Specter: Democratic leader promised me seniority

[sabra]

Source: CNN

WASHINGTON (CNN) — The Democratic leader in the Senate promised Sen. Arlen Specter he would retain his seniority when he jumped from the Republican to the Democratic party, Specter told CNN Wednesday, but faced “pushback” from other Democratic senators.

On Tuesday the Senate confirmed that Specter had lost his seniority in a resolution that set out committee assignments for the entire Senate. The resolution was approved on a unanimous voice vote.


Read more: http://cnnwire.blogs.cnn.com/2009/05/06/specter-democratic-leader-promised-me-seniority/

[Thrill]

1. Well now he knows just how weak a leader Reid is

[Mist]

20. Well, there's that--but perhaps Reid knew it was an empty promise as he knew

the Senate Dems would ignore Specter's seniority.

[Infinite Hope]

57. Or maybe he was recognizing reality rather than pretending Specter was new to the Senate. n/t

[DonCoquixote]

2. Somebody call the WAAAAH-ambulance!

You know Arlen, if you ACTED like a Democrat, you might have been treated like one! Now, if we can only replace your fellow DINOS Reid and Pelosi, we might be able to get this ship out of Port!

[Vidar]

12. Great post!

[droidamus2]

23. Really!

Could it be that his statement that he 'wouldn't be a loyal Democrat' have anything to do with it. I may be paranoid but I would have a problem with putting somebody in a leadership position even in committee who had just changed sides after 29 years. He needs to show that this isn't just for the convenience of having a chance in the next election. If he takes the Democratic label but still votes like a Republican then I would say he should have a good time in his retirement.

[JDPriestly]

33. I think Specter is suffering from a mild dementia due to his age.

His statements and conduct make no sense in the reality of our time. I don't think I can rely on anything he says. And, maybe this goof will move the Democrats in the Senate to replace Reid. That would make the whole ordeal worthwhile.

[No Elephants]

45. In fairness to those with dementia, Democrats could not rely on Specter when he was young, either.

[Iowa]

34. Agreed. But there are a lot more DINOS than Reid and Pelosi...

It would be easier to list the Dems who aren't DINOS.

[No Elephants]

46. IMO, we need a new party. Somewhere in the middle between DINO and radical. Something

like "The Party of Freedom-Loving, Fiscally Responsible, Yet Not Overly Stingy, Highly-Electible Liberals," but with a much better name.

[Iowa]

58. I like that! Where do I sign up?

[liberalmuse]

3. WAAAAAAAAAH!!!

Perhaps he should have gotten it in writing. If he behaved like a good Dem, perhaps the other Democrats would have welcomed him into their midst.

[formercia]

7. The Sgt. at the recruiting office told me that I would be

an astronaut in no time. That IED almost made me one, the human wreckage said.

You voted for it. Burn in Hell.

[formercia]

4. So, go back to the GOP and see if they will give it back.

It was a hot date, or so you thought, but the address turned out to be an empty lot.

[valerief]

5. Specter forgot to "join" the Democratic Party. It takes more than saying, "I'm a Democrat now." nt

[No Elephants]

48. Reid? Harman? Feinstein? Pelosi? Democratic VP candidate Lieberman? Need I go on?

[hayu_lol]

6. Would some kind soul please...

toss this self-serving SOB Trojan Horse and his kindly-old gentleman friend, Reid, out of the Dem party.

Reid is the sorriest excuse for a leader I've ever seen.

[blueclown]

8. Somebody get a violin.

Oh wait, here it is..

:nopity::nopity::nopity::nopity::nopity::nopity:

And oh yeah:

Hey Reid, go fuck yourself. You are the biggest obstacle to the liberal agenda in Congress.

[No Elephants]

49. There's a liberal agenda in Congress?

[UpInArms]

9. didn't I just recently (like yesterday) hear that Spector was backing Coleman

in the Minnesota fiasco?

Hey magic bullet Arlen - go blow yourself - should be easy as you have no spine.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

28. "The Discovery Channel debunked that!"

:grr:

/

[leftynyc]

10. Has he voted even once

for something the Democrats were for since "joining"? Fuck him.

[Ganja Ninja]

37. Yup. He seems hell bent on proving he's independent so screw him. n/t

[Metta]

11. Justice for all. Or is there another shoe to drop in this?

Happy karma for the harm and obstruction you've caused.

[Javaman]

13. he didn't get promised shit and he knows it.

he's trying to pull the same old republican bullshit. he said she said. he may have a D after his name now folks, but he's still pure puke.

[EFerrari]

15. "Arlen Specter Calls Someone Else Inconsistent!"

:rofl:

[DURHAM D]

16. I think he was promised shit by Reid and Biden.

The problem - one is no longer is the Senate and the other should have checked with his colleagues before making promises.

[EFerrari]

17. Maybe that promise was made before he said Coleman should be seated. n/t

[DURHAM D]

18. The promises were made before the announcement of Specter's switch.

Reid and Biden both thought they could control the Senate Dems.

I think Reid's leadership position is on thin ice. I would love to be a fly on the wall in the Senate cloak room.

[EFerrari]

21. The Senate is so dysfunctional, I'm suprised they are completely dressed on most days.

lol

[DURHAM D]

22. Agree - what's missing is that an actual Democrat is not in the lead position. n/t

[insanity]

14. Fuck em'

He didn't have some epiphany that made him want to abandon the GOP, he saw poll numbers against his prospective primary opponent and that scared him. He is an asshat.

[DURHAM D]

19. Personally I think this whole thing says a lot more about Reid -

then is does about Specter.

[ShortnFiery]

29. Yes, but both Reid and Specter are GUTLESS re: Conservative nominees for the Supreme Court.

Sen Reid is NO Leader:

http://www.democrats.com/alito-betrayal

http://www.redorbit.com/news/politics/372052/reid_admits_democrats_cant_block_alito/index.html

And Specter can NOT be counted on for loyalty UNLESS it matches his personal ambitions. :thumbsdown:

http://community.seattletimes.nwsource.com/archive/?date=20041119&slug=goodman19

If the right wing bitterly remembers when Specter opposed Robert Bork's nomination to the Supreme Court in 1987, the left remembers when he defended Clarence Thomas in 1991. In leading the charge against Anita Hill, the prosecutorial Specter said her testimony was "flat-out perjury." It was a phrase that launched a million buttons reading: "I Believe Anita."

[insanity]

40. I think it says a lot about both

Reid is spineless and slimy

Specter values political calculation and power; instead of making a switch on a principle opposition to the GOP, he makes his switch to win elections.

In my opinion, neither of them are entirely worth of the title Senator.

Actually, only a very select few in that chamber are.

[radfringe]

24. does this mean he's going to switch parties again?

go back to being a... umm... go back to being a .... whatever he was before?

nevermind

[dflprincess]

25. So, Specter is shocked to find out politicians lie?

I suppose he's spent his whole career rationalizing the ones he's told.

Welcome to our world, Senator Magic Bullet.

[aquart]

26. Yeah, but you opened your mouth and made him look a fool.

Telling everyone who would listen that you supported Coleman, wouldn't vote with the Democrats, crap on crap. WTF were you trying to impress, moron?

[No Elephants]

47. That's easy. Pennsylvania Republicans, who've been his base for over 20 years. He can't win

without them because he sure ain't going to light a fire under Pennsylvania Democrats. He's trying ot hang on to as much of his base as he can, while picking up some Democrats, whom Specter hopes will prefer voting for a Republican running as a Democrat to voting for a Republican running as a Republican.

I hope someone in Pennsylvania primaries the hell of this dishonest, self-serving S.O.B.

[happygoluckytoyou]

27. IN A RELATED STORY--> JOE LIARMAN PROMISED ARLEN HE COULD BE SECOND IN COMMAND OF THE INDIs

[ckimmy57]

31. Haaa haaa

Good one!!! :rofl:

[ckimmy57]

30. But But But

YOUUUU PROOOMISSSED.....:cry:

Yea, cry me a freakin river Spitter er Specter

[florida08]

32. Reid doesn't have that authority

and after what Specter said I'm glad they pushed back. Let him become an independent.

The Pennsylvania senator said he "misspoke" in an interview with the New York Times Tuesday when he voiced his support for GOP Sen. Norm Coleman, "I have to get used to my new teammates," Specter told CQ Politics. "I'm ordinarily pretty correct in what I say. I've made a career of being precise. I conclusively misspoke."
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2009/05/06/specter-i-misspoke-on-coleman/

Well ok..but please don't do it again?

[No Elephants]

50. I am only just learning Specter Speak. Does "made a career of being precise" mean the same

as "made a career of switching sides?"

There's only one of two possibilities about that "misspeak." Either he's lying through his teeth, or he's lost it so badly that he cannot even remember which Party he is in at the moment. Either way, he should not be Senator.

Anyone here from Pennsylvania know what the chances are that a real Dem will primary this turd out of our punchbowl?

[florida08]

54. hmm

Not sure he "misspoke" as he had a lot to say on the subject according to the NYT

Q: With your departure from the Republican Party, there are no more Jewish Republicans in the Senate. Do you care about that?

A: I sure do. There's still time for the Minnesota courts to do justice and declare Norm Coleman the winner.

Q: Which seems about as likely at this point as Jerry Seinfeld's joining the Senate.

A: Well, it was about as likely as my becoming a Democrat.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/10/magazine/10wwln-q4-t.html?_r=1&ref=magazine

[Joanne98]

35. WHAAAAAAAA!

[MilesColtrane]

36. "I was told there would be punch and cookies."

Welcome to the (Senate version of the) rank and file, jackass.

[Lugnut]

38. Awww. What a shame.

:nopity:

[Dappleganger]

39. First, he has to act like a Democrat.

He's not very convincing. He looks more like a trojan horse than anything else.

[24601]

41. Don't most lawyers know that verbal contracts

aren't worth the paper they are printed on?

[No Elephants]

51. Most are binding--IF you can prove they ever existed in the first place.

[Omaha Steve]

42. Vote to end the EFCA filibuster and get your seniority back

You changed your party. Now change the sheets too. That is all I ask.

OS

[bemildred]

43. After Party Switch, a Senator’s Confused Alliances

:popcorn::popcorn::popcorn:
We need three tubs of popcorn for this ...

WASHINGTON — Senator Arlen Specter, Republican-turned-Democrat of Pennsylvania, has rapidly discovered that switching parties is not as simple as checking a new box on a voter-registration card.

After a week and a day as a Democrat, Mr. Specter is viewed with suspicion by his new Democratic colleagues, with general disdain by his old Republican friends, and with an odd mix of amusement and pity all around.

“I am sure this is an awkward time for Senator Specter,” said Senator Tom Harkin, Democrat of Iowa. “It’s a transition.” He quickly added: “Time heals all wounds.”

Under intense analysis of his every move and utterance, Mr. Specter canceled a scheduled appearance on Wednesday night on “Larry King Live” on CNN.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/07/us/07specter.html?hp

[No Elephants]

52. "Time heals all wounds?" The longer you spend with a viper, the less you heal.

[lbrtbell]

44. "Whine on, harvest moon!"

To quote Bush 41 during a long-ago veep debate.

I love it when you can throw a Republican's words back at a Republican. And Specter's not fooling anybody, he's still very much a Republican.

[No Elephants]

53. It's not that I mind Specter saying that he would not always vote with the

Democrats. If the man owned a principle, I could deal with his voting on the basis of his principle. I very much mind, though, that he said he would not vote with them to invoke cloture. Let the thing come to a vote, then vote however you want.

I cannot stomach his promise to help the Party of No with its obstructionism. It has taken the fillibuster to unprecedented lengths, using it more that the Democrats did when the Republicans controlled all three branches of government. I mind that more than I mind what he said about Coleman because, ultimately, Specter cannot affect the outcome of that election. He may well affect many cloture votes, though.

Finally, claiming he "misspoke" about Coleman is, for me, worse than the original statement. Either he's is lying, or he is so far gone that he cannot keep two parties straight in his head. Either way, he's unfit to be one of only 100 Senators of my country.

PRIMARY HIM, SOMEBODY. PLEASE.

[marshall]

55. Next time get it in writing, Arlen

Nobody cares now--you've shit all over both parties and you are persona non grata. What a miserable end to his career.

[Infinite Hope]

56. So? Were they supposed to pretend Specter was new to the Senate? They're merely recognizing reality.

n/t