Free Republic

With all recent polls now showing Congressman Joe Sestak grabbing a small lead over Senator Arlen Specter in the Democratic Senate primary election in Pennsylvania set for May 18, a desperate Specter has decided to play his trump card- a TV ad with a testimonial to his greatness by President Obama, crediting Specter for helping pass health care reform after his party switch (the 60th vote), and the stimulus package (while still ostensibly a Republican)  . It is of interest that President Obama has no plans to come into the state before next Tuesday to campaign for Specter. Given...

When a three term incumbent senator of any affiliation is knocked off, a shiver runs through the club. "Am I next?" appears to hang in the air, precariously wafting through the ornate halls. And in a rare moment of candor, I got a glimpse of this. Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-UT, invited me to join him on the underground subway that connects the outer office buildings to the Capitol, as we chatted. It's about a four minute ride, but boy did I want it to be longer today. Sitting across from us - Sen. Arlen Specter, D-PA, who is in the...

Real Clear Politics is reporting a Morning Call Tracking poll (pdf) of Pennsylvania likely voters has found the first lead for Joe Sestak in his bid to oust former Republican Arlen Specter in the Pennsylvania Senate democratic primary. Sestak is now up by two points. Arlen Specter's support has decline 5% in one week. Big news in the latest Muhlenberg College tracking poll (5/4-7, 410 LVs, MoE +/- 5%) of the Pennsylvania Senate race. Rep. Joe Sestak (D) has for the first time in any public polling taken a lead over incumbent Sen. Arlen Specter.Senate Primary Election Matchup Sestak 44...

As that wise sage Yogi Berra once said, "It's deja vu all over again." In 2004, the last time then Republican Senator Arlen Specter was facing a tough Pennsylvania primary challenge, he received eleventh hour endorsements from top GOP players that saved him from a humiliating primary defeat. He went on to win reelection and then promptly betrayed both the voters and his party by becoming a Democrat. Now, in another tough primary challenge, his new party's establishment is rushing to his aid. Senator Specter who once held a commanding lead of his primary challenger, US Representative Joe Sestak (D-Pennsylvania)...

Specter tells WTXF (a Philadelphia FOX affiliate): "We're going to have to bring down the deficit; we're going to have to control the national debt."

Here is video of a contentious exchange between Sen. Arlen Specter and his Democrat Primary opponent in the Pennsylvania Senate Race - Rep. Joe Sestak. The two appeared in a debate together on May 1, 2010. Specter demands an apology from Sestak for calling him a "liar." Specter said he has stated "facts" about Sestak's military service record when he has pointed out that Sestak was "relieved of duty" for the kind of "climate" he created under his command. Strangely, Sestak appeared to stick to a script in his immediate response to Sestak, and really did not address Specter's demand...

President Obama ends his radio ad for Specter on a predominately black radio station in Philadelphia with this message: "I love you and I love Arlen Specter. I appreciate you guys. Thank you."

Quote of the Day "Well, I probably shouldn't say this. But I have thought from time to time that I might have helped the country more if I'd stayed a Republican." -- Sen. Arlen Specter (D-PA), in an interview with the Allentown Morning Call, questioning his party switch one year ago.

Actor and medical research advocate Michael J. Fox says that we need Arlen Specter in the Senate to continue his outstanding work as a champion for medical research. Fox suffers from Parkinson's disease.

Greetings from the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport where Vice President Joseph Biden is about to speak. This is one of the smallest crowds I’ve ever seen for someone of his stature. Only about 200 people in a half-filled hangar, most of them local politicians or the politically active or just volunteers for U.S. Sen. Arlen Specter’s re-election campaign. His opposition is actually here, too. Veterans who back Rep. Joe Sestak hosted a news conference outside the hangar, criticizing Mr. Specter for running a television commercial that basically says the congressman was fired from his last major naval post. Bill Walsh, 57,...

Here is video of Democrat Sen. Arlen Specter denying that he made a deal with former GOP Sen. Rick Santorum to support the nominations of Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito and Chief Justice John Roberts, in exchange for his support in the GOP Senate Primary when Specter was still a Republican. Santorum says Specter agreed to support whoever Bush nominated as a part of the deal. Both President Bush and Santorum campaigned for Specter in 2004 despite the fact Specter is not Pro-Life. The nominations came soon thereafter, and Specter supported both Roberts and Alito.

On this, the 36th anniversary of Earth Day, it is only fitting to speak of one of its founders, Ira Einhorn. You won't find Ira Einhorn's name listed in any of the Earth Day promotional literature, as the organizers have taken great pains to distance themselves from this man, at least since he became better known for composting his girlfriend in a trunk in his closet for a couple of years in the late 1970s.

Editor's note: Following is an excerpt from the book "2010: Take Back America: A Battle Plan," which Harper will release on Tuesday. Start with this: Arlen Specter has been a turncoat and a buffoon who has been in the United States Senate for far too long. For 30 years, he's always been a wild card, never reliably Republican in his voting pattern; in fact, he consistently disagreed with the party about 25 percent of the time. But even though he was always a maverick and frequently at odds with numerous Republican positions, Specter never gave any indication that he might...

The young aide tasked with scheduling Democratic Rep. Joe Sestak of Pennsylvania pokes her head into his inner office on Capitol Hill. "Caroline, give me two minutes," Sestak says. He's multitasking. As Caroline Troein shuts the door, he adds, "You're great." Sestak resumes talking with Kurt Zwikl of the Schuylkill River Heritage Area, which needs money. "We'll watch this and get back to you," Sestak says, standing to end the meeting. A live radio interview is next. "What's the hit?" Sestak asks as Troein enters. "On the half," she replies. The congressman picks up the black binder containing his life...

Sen. Arlen Specter (D-PA): "As you know from my record, I frequently crossed party lines when I was on the other side of the aisle."

The White House counsel’s office failed to meet an already extended deadline for answering questions from House Republicans about Rep. Joe Sestak (D-Pa.), who had said the White House offered him a high-level administration job in exchange for his not running against Sen. Arlen Specter (D-Pa.) in the Pennsylvania Democratic Senate primary. White House spokesman Robert Gibbs also declined to say on Monday whether the administration would support a special prosecutor investigating the matter. Gibbs instead referred back to a Mar. 16 statement in which he said “whatever” White House conversations occurred with Sestak, they were “not problematic.” Legal experts...

One of the pitfalls of changing parties like you change clothes is that you might forget which team you are on from time to time. Here is video of now-Democrat Sen. Arlen Specter forgetting whether it was the "College Republicans" or the "College Democrats" who had endorsed him. He first said "Republicans," but that's the party he threw over the side in favor of the Democrats so he could stay in the majority, and because he did not believe he could win a GOP Primary in Pennsylvania.

Here is video of Sen. Arlen Specter discussing the possibility of a vacancy on the U.S. Supreme Court. He said he hopes Justice Stevens will not retire soon, because he fears there will be gridlock in the Senate on confirming a replacement. He believes there would be a better chance at consensus after the midterm elections. Specter was asked if he had a suggestion as a replacement, and he said he does, but that he was saving that "for the President instead of Fox News."

Pennsylvania Sen. Arlen Specter holds an 11 point lead over Rep. Joe Sestak, his challenger for the Democratic nomination, but it is the smallest margin over Sestak since December, according to a Rasmussen Reports poll conducted March 15. Specter is ahead 48 percent to 37 percent with 5 percent preferring another choice and 9 percent undecided. In January and February, Specter was over the 50 percent mark, leading Sestak by 11 points and 15 points respectively. Last December, he led by 13 points. Specter is seen favorably by 65 percent of Democrats and unfavorably by 31 percent. Sestak is seen...

Mr. President, There is no doubt America is in need of major health care reform. With a reported 47 million people without health insurance, the status quo is not acceptable. Additionally, there are millions more Americans who are underinsured, with health insurance that is inadequate to cover their needs. Families are forced to make tough sacrifices in order to pay medical expenses or make the agonizing choice to go without health care coverage. There are far too many Americans whose financial and physical health is jeopardized by the rising costs of health care. In the coming weeks and months Congress...