Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Specter defection a sharp blow to Republicans [maybe to the RINO elite]
Reuters ^ | 2009-04-28 | Steve Holland

Posted on 04/28/2009 6:34:43 PM PDT by rabscuttle385

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Senator Arlen Specter's abrupt move to switch allegiance to President Barack Obama's Democratic Party was a sharp blow to Republicans and will likely generate more soul-searching for the minority party.

His decision to seek re-election as a Democrat next year was a nakedly political move to hang on to power.

(Excerpt) Read more at reuters.com ...


TOPICS: News/Current Events; Politics/Elections; US: Pennsylvania
KEYWORDS: 111th; bho2009; bho44; bushlegacy; democrats; pa2010; rinoextinction; rinoparty; rinopurge; rinos; santorumlegacy; senate; senatorsphincter; snarlinarlen; specter; spectertruthfile; ussenate
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-40 next last
Republican strategist John Feehery said Republican leaders in the Senate did all they could to hang on to Specter. More broadly, however, he said: "What it says about the party is they have to make a determination on whether they want to be in the majority or whether they want to be intellectually pure."

Who says the two are mutually exclusive?

1 posted on 04/28/2009 6:34:44 PM PDT by rabscuttle385
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: rabscuttle385

Uh huh. It really was a blow to the GOP. (snicker)


2 posted on 04/28/2009 6:37:05 PM PDT by max americana
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: rabscuttle385
His decision to seek re-election as a Democrat next year was a nakedly political move to hang on to power.

But WE'RE supposed to do the "soul-searching"!

3 posted on 04/28/2009 6:37:27 PM PDT by LibFreeOrDie (Obama promised a gold mine, but he will give us the shaft.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: rabscuttle385

My GF just called me - something about Tom Ridge running for US Senate next year on Larry King (I don’t get CNN). Isn’t Ridge another RINO?


4 posted on 04/28/2009 6:37:52 PM PDT by GOPsterinMA (Where can I take 'Austrian' lessons?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: rabscuttle385

To the RINOs maybe but conservatives are cheering.


5 posted on 04/28/2009 6:38:00 PM PDT by cripplecreek (The poor bastards have us surrounded.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: rabscuttle385

The only regret is that the Maine twins didn’t go with him.


6 posted on 04/28/2009 6:39:14 PM PDT by tobyhill ("Hope and Change" is so overrated!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: rabscuttle385

ROTFLOL


7 posted on 04/28/2009 6:45:07 PM PDT by freekitty (Give me back my conservative vote.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: rabscuttle385
A sharp blow to Republicans? Hardly. He has done the Republicans a favor, though it would have been a lot of fun watching him squirm through the primary.

It is a blow to the country, as he has officially given the demonrats the majority they've craved to do to us as they will. Whatever happens from here on, he'll aways be a scummy politician and it's good he's outed himself and gone back to his roots.

8 posted on 04/28/2009 6:45:31 PM PDT by GBA
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: GOPsterinMA

Yes... he is and it’s why McCain couldn’t choose him as a running mate even though he liked him for the spot... Lindsay Graham was lusting after him as a potential replacement for Specter earlier today on Fox.


9 posted on 04/28/2009 6:47:07 PM PDT by Arizona Carolyn
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: rabscuttle385
His decision to seek re-election as a Democrat next year was a nakedly political move to hang on to power.

What makes Arlen Sphincter think he'll win the demokrap primary?

10 posted on 04/28/2009 6:47:10 PM PDT by RoadKingSE (How do you know that the light at the end of the tunnel isn't a muzzle flash ?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: rabscuttle385

This might have been a sharp blow at some point. But it is rather a dull thud today. We expected the loss as possible through the contrary votes he was bound to cast over the next 20 months. It just happened sooner and all at once. No one who will caucus with Al Franken deserves any respect as a statesman or even a man.


11 posted on 04/28/2009 6:47:32 PM PDT by jimfree (Freep and ye shall find!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: rabscuttle385

More of a quife


12 posted on 04/28/2009 6:48:02 PM PDT by VRWC For Truth (Throw the bums out who vote yes on the bail out)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: tobyhill

One down - several to go like not only the Maine twins but Juan McCain and Lindsey Graham for starters. Hutchinson will go next year when she runs for Gov of Texas then we’ll have her liberalism 100% of the time instead of the 50% of the time when she and Cornyn take turns on bills. Believe Cornyn was doing some pimping for Arlen recently when Cornyn said he would support Arlen over Toomey. Unfortunately we just reelected Cornyn as Texas Senator.


13 posted on 04/28/2009 6:49:10 PM PDT by Grams A (The Sun will rise in the East in the morning and God is still on his throne.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: Arizona Carolyn

Oh good! /sarc
I guess he’d be better than Benedict Arlen though.


14 posted on 04/28/2009 6:49:52 PM PDT by GOPsterinMA (Where can I take 'Austrian' lessons?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: rabscuttle385

Brit Hume was upset but Bill Crystal called it a bign win for republicans Why? He said democrats own Washington and country’s future and can point no place but themselves when it all goes bad(but they will try.)

The start of the end of Bush blame.


15 posted on 04/28/2009 6:51:16 PM PDT by sickoflibs (Bush-bot/Obama Theme : "A dollar borrowed/printed is a dollar earned!")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: GOPsterinMA

The way I see it , he knew he couldn’t win the rep primary so he switched. i bet he won’t be able to win the dem primary either. And if he runs as an Ind in the fall the dems will vote for their guy and the rep’s for their guy and
our good ole useless buddy will be gone..

Bush , being the idiot he is , got him through last time.


16 posted on 04/28/2009 6:54:12 PM PDT by RED SOUTH
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]

To: rabscuttle385

96th Congress (1979-1981)

Majority Party: Democrat (58 seats)

Minority Party: Republican (41 seats)

Other Parties: 1 Independent

Total Seats: 100


97th Congress (1981-1983)

Majority Party: Republican (53 seats)

Minority Party: Democrat (46 seats)

Other Parties: 1 Independent

Total Seats: 100

103rd Congress (1993-1995)

Majority Party: Democrat (57 seats)

Minority Party: Republican (43 seats)

Other Parties: 0

Total Seats: 100

Note: Party division changed to 56 Democrats and 44 Republicans after the June 5, 1993 election of Kay B. Hutchison (R-TX).


104th Congress (1995-1997)

Majority Party: Republican (52 seats)

Minority Party: Democrat (48 seats)

Other Parties: 0

Total Seats: 100


17 posted on 04/28/2009 6:54:45 PM PDT by cotton1706
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: RED SOUTH

And just in time for Specter to stab Bush in the back.


18 posted on 04/28/2009 6:56:01 PM PDT by Dutch Boy
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 16 | View Replies]

To: rabscuttle385
Oh right, he'll be elected as a Democrat ... provided they're still around after a year or so of Obama .....it's going to be neat watching the Dem's leave a sinking ship.

Photobucket

19 posted on 04/28/2009 6:59:28 PM PDT by SkyDancer ('Those who hammer their guns into plows will plow for those who do not..' ~ Thomas Jefferson)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: RED SOUTH

Excellent points! Bush screwed Toomey the last time.


20 posted on 04/28/2009 6:59:51 PM PDT by GOPsterinMA (Where can I take 'Austrian' lessons?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 16 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-40 next last

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.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson