This statement speaks volumes, I would think. It says to me that the old bulls that have been in office way too long don't really want anything to change- not that I should be surprised by that, i guess.
It's almost inevitable, although it doesn't have to be all bad. You need to be a team player with friends and connections in order to be chosen for a leadership role. On the other hand, if you can't function as a team player and persuade others to go along with you, you won't be an effective leader. This is apart from issues of where you stand on the political spectrum.
We need leaders who are politically sound, but they also need to get things done. If they can't get themselves appointed, maybe there's a problem with their political skills.
It's yet another reason to wonder about Arlen Specter. The common report is that everybody hates him, Republican and Democrat alike. So how can he be an effective leader? We'll see.