Posted on 11/05/2004 4:10:44 PM PST by Founding Father
Specter urges moderation to boost GOP gains at polls
Thursday, November 04, 2004
BY PETER L. DeCOURSEY AND CARRIE CALDWELL Of The Patriot-News
U.S. Sen. Arlen Specter, R-Pa., proclaimed that his re-election on Tuesday was a "victory for moderate Republicans." He said he hopes to recruit more statewide Republicans to that banner.
Specter led all statewide Republicans as he swept to his fifth Senate term, a record for Pennsylvania. He rolled up more votes than President Bush statewide and in Dauphin and Cumberland counties.
With 99 percent of the vote counted in unofficial returns, Specter garnered 2,882,829 votes or 53 percent, well ahead of U.S. Rep. Joe Hoeffel, D-Montgomery, who earned 2,283,694 votes or 42 percent.
They were followed by Constitution Party nominee James Clymer, 216,378 or 4 percent, and Libertarian Betsy Summers, 77,310 or 1 percent.
Specter hopes Bush's "compassionate conservatism" will bring more funding to education and health care and motivate Bush to dramatically expand stem-cell research.
Specter believes stem-cell research saves lives, and he used a commercial by actor Michael J. Fox in his campaign. Fox, who suffers from Parkinson's disease, said stem-cell research gives people such as him hope and that "Arlen gets it."
Specter said that commercial and other appeals to moderates allowed him to escape the voter tide that swept President Bush and two statewide GOP candidates to defeat in Pennsylvania.
Specter attributed his success to his moderate politics and wants other candidates to follow his example.
He said his example proves that moderate Republicans are most successful in general elections, and that it is time for his party to stop nominating conservative candidates who lose to Democrats perceived to be moderate.
But Leslie Gromis-Baker, Bush's Mid-Atlantic coordinator, said Specter was wrong to say that moderates were the best model for statewide GOP candidates.
Gromis-Baker, who helped Attorney General-elect Tom Corbett win narrowly Tuesday, noted that Corbett is a more traditional conservative Republican.
"Moderates do better in the southeast. Conservatives do better in the west," she said.
While Specter outpolled Bush in Dauphin, Cumberland and other central Pennsylvania counties, Gromis-Baker pointed out that Hoeffel "was an unknown congressman, underfunded, and no one west of Chester County ever heard of him."
She also scorned Specter's often- expressed claim that he and former governor Tom Ridge are moderates.
Gromis-Baker said Ridge is a conservative, "but not pro-life. ... That is very different from Sen. Specter."
Specter previewed his expected role as chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, which reviews and votes on federal judicial nominees.
In his tough Republican primary, Specter courted conservative voters by saying he would confirm only "strict constructionist" judges, a term used by conservatives to denote judges they favor. Then, in the fall campaign against Hoeffel, Specter said he favored "centrist judges."
Yesterday, Specter defined what he wanted in a judge and said he hoped Bush would consult him before picking nominees.
Specter said the late Supreme Court Justice Benjamin Cardozo said, "The constitution is an evolving document based upon the values of the people."
"That's the kind of strict constructionist that I'm looking for" in a judge, Specter said, pointing out that such a judge would not be labeled a moderate or conservative.
Tell your republican senator you didn't stand in lines, stand in the rain, supoort Bush with $$$ and support the republican party just to be shat upon by this RINO.
The ONLY thing I want this drooling idiot in charge of is cleaning the toilets in the Capitol. On a probationary status, of course.
Huh? That's not a strict constructionist. Specter has to go.
My God Man! You cant get much more moderate than the current presidency!
Treat him like Trent! NO LEADERSHIP POSITION FOR YOU! (Soup Nazi voice)
God, please, no.
Yes, moderation. Let's only beat them to a pulp, not drown them.
When are these rino's gonna learn?
He's going to whine about the far right attacking him. He's going to insult our intelligence....and look at where he's doing it.
Arlen Specter is an ungratefulasshole, with no intention of supporting President Bush. Specter simply must not be Chairman of the Judicial Committee!
I think that we will soon read articles in the MSM that will make Specter out to be brilliant, bold, dedicated, and caring--in other words, oh-so-very unRepublican. "Specter's not like other Republicans! He thinks for himself!" They will use this guy like a rubber mallet to beat George Bush with.
please sign the online petition :
http://www.gopusa.com/activist/petitions/petition.php?petition=specter_chairman
We don't need a lawyer like Sphincter picking other lawyers. Leave Bush nominations to Bush, or else expect a congressional recess surprise.
Jeez, and the Rats were claiming Jim Bunning was the senile one? Arlen has clearly lost it.
"Moderates do better in the southeast. Conservatives do better in the west,.."
I can't speak for the western folks but in the southeast, moderate and socialist are close kin.
The lady is dead wrong, NO SPECTOR, EVER!
The Chairman of the Judiciary Committee can smooth the way for a nominee or tie him up in an an unending stream of hostile witnesses who will Bork him.
Did you notice West Virginia went Bush? Again?
If you think the moderates pulled you through, you need to have crack legalized. You, for reasons God only knows, got a nod from actual conservatives (well, conservative compared to your rino butt) to get where you are.
Good Lord, Arlen, you're way to the left of John Kennedy, and you have the gaul to call yourself a moderate? LOL. Get a job.
"Specter said the late Supreme Court Justice Benjamin Cardozo said, "The constitution is an evolving document based upon the values of the people."
"That's the kind of strict constructionist that I'm looking for" in a judge, Specter said
That has to qualify as one of the all time stupidest statements.
Somebody get Arlen Specter a dictionary!
How about Spector moderate his liberalism?
Conservatives won and its time for liberals to make some concessions for a change!
>"Specter believes stem-cell research saves lives..."<
Why does he believe this?
There is no scientific basis for this belief.
Spector "believes" this, because it would be convenient to demonstrate some positive benefit from abortion.
The same reason any liberal claims to "believe" it, in spite of all of the scientific and medical evidence to the contrary.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.