White House Braces for Specter Defeat (Sorry Newsmax)

[IScreamSundays]

Source: Newsmax

There are growing signs the White House is trying to distance itself from what it now expects to be an embarrassing defeat of incumbent Sen. Arlen Specter at the hands of Rep. Joe Sestak, a candidate the Obama administration staunchly opposed.

The polls say the contest between Specter and Sestak for the Democratic nomination to represent Pennsylvania in the U.S. Senate is too close to call. But the Obama administration is believed to have access to polls that have not yet been made public.

According to the Washington Post, CBS chief Washington correspondent Bob Schieffer told the local CBS affiliate in Philadelphia on Monday: "I have been told on background that the White House is preparing for a Specter loss here, and that the president doesn't want to be associated with that."

There are other indications the White House, which has been a dedicated Specter ally ever since he bolted the Republican Party, is bracing for his defeat.

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Read more: http://www.newsmax.com/InsideCover/specter-obama-sestak-rendell/2010/05/17/id/359288

[rurallib]

1. did the admin "staunchly oppose" Sestak? Or did they just back Specter?

Just curious if there is actual opposition to Sestak by the admin. That could hurt in the fall. I hope should Specter lose that he support and help Sestak.

[Pirate Smile]

4. I think they just backed Specter because they told him they would if he switched parties. It was

worth it to them (based on what I've read) because he was a critical vote they needed for just about everything over the past year. They couldn't afford to just wait until January 2011 which is when a new Senator would take over. I think it was a very reasonable and defensible decision. I haven't seen them out attacking Sestak and I'm sure they will back Sestak 100% if he wins the primary. Frankly, Specter was a more reliable Dem vote since he switched then about half of our other Dem Senators.

[zipplewrath]

5. Yeah, that language is a bit strong

I don't think they "opposed Sestak". They may have preferred Specter, he was a friend of Biden after all. And they may have preferred NO ONE run in the primary. But I suspect they don't have any particular objection to Sestak, other than he may be a bit too progressive for them (which would mean he's left of the DLC).

[bluestateguy]

2. "The Math"

Secret polls..ooooohhh...

[saigon68]

3. BYE BYE Arlin Sphincter

Adios butt boy

[marylanddem]

6. And take the magic bullet theory and your smarmy performance

at the Clarence Thomas hearings and every other pathetic progress-impeding vote you ever made during your long and non-illustrious career with you.

[saigon68]

7. the Clarence Thomas hearings

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BidWboS3p5E

Worth a second look

What a POS Mr Sphincter is.

Hopefully they will give him an Enema

[gauguin57]

8. Arlen Specter has been the Democrat's "secret weapon" on many votes since 1981.

He has always been a Democrat in Republican clothing (on many issues, though not all) ... I have been pissed at him at times, and have at other times been grateful he was my senator.

But I wish he hadn't run again; he should have retired and taken care of his health and gone out and given speeches.

And, sorry, but I also wish we had some other choice besides Sestak. He's great on paper, and I agree with him on the issues.

He's fine when he's reading a prepared speech, but when he has to speak extemporaneously ... he just reeks of "bad candidate." He sounds fake ... and, frankly, kind of goofy. Not quite Bobby Jindal goofy, but on the road to there.

[Wednesdays]

9. What are his ratings with liberal groups such as ACLU, for example?

Just curious. :shrug:

[Orsino]

10. There's not much story in this story.

Newsmax seems eager to predict an Obama defeat, and that's about it.

[saigon68]

11. Inevitable