Posted on 02/12/2009 11:04:08 PM PST by malkee
With the $789 billion economic stimulus package he helped broker set for a vote in the U.S. House and Senate, Sen. Arlen Specter, R-Pa., phoned home Thursday to unhappy members of the Pennsylvania State Republican Committee.
The conference call was initiated by Specter, his office said. It was a "conversation" to explain his thinking for backing the spending plan that Democrats hope will deliver jobs for the tanking U.S. economy.
But a growing chorus of Pennsylvania state Republican officials say their faith in Specter is irretrievably broken.
And some are vowing to defeat Specter in the Republican primary in 2010.
"It's clear we need a conservative senator who can do the right thing for America," said Glen Meakem, a conservative talk show host in Pennsylvania.
"It's over for Arlen. He would do best to retire gracefully," he said, adding that party leaders across the state have intensified talks about a primary challenge against Specter.
The old GOP adage that it is better to have Specter in the Senate than a Democrat apparently no longer holds true.
Some Pennsylvania Republican officials are so eager to drum up a legitimate opponent to run against Specter, they've started a wish list that includes two prominent Republicans who've said they're exploring a run -- for governor.
Jim Roddy, chairman of the Allegheny County Republican Committee, suggested two names: Pat Toomey and U.S. Rep. Jim Gerlach, R-Chester Springs.
If GWB hadn’t bailed him out in his last election, Pat Toomey would be in that seat even now.
Pat Toomey is likely running for Governor if anything.
Santorum endorsed Spector too.
Specter is so desperate to keep his seat he is more weaselly than usual.
Hasn’t he been in there since, what, 1980 or so? Like I wrote to McPain the other day, it’s time to retire, ol’ buddy!
Even if it doesn’t change him, this is a good thing for other Senators to hear.
Has anyone asked Specter, “Why the rush to endorse this bill that is being passed as an emergency stimulus, but doesn’t really go into effect for two or more years?” The reality of this stimulus negates Specter’s whole justification for betraying his party.
He’s a fraud and a coward!
To hell with Specter!
Specter actually said he had a problem with the way this bill is being rushed through. But so far that hasn’t stopped him from saying he’ll vote for it.
Many years too late.
Is the 15,000 tax credit for new home buyers still in the bill? I thought that was one of the few things good about the bill.
Must be how they do things in Scotland...
And Schwarzenegger over McClintock. Hewitt is a snake.
Yes, I agree.
I heard the car and home credits were not in the compromise bill.
The thing that galls me most is Spectre saying he didn’t know they health czar and controls on medical decisions were in the bill.
He says he plans to keep his word. The dems have broken their word on the amendments the Senate added, the time the bill would be there for review.
Work requirement for Welfare removed.
E-Verify funding stripped out.
$200 Billion in total pork spending.
All spendulus package moneys go to Union shops.
If Toomey could not win a majority of the Republican primary vote, there is no way he could win a majority of Republican and Democrat votes.
If Toomey could have won, Bush would never have campaigned for Specter.
Toomey is a conservative. The Toomey campaign for the nomination made sure that every voter in PA knew that both Toomey and Rick Santorum were conservatives. As I predicted at the time that resulted in Specter being re-elected and Santorum being defeated at the next election.
Running as a conservative in PA only results in defeat. Santorum had been elected as a moderate and governed as a conservative. Defeating Santorum was apparently what Toomey and his supporters wanted most. Either that, or they are too ignorant of PA politics to even understand what it takes to win in a moderate dominated state like PA.
Then "Conservatives" who vote for Moderates are Moderates, not real Conservatives.
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