Specter (D) to GOP: You guys are nuts! Bye!

[LSK]

:D

[immoderate]

1. I think you nailed it.

I think the craziness got him.

--imm

[SteppingRazor]

2. I think the winning an election in 2010 got him.

If right-wing craziness was in vogue, Specter would still be a Republican.

[sendero]

12. Exactly...

... the report I heard said that his pollster told him he could not win re-election as a Republican or as an Independent.

So he is switching.

How much practical good this will do the party remains to be seen, but one thing is abundantly clear. This is SERIOUS BAD NEWS for the Republican party.

[malaise]

13. Political opportunism

on steroids. Nothing more, nothing less.
Specter does not possess one speck of principle on anything.
I'm merely celebrating Rushican pain.

[Warren DeMontague]

3. It's tough being pro-choice in a party that wants the death penalty for oral contraceptive use.

Not to mention believing in Science when you're surrounded by young Earth creationists.

[Graybeard]

4. "I will not allow my 29 yr record be judged by Repub primary voters."

Otherwise known as the right-wing Santorum lunatics. Specter also noted that several hundred thousand PA voters changed to Democratic party before he did.

[barbtries]

5. lol

yep. what he really is doing is trying to get re-elected. apparently he doesn't believe he can be a republican and accomplish that.

[Political Heretic]

6. Not in the slightest. This is all about saving his career - nothing more.

He was going to lose a republican primary. He cut a deal to not face a primary challenger as a Democrat, in exchange for .... I hope to god something big. Too bad it wasn't EFCA, though we'd still have to wrangle back the other Dems that defected under the cover our Specters reversal.

[LSK]

9. the reason he needs this to save his career is because the GOP is nuts

Specter who is a moderate aka sane Republican can no longer compete and win in a party of insane right wingers.

[mzmolly]

7. It's amazing that this is finally becoming apparent to some.

PHEW! ;)

[Spazito]

8. The reality is....

the Dems need his vote on cloture, they have enough votes without Specter once he votes yes to cloture because the vote then is simple majority.

If there was a deal struck, as it has been reported, that the Democrats won't run another Democrat against him in the next primary then the deal would also have included a commitment from Specter to vote yes on cloture where needed, if he doesn't do that the deal would be off re the next primary, imo.

[LSK]

10. I hope that is true

That would be fine with me, that he votes yes to cloture then however he feels on the actual vote.

[Mike 03]

11. It's not that simple. Did you hear him on Howard Stern three weeks ago?

He was having trouble raising thirty million to compete for re-election in 2010.

He is a moderate, but he doesn't think the Repukes are nuts. He sat their and made excuses for them.

He wants to be able to raise money and win re-election.

Please..