should be but this is not what he thought and said to anyone who asked. And perhaps he is just confused. I doubt, though, that we will see any more switching any time soon.

[Fire1]

26. LEVERAGE!!! That's what Arlen gave the Dems and they are

using it to OUR advantage!! "Who could ask for anything more?" Karma's a bitch!! They took ALL his stripes, busted him down to private, gave him a mop, bucket and a potato peeler and sent his ass to the basement!!! ROFLMAO!!!!:rofl: :rofl:

[islandmkl]

27. so...Harry 'lied' to Arlen??...based on what information??...ohh...Arlen's side of THAT story...

and, second...what other repubs are coming over??...maybe now they realize that there is more to the 'switch' than just grabbing the (D)....

[BlooInBloo]

29. Bullfuckingshit. Not if Specter reneged on his end of the bargain first....

Do you know that that's not the case?