Arlen Specter RIP

John Cole, Cagle Cartoons, The Scranton Times-Tribune Oct 16, 2012 Dig deeper

Former Sen. Arlen Specter Dead at 82

Tracy Bloom / Truthdig Oct 15, 2012 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. Dig deeper ( 2 Min. Read )

Reid & Co. Open Fire on GOP

Staff / Truthdig Dec 30, 2010 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. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Political Preschool

Ruth Marcus / Truthdig May 20, 2010 In understanding the foibles of politicians, I've always found it is a benefit to have spent large amounts of time with toddlers. Dig deeper ( 3 Min. Read )

Wall Street Reform Stalls in Senate

Staff / Truthdig May 20, 2010 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. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

A Smorgasbord, Not a Tea Party

E.J. Dionne Jr. / Truthdig May 19, 2010 Almost all the shibboleths of Washington conventional wisdom took a hit in Tuesday's voting. Yet advocates of a single national political narrative keep spinning the same old tale. Dig deeper ( 3 Min. Read )

Who’s Afraid of Rand Paul?

Robert Scheer / Truthdig May 19, 2010 Tuesday’s election results were pretty good for progressives. The retirement of that windbag chameleon Sen. Arlen Specter is long overdue, and pro-labor forces were able to push Sen. Blanche Lincoln into a runoff in Arkansas. Even the big tea party win in Kentucky has its bright side.Count me as one lefty liberal who is not the least bit unhappy with the victory by Rand Paul in Kentucky’s Republican primary for the U.S. Senate. Dig deeper ( 3 Min. Read )

Voters Reject Party-Switching Specter

Staff / Truthdig May 19, 2010 Former Republican Sen. Arlen Specter's plan to switch parties in order to avoid losing a primary battle didn't exactly work out. Despite support from the president, Specter lost the Pennsylvania Democratic primary Tuesday. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Primaries Show Off Dems’ Diversity

E.J. Dionne Jr. / Truthdig May 17, 2010 This year's elections may exacerbate the difference between our two political parties, but not in the way most people are talking about. Dig deeper ( 3 Min. Read )

Extreme Makeover: Republican Edition

Staff / Truthdig May 4, 2009 They may be drawing from the same ol' value system -- based on buzzwords like individualism, faith, "family values" and free market capitalism -- but prominent members of the GOP, including former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush and House Republican Whip Eric Cantor, are looking to revamp their party's image and regain political traction. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

‘Left, Right & Center’: Souter, Specter and Swine Flu

Staff / Truthdig May 2, 2009 This week's episode of "Left, Right & Center" is jam-packed full of news, much of it having to do with words beginning with "s," incidentally. Also, did Obama pass his first 100-day test? Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

With Their Magic Bullet, Dems Have No More Excuses

David Sirota / Truthdig May 2, 2009 As counsel for the Warren Commission, Arlen Specter described a "magic bullet" that changed America. Four decades later as a U.S. senator, Specter is providing another history-altering magic bullet -- one Democrats will either fire off in a starting gun, or use in their suicide. Dig deeper ( 3 Min. Read )