Senate Shake-Up: Specter Goes Blue
Arlen Specter was always too moderate for this crop of Republicans, but his surprise decision to become a Democrat has more to do with the likelihood of losing a GOP primary battle than ideological differences. Specter's move should give the Democrats the 60 votes they need in the Senate, assuming Norm Coleman ever gives up the ghost In Minnesota.
Arlen Specter was always too moderate for this crop of Republicans, but his surprise decision to become a Democrat has more to do with the likelihood of losing a GOP primary battle than ideological differences. Specter’s move should give the Democrats the 60 votes they need in the Senate, assuming Norm Coleman ever gives up the ghost In Minnesota.
A little Specter trivia: The oldest Republican in the Senate (for now, anyway), Specter was originally a Democrat before running as a Republican to become Philadelphia’s district attorney. According to Wikipedia, Specter also co-authored the magic bullet theory, which argued that a lone gunman assassinated JFK.
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The veteran politician was first elected to the U.S. Senate to represent Pennsylvania in 1980. He spent 30 years in the upper house, making him the longest-serving senator in the state's history.
The 111th Congress produced some real eleventh-hour gains for the Obama administration, and by extension the president's party, but some Democrats, such as Sen. Harry Reid and outgoing Sen. Arlen Specter, aren't ready to get over some of the biggest partisan clashes of the last two years.
By day's end Wednesday, our chums over at the U.S. Senate hadn't moved much closer to the finish line in dealing with the financial regulation bill, to the chagrin of some senators and, no doubt, the satisfaction of others.
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