Senator Spector Wins Pennsylvania Republican Primary

VOA ^ | 4/28/04

[NittanyLion]

If you think Specter is going to support a strict contructionist you're out of your mind, Dane. Go rationalize your nonsensical support for Liberal Arlen to someone you stand a chance of convincing.

[Reagan Renaissance]

If Bush had backed Toomey and allowed him to win, there would have been exactly ZERO chance of affirming a Bush nominee in the event that there is a Supreme Court vacancy this Summer.

BS. There is not a Republican in the Senate that stands on principle. It is all politics, all the time. Senate Republicans control the votes in the Senate. All that is required to confirm any Bush judicial appointment is for Frist to tell Daschle that the next vote in the Senate will be an up or down vote on Bush's nominees. When that vote will be taken, will then be up to the Democrats.

[WestSylvanian]

Specter is 73 years old. He knows he isn't going to run again. So now he's free to show his true stripes. He doesn't have to worry about alienating the conservatives in Pennsylvania who almost threw him out. Bush (and everybody else) is smoking something weird if they think Specter's going to cleave to the Party line on anything.

[freekitty]

It's a real shame Toomey did not win; but I agree with you; he has a bright future.

[Dane]

If you think Specter is going to support a strict contructionist you're out of your mind, Dane. Go rationalize your nonsensical support for Liberal Arlen to someone you stand a chance of convincing

Well then you are doing historical revisionism. Spector did support Thomas and did some good and tough questioning of Anita Hill's veracity.

That's of course if you do not think that Clarence Thomas is not a strict constructionist, either.

[Doug Loss]

My prediction: Many PA conservatives will not vote for Specter in November, and will either pass up on the race entirely or vote for Hoeffel (or write in Toomey, if such an effort is created). Hoeffel will win the PA Senate seat. And Bush's chances of carrying PA are now less than they would have been with Toomey on the ticket, as conservatives disgusted with Snarlin' Arlen may just decide not to vote at all.

[NittanyLion]

So your position is that Specter - a liberal in his final term - will support conservative nominees?

That's laughable. Good luck convincing anyone of that. Well, anyone with an IQ over 60, that is.

[Dane]

(or write in Toomey, if such an effort is created)

Toomey has made his endorsement of Specter.

[William Terrell]

Yep, blame Bush and Santorum. Don't blame the thousands of conservatives who didn't bother to vote because they are either too lazy or too apathetic...

Or too disgusted. . .

[Dane]

So your position is that Specter - a liberal in his final term - will support conservative nominees?

That's laughable. Good luck convincing anyone of that. Well, anyone with an IQ over 60, that is

We shall see. Specter owes Bush/Santorum bigtime.

Now you can throw out your petulant insults, that's fine. That's your first amendment right, but also shows to people how petulant your ilk(so called "real conservatives") can be.

[Doug Loss]

Toomey has made his endorsement of Specter.

I didn't say Toomey himself would create the effort.

[rcofdayton]

It is more important to defeat Spector in the general election. We cannot have him as chairman of the Senate Judiciiary Committee.

[Doug Loss]

We shall see. Specter owes Bush/Santorum bigtime.

And Arlen has hever welshed on his debts, has he? Since he won't be running again, he owes nobody anything.

[Barlowmaker]

I see that Toomey was outspent by a 3 to 1 margin by Specter.

Did you send Pat any money?

How about any of the other members of this board who are so piqued this morning?

[Dane]

And Arlen has hever welshed on his debts, has he? Since he won't be running again, he owes nobody anything

We shall see. Specter did come through for the Clarence Thomas nomination, that is a historical fact.

[Tribune7]

He won't go to the left until after the election if the past is a guide.

[Doug Loss]

Did you send Pat any money?

Money? No. But I was a county coordinator for his campaign, made many phone calls for him at my personal expense, and worked a polling place all day yesterday. Money isn't the only way to walk the walk.

[Tribune7]

Specter is 73 years old.

Look at the bright side. He migh finally start getting some wisdom.

[Barlowmaker]

Good man. I understand why you are disappointed, but I have a feeling you'll see Toomey in another statewide race very soon. (vs. Rendell?)

Toomey was the epitome of class and measure during his concession speech last night.

The reason I brought up money is that all the members of this forum, from any state, could have sent money to Toomey's campaign if they had such an emotional investment in his success.

I'm just trying to figure out who is authentic, and who is just using this loss as a platform to spew anti-Bush, anti-"RINO" bile.

[Alberta's Child]

But why has the man who bucked Jeffords out of the party(in an effort to strengthen it) now decided to give his support to RINOs who despise his principles.

Because it's all part of the "ideological cleansing" plan for the Northeast that I suspect is a very important priority for this Administration. Take a look at this idea that I posted on a PA primary thread last week:

I've suspected for some time that the Bush administration is playing a very interesting game with regard to these U.S. Senate seats. Their primary concern isn't necessarily seniority, and it has nothing to do with incumbency -- it has everything to do with "ideological cleansing" in the Senate from both sides of the aisle.

To the Bush team, I'm convinced that the absolute worst thing for any state in the Northeast is a pair of U.S. Senators split between the two parties. In my opinion, the Bush administration would rather deal with two Democratic senators from a "Blue" state than deal with a Senator from each party -- because it's a lot easier to screw a Democratic state when it comes to Federal appropriations bills. This is exactly why the Bush administration did not lose much sleep when Jeffords jumped ship in 2001, and why they did not try very hard to defeat Lautenberg in New Jersey in 2002.