[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Sounds like they have a good plan going....he could do real damage if he gets pissed off and does a Jeffers....

[Coop]

he could do real damage if he gets pissed off and does a Jeffers....

How? Then he's removed as the Chairman, and the Senate count is 54-46. There's no real damage there.

[Hendrix]

I would rather have him leave the party than to block the judicial nominees. The Republicans may have a very small window of opportunity to get Bush's nominees through. If we don't take advantage of the window of opportunity, then we may not get that opportunity again for a very long time.

The Republicans need to change the Senate filibuster rule for judicial nominations, or the democrats will use that to stop Bush, regardless of any threat in the next election for senators in the red states up for reelection. Neither party should have the power to filibuster judicial nominees, so we have nothing to lose by changing that rule.

[Chunga]

At great risk to his political career, Specter went out of his way to champion Clarence Thomas (who by most accounts is the strictest constructionist on the Supreme Court). Thomas might not have made it were it not for Arlen's backing. I suspect every person posting on this thread knows this.

I applaud Specter for it if for little else. His appeal to Scottish Law generated less damage than a caving to Anita Hill and the NOW gang might have.

[Fatalis]

Sounds like they have a good plan going....he could do real damage if he gets pissed off and does a Jeffers....

He can't do a Jeffords because he can't singlehandedly deliver the Senate to the Democrats.

[jriemer]

Sounds like they have a good plan going....he could do real damage if he gets pissed off and does a Jeffers....

I say so what if he does pull a Jeffords. He goes from possible Judiciary Chair to the bottom of the totem pole on the Democratic side. Jeffords pissed away all of his senority by flipping and got squat in return.

Specter can be a bigger PITA, demand that he get is way, and be a McCain protege by just by staying a RINO than joining the other team.

[itsahoot]

Sounds like they have a good plan going..

Let's see now, he agrees to give all GW's appointments an up or down vote...So what exactly will his function be? Not only that but GW is gone in four, Snarlin Arlen has a new Six year term.

Why would Specter want to walk around looking like a rubber stamp, which this agreement will surely hang on him?

Hatch just announced that Specter has the full support of all the current members, so just buck up and take it. We have been had.