Posted on 05/30/2004 8:54:37 PM PDT by Badray
Party over Principle?
That is the $64,000.00 question.
This past Friday morning, Arlen Specter was at a town hall meeting in Ross Township (suburb north of Pittsburgh PA). According to Specter staffer Justin Lokay, this was at the suggestion of Lou Nudi, the Ross Committee Chairman.
There were about 35 people in attendance including the Senator and 5 or 6 staffers and interns. Also there was Congresswoman Melissa Hart, State Senator John Pippy, former Hart staffer and 16th state house district candidate Pat Geho, former row office candidate Becky Toomey (oh, the irony, but she is still the prettiest, and my favorite Specter supporter), Lou Nudi, as well as some various other local committee people. Arriving late as usual was State Representative Jeff Habay. More on him later.
I arrived shortly before the meeting started and checked to see if I was on the PNG (persona non grata) list, but was welcomed in, much to my surprise because I have been barred from previous events. I sat and listened to how conservative values were important to Arlen, how much he enjoys being around G.W.Bush, and how we must defeat the Democrats.
This is a pretty stock speech when he tries to court Republicans. Sadly too many pubbies have short memories and actually believe Arlen when he speaks. He invoked the name of his recent challenger, Pat Toomey and says that he enjoys his support because the Dem candidate is so bad. Yada, yada, yada . . .
He then tried to ingratiate himself by mentioning the names of several people in the crowd. There names were conveniently written on the cue card in his hand. The whole thing was a sad charade, but that didn't stop many from sucking it up. I don't know if they were all die hard supporters or simply supporting the "R" against the horrible "D" that looms ahead if we don't support Arlen.
He then 'yielded' to Melissa Hart. She yucked it up with him for a moment (Think Sonny and Cher, except that Sonny was the conservative, not Cher.) before he stepped aside. About now, there should have been a commercial break, but they continued anyway. Melissa then spoke in glowing terms of Arlen and how important it was to put Arlen into office so that he could chair the Judiciary Committee and help get Bush's judicial nominees approved. She cited the brave defense of former PA Attorney General Mike Fisher when some Democrats posed some minor opposition to Mike's approval. Thank God, Arlen was there to save the day and he convinced the Dems not to block him. BTW, Fisher was supported in his quest for the bench by his recent opponent for the Governor's office - Democrat Governor Ed Rendell. Gee, that must have been a tough fight, Arlen.
What no Borking of Fisher? Don't worry, if Mike starts to make some sound judgements, you can bet that Arlen will apologize like he did after fighting for Clarence Thomas.
Melissa was about 3 minutes into her praise when I just couldn't take it any longer. There she was defending the man that has been pissing on us for years and she was calling it rain. I walked out. On the way out, I said to her brother that I just couldn't stand the BS.
I stayed outside for the remainder of the meeting. I missed the Q and A session, but was told that there was only one tough question asked and that Arlen spent about ten minutes addressing it. The question may have hit a nerve, but I doubt that he will do anything more than pay lip service to it.
Some good news. There was some who expressed continued opposition to him despite coming to be convinced that they should now be supporting him.
I did tell Melissa's aide that I was not alone in my displeasure with her support of Arlen. She may or may not care, but I am sure that I am quite right in my assessment. She is putting the party before any principle she ever espoused and this will cost her later.
Another person that I engaged was Rep. Habay. He arrived only after I had left the meeting and was outside for about 15 minutes. He approached me as he entered the building and I greeted him with a snide remark that he resembled a man that I used to know and told him that I was disappointed in his support for Arlen. He told me that Arlen helped him early in his 'career' (God, I hate that word when applied to politicians.) and that he was repaying the favor. (Doesn't the mob do favors now for favors in the future too?) I told him that that is what happens when you get into bed with the wrong people. He started getting testy at that point (I have to keep the BAD in badray, ya know) and retorted that he wasn't in bed with anyone, but that he would be glad to sit down and discuss the issue with me. I said OK, but he needed to dig himself out of a big hole. Walking away, he said that he was very comfortable in his position. I thanked him for telling me what I needed to know as he turned the corner (more than metaphorically?).
Just before Arlen came out, I spoke to County GOP Chairman Rich Stampahar and he tried to convince me that Specter was the man to support. His pleas fell on deaf ears, but they were overheard by an intern of Specter's who wimpily came over to tell me that this was a private event and asked me not to create a disturbance. I replied only that I was talking to people that knew me and approached me and wasn't talking to any one else. Can you imagine anyone thinking that I would cause a disturbance? LOL Not me, I'm too shy.
On the way out, Arlen either didn't recognize me or thought that I went over to the dark side and was now a supporter. He approached me to shake my hand, but I politely declined. I reserve my handshake for those that I respect.
Maybe I'm just not a 'good republican'. Maybe I'm an 'unappeasable'. Maybe I am a purist. I've been called all of these things and more. And worse.
What I do know is that I cannot support this man. Not for party loyalty, not even for the Senate majority (we do not effectively have it now because of people like Specter). I also know that it is not out of bitterness or hatred. It's just principle. He doesn't believe the things that I believe. He doesn't value the things that I value. His vision of America is not my vision.
This November, a vote for Democrat Joe Hoeffel is a vote to put a true conservative, a true Republican in charge of the Senate Judiciary Committee. I'm voting for Joe.
Ray Horvath
You can never take it fully for granted, but I think that when you look at the big picture, I feel that taking a relatively small risk with the hopes of getting Kyl made head of the SJC are worth it. A lot of times politics is about taking calulated risks.
At the same time, I feel that good people can disagree on what the best plan of action is, and might I suggest that you're being a bit mean in some of your posts to Ray. He's a good man who has done a lot for the PA GOP over the years, and I can assure you that his intentions are non-malicious.
And you are promoting hoeffel on FR.
Hmmmm.
When are you going to get it through your thick skull that I/WE are NOT loyal to Hoeffel?
We don't like him. We don't like his politics. We want him to lose the next time that he runs for that seat.
We will vote for him ONE TIME in order to get rid of Specter.
Is that so hard for your little mind to understand?
Yeah, I guess it is.
But you sure can trust Specter, can't you.
No I don't, but what does she have to do with your support for hoeffel as basically stated in your reply #660.
Like I said before, Hillary most probably thanks you for your support of hoeffel.
Call it fate, or divinity, but it is kinda of interesting the above the italicized comment about your support for hoeffel that shows your public endorsement of hoeffel, happens to be reply #666.
Sorry antonius, reply #669 is not directed towards you, but to Antoninus.
Neither she would rather have leahy.
"The sadist (S/B saddest) part is that so many have been blinded by this."
Were you talking about #456 or did you have something else in mind? LOL
Thank you for seeing through the fog to the heart and importance of this race.
LOL ! Freudian slip of the fingers ?
You'd vote for a Democrat over a Libertarian?!?!?
I'm starting to think that you're one particular retread.
Thanks for your support, but I have to tell you that you are mistaken. GOODRay is a good man who has done a lot for the PA GOP over the years. I'm BADRay who is a rightwingfringenut liberalleftwingwhackjobhillaryflyingmonkeyhoeffelsupporting @ssclown who will single handedly be responsible for the downfall of the Republic if the balance of power in the Senate changes even though we still have the house and the White House and the realistic prospect that the Senate will change hands is slim.
LOL
But seriously, thanks for your kind words.
Too funny...
Once in office, what are the chances he'd get voted out? I'd guess pretty slim.
"Question to all the Arlen Specter haters: Will you devote the same amount of energy to knock off Ed Rendell in 2006?
Ed Rendell has devoted a majority of his time since being sworn in to de-voting himself. Many, and I do mean, MANY, of the people with whom I am in contact, (dozens and dozens of people, if not hundreds) a majority of them Dems as I work in downtown Pittsburgh, who voted for Rendell (two who work FOR Rendell) have expressed their disgust at the way he has performed (or not performed, as the case may be) in respect to his "campaign promises" and platform during his campaign. As long as we have a viable opposing candidate for governor, he will not be (self)serving a second term.
p.s.
not necessarily "Arlen Specter haters", but non-supporters of any so-called representative of the people who habitually votes against the propositions of those he claimed to be of like-mind and belief. Any who profess in his or her campaign to be of a certain thought process and moral fiber, then once in office contradict the very core of those beliefs will never have my support. Arlen Specter simply fits that mold...he has proven himself unworthy of my support because he does not support me, or any conservative constituent.
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