The White House would never let Specter run that committee if they weren't positive he was on their side.
I disagree with your optimistic assessment of the President's power to control the Senate and so posted:
Senator Arlen Specter PULLING WOOL OVER GOP
Posted by nathanbedford to Torie
On News/Activism 11/05/2004 12:32:56 AM EST · 29 of 35
The senate works on the committee system. Senators get their power from this system. Senators who have power from the system are not surprisingly reluctant to undermine the system.
It is the chairman who sets the tone, gets to go on Meet the Press along with his ranking collegue, and tell the nation what to think about the nominee. All it would take from Specter is a little body language directed at the camera betraying lack of enthusiasm for a nominee and the game is over.
You either stop Specter now or risk a terrible forfeit later.
This is Senate civics lesson 101.
May I suggest you read Master of The Senate, the great biography of Lyndon Johnson, it describes how the gang works
EXACTLY what Rush was trying to say.