Perfidious Arlen
In his forthcoming memoir, Life Among the Cannibals, former Senator Arlen Specter outlines the betrayal that he experienced at the hands of the Democrats after his party switch. Expecting an effusive welcome, Specter was sorely disappointed that Obama and Biden didn't come through for him in his tight race against Joe Sestak in the 2010 Democratic primary. From The Hill's preview of the book:
Specter writes that Obama turned down a request to campaign with him in the final days of the primary, because the president’s advisers feared he would look weak if he intervened and Specter lost.
“I realized that the president and his advisers were gun-shy about supporting my candidacy after being stung by Obama’s failed rescue attempts for New Jersey governor Jon Corzine and Massachusetts attorney general Martha Coakley. They were reluctant to become victims of a trifecta,” he writes.
The snub was made all the more painful by Obama flying over Philadelphia en route to New York City a few days before the election and then on primary day jetting over Pittsburgh to visit a factory in Youngstown, Ohio, 22 miles from the Pennsylvania border, to promote the 2009 economic stimulus law. The painful irony for Specter is that his vote for the stimulus legislation, which was instrumental to its passage, hastened his departure from the Republican Party.
Specter was also disappointed that Biden, who was only a few blocks away at Penn University, did not attend a pre-primary day rally at the Phillies’s Citizens Bank Park — a missed opportunity Specter attributes to a failed staff-to-staff request.
And Harry Reid, who had allegedly promised that Specter would be granted seniority as though he were a Democrat elected in 1980, stabbed Specter in the back on his way in the door.
Had Specter been given the seniority he was promised, he would have become chairman of the powerful Labor, Health and Human Services Appropriations subcommittee and next in line to chair the Judiciary Committee.
Instead, Reid stripped Specter of all his seniority by passing a short resolution by unanimous consent in a nearly-empty chamber, burying him at the bottom of the Democrats’ seniority list.
Ah, but what satisfying schadenfreude.
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Re: Perfidious Arlen
Specter is a man of his most recent word. That he suffered at the hands of like minds is an arrangement that not even Match.com could have pulled off.
Dec '11
Re: Perfidious Arlen
Maybe they were still smarting when he defected on them originally. He is the double weasel.
Feb '12
Re: Perfidious Arlen
I always thought he sounded like Howard Spraig (sp?) from Mayberry RFD.
Him, complaining and Rick Santorum getting grief for supporting an incumbent in-state Republican in the Republican primary.
He has always been a piece of work out done only by Jim Jeffords!
Aug '10
Re: Perfidious Arlen
Ed G ,
Why the Norman Fell pic ?
Not too nice comparing anyone from the pop culture to Spectre .
Thanks, the Hamlet was good though.
A shame that we waste Shakespeare and Wilde on such a lowly beast of opinion.
Edited on March 13, 2012 at 3:00amJul '10
Re: Perfidious Arlen
This is my favorite thread since Long described Charlie Crist as the "most downright orange" politician in the country.
I keep imagining a picture of Olympia Snowe smirking while standing next to Specter holding up a copy of his book. The follow-up shot is Arlen with gums flapping while Olympia looks at him, thumb and index finger perpendicular against her forehead.
Feb '11
Re: Perfidious Arlen
I've driven I-70 a lot. Perhaps before it was just interstate ozone, but it seems to be only in the last couple of years ago that I have begun to notice what appeared to be a fairly new sign. Russell, KS, which has long proudly proclaimed itself the hometown of Bob Dole, now has a sign similarly claiming Arlen Specter. Every time I pass, I wonder. WHY? Why would anyone want to claim Arlen Specter?
Edited on March 13, 2012 at 3:53amFeb '12
Re: Perfidious Arlen
He'll sell as many books as did Nancy Pelosi.
Aug '10
Re: Perfidious Arlen
gorge rimmer ..?
that 's royal
Russell, Kansas Arlen Specter and Bob Dole
Edited on March 13, 2012 at 3:56am, it ' s Kansas Jake.
Nov '10
Re: Perfidious Arlen
28 comments. Who would have thought Arlen could garner such interest?
Arlen Specter did do a good thing or two for the state of PA... especially Philadelphia. Plus the Warren Commission ( single bullet theory). Plus the Anita Hill grill.
I helped at the 2000 Republican convention in Philadelphia. At shift end I convinced my co-volunteer that we should crash the VIP entrance. We tricked the people on duty there to go on a thirty minute break....convincing them that we were their relief staff. (this was pre-9/11).
What fun. Just moments before we got made by the Secret Service guy with the squiggly ear piece (GAH!!!) Arlen Specter got out of a limo and I had to clear him through security. I was shocked at his small stature. He barely reached my shoulder.
To me, growing up in Philadelphia, Arlen seem bigger than life. He’s not. His whining tale now is probably as pathetic as it can get. He could have resigned instead of switching parties (again). Had he done so, Republicans would have honored his memory...because he did serve the party a bit...at least enough prior to Obama to not get slammed.
Aug '10
Re: Perfidious Arlen
Ah yes, the man Rick Santorum endorsed over Pat Toomey.
Way to take one for the team, Rick!
Mar '12
Re: Perfidious Arlen
One of the rare moments where a political downfall was cherished by both sides of the political aisle.
Unrelated Viewing: The Jazz Specter
Jun '11
Re: Perfidious Arlen
Snow Bird: I've driven I-70 a lot. Perhaps before it was just interstate ozone, but it seems to be only in the last couple of years ago that I have begun to notice what appeared to be a fairly new sign. Russell, KS, which has long proudly proclaimed itself the hometown of Bob Dole, now has a sign similarly claiming Arlen Specter. Every time I pass, I wonder. WHY? Why would anyone want to claim Arlen Specter? · 9 hours ago
Edited 9 hours ago
According to Joe Biden that sign was a shovel-ready project that saved or created 29 jobs.
Jan '11
Re: Perfidious Arlen
Not a particularly useful thing to mention, but just a quick note of appreciation for the brilliant title of the post.
Re: Perfidious Arlen
Thank you, sir!