SPECTER SLAMS CONSERVATIVES IN CAMPAIGN LETTER, ATTACKS PRO-LIFERS, CHRISTIANS

GrassrootsPA.com ^ | 11/5/04 | Chris Lilik

[GeneralHavoc]

GRASSROOTSPA EXCLUSIVE: BOMBSHELL: SPECTER SLAMS CONSERVATIVES IN CAMPAIGN LETTER, ATTACKS PRO-LIFERS, CHRISTIANS

Read The Letter Here

Some choice quotes:

-"I will not give up our Party to radical extremists without a fight."

-Calls Pat Robertson, Ralph Reed, and Pat Buchanan "extremists".

-"I resent people like Pat Robertson, Ralph Reed, and Pat Buchanan trying to give litmus tests to determine who can be a Republican candidate."

-"I want to strip the strident anti-choice language" from the GOP party plank.

-"Will you stand up to the far-right fringe that demands that legal abortion be banned?"

-"We must demonstrate that the Republican Party is made up of more that Pat Robertson, Jerry Falwell, Pat Buchanan, and Ralph Reed."

-Accuses the Christian Coalition of keeping people off the Republican ticket and blackmailing the Republican Party, slams Paul Weyrich of Free Congress Foundation

[Salvation]

Catechism of the Catholic Church and what it says about those who support abortion

What does this say about Senator Specter?

[EternalVigilance]

I shook Specter's hand once eight or nine years ago.

*Note to self: Must keep washing hands...it WILL come off some day!

[Tamzee]

I do know, but appreciate your making sure I was aware of it.

When the discussions first began after Toomey was defeated (I supported Toomey, BTW), I researched Specter's history and voting record thoroughly. I would certainly rather have Kyl Chair the Committee, but I don't think Specter will sabotage Bush based on his record of voting for all of Bush's pro-life nominees in the past.

[don-o]

Uh, he was trying to build the Big Tent.

[Donna Lee Nardo]

book mark

[skinkinthegrass]

.

[Slyfox]

The key to believing this letter is the fact that he mentions getting the pro-life plank out of the platform. When he was running for prez back in 1995 he was under the impression that the majority of Republicans hated that plank. He actually thought it was a winning issue because all his pro-abort friends told him so.

This letter is a perfect picture of the man.

[KoRn]

That was almost 10 years ago. I think we need to get off his back a little. He has voted for every one of Bush's appointments for the last four years, and I have no reason to believe he will do otherwise in the next four years.

[familyop]

BTTT and thanks for the post! I linked a site to it, and others should do the same.

Specter is exactly what the Democrats were screaming for as soon as they knew they'd lost the Election. Blocking conservative judicial confirmations is just what they had in mind.

Fight them! Make sure that another Senator chairs that Committee!

[AmishDude]

I agree. I think he may try to bring down a lower court nominee or two through harsh questioning, but (a) he can't be harsher than Levin will be and (b) he won't hold nominees in committee -- particularly SCOTUS nominees. He'll make sure they get a floor vote and that's all that matters.

[familyop]

Here's what Senator Specter recently said on the day after the Election:

"When you talk about judges who would change the right of a woman to choose, overturn Roe v. Wade, I think that is unlikely. The president is well aware of what happened, when a bunch of his nominees were sent up, with the filibuster. [A]nd I would expect the president to be mindful of the considerations which I am mentioning."

From
Stop Arlen Specter - ON-LINE PETITION (From gopusa.com)
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1272062/posts

[kalee]

Couldn't we propose a Judiciary Committee Litmus Test? Too bad, lol, Specter fails.

[silverleaf]

"Beware! This might be from CBS"

Nah- Specter is the kind of guy CBS likes. I'm sure Dan thinks Arlen is "spongeworthy". Cap'n Dan might even forge a memo or 2 to help Arlen if he thought it would obstruct Bush and discredit the "Christian right".

[IrishBrewer]

Bush and Santorum saved Specter, not because they really thought he was the best candidate for the Republican party. They just didn't want to take the risk that if Toomey lost, we would loose a Senate seat. I'd bet a lot fo money that if the Senate split wasn't so close, they wouldn't have made a such a concerted effort to back Specter. There was no way they could have known that we would gain 5 seats in the Senate. Remember that PA went for Kerry and Specter was a sure bet for the Senate if he could get through the primary against Toomey (which he did by the skin of his teeth).

Based on the latest news reports on this, it sounds like Bush is still supporting Specter for the Judiciary seat so any opposition will have to come from the Republicans on the committee. Keep it up with the calls and the letters.

[rjmeagle]

Your analysis is correct. I am originally from PA and I am not a supporter of Specter. We must tread carefully during this period because many of us may forget that in addition to Specter, we still have to be concerned with Olympia Snow, Lincoln Chaffee and one other (I can't remember her name right now) that are not strong Republicans. There have been rumors that Chaffee may switch parties so we need to watch our backs.

[leprechaun9]

When will Spectre bring back slavery (because it was legal and not right for the government to outlaw it)!

[IrishBrewer]

If Snowe, Chaffee and Specter decide to switch parties, it will be a big mistake. Even if all of them made the switch, they will not change which party has the majority. A party switch would render them virtually powerless and useless to their constituents.

However, if these three can't be counted on to avert filibusters then they are pretty much worthless to the party and they may as well make the switch.

[rjmeagle]

Agreed. You hit the nail on the head. Support us or leave!

[Cboldt]

I think he may try to bring down a lower court nominee or two through harsh questioning, but (a) he can't be harsher than Levin will be and (b) he won't hold nominees in committee -- particularly SCOTUS nominees.

He's got 4 Circuit Court nominees bottled up since Februaray. And all 4 of those were carry-overs from the 108th Congress, being nominated between 2001 and 2003. You were saying???

-bump-

Summary of Circuit Court Nominations

F = 7 subjected to failed cloture motions in 108th Congress
4 = "1 of 4" that DEMs offered to let GOP choose which 3 to dump
S = Positive mention in Specter's May 9, 2005 speech

M = MOU of 14 will not vote against cloture
m = MOU of 14 makes no promise regarding cloture
R = Post-MOU, Reid indicates desire to filibuster

C = Out of committee & on the Senate's Executive Calendar
U = Unanimous consent to debate - date TBD
D = Democrats offer to debate - date TBD
v = Debate and vote scheduled
V = Vote -on the nomination- concluded

       --S  --  C--  Boyle, Terrence W.       (4th Cir)
       ---  -R  ---  Haynes, William James II (4th Cir)
       F4S  M-  CUV  Owen, Priscilla          (5th Cir)
       F-S  --  CUV  Griffin, Richard A.      (6th Cir)
       F-S  --  CUV  McKeague, David W.       (6th Cir)
       --S  --  -D-  Neilson, Susan Bieke     (6th Cir)
       F--  mR  ---  Saad, Henry W.           (6th Cir)  
       F4S  mR  C--  Myers, William Gerry III (9th Cir)
       F4S  M-  CUV  Pryor, William H.        (11th Cir)
       F4S  M-  CUV  Brown, Janice Rogers     (D.C. Cir)
       --S  --  CUV  Griffith, Thomas B.      (D.C. Cir)
       ---  -R  ---  Kavanaugh, Brett M.      (D.C. Cir)

Last updated, June 21, 2005

Owen: Cloture passed 81-18 on May 24. Confirmed 55-43 on May 25.
Brown: Cloture passed 65-32 on June 7. Confirmed 56-43 on June 8.
Pryor: Cloture passed 67-32 on June 8. Confirmed 53-45 on June 9.
Griffin: Confirmed 95-0 on June 9.
McKeague: Confirmed 96-0 on June 9.
Griffith: Confirmed 73-24 on June 14.
Myers: Out of Committee on March 17.
Boyle: Out of Committee on June 16.

Additional source material

• List of Nominations in the 109th Congress Judiciary Committee
• Senate Executive Calendar (changes each business day)
• Specter's Speech of May 9, 2005 (109th Congress - Pages S4632 - S4636)
• Senators' Memorandum of Understanding - May 23, 2005
• Reid's agreement of May 24, 2005 (S5857)
• AP Report Reid wants to filibuster Haynes & Kavanaugh - May 28, 2005
• Fox News Report Reid will filibuster Saad & Myers - May 29, 2005
• Boyle was nominated to 4th Cir. in 1991 too, by GHWB

[nicmarlo]

PING!