Here’s an interesting tidbit about the big, giant, Potentially Earth-Shattering news that Sen. Arlen Specter will now be Sen. Arlen Specter (D-PA). Intentionally or otherwise, Specter planned his announcement at a time when Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell would be indisposed.
McConnell, along with the rest of the congressional leadership, was, at the time of the announcement, attending a ceremony commemorating the unveiling of a bust of Sojourner Truth–the famed 19th century abolitionist and women’s rights activist. A source in attendance confirms that he left the ceremony about a half an hour ago to attend a scheduled vote on the Senate floor.
It’s unclear if that means McConnell was left in the dark about the plans. as a point of reference, Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX)–chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee)–wrote a letter to Pennsylvania Republicans two weeks ago endorsing the man who today decided he didn’t want to be a Republican at all.
“My job as head of the NRSC is to guide the GOP back to a majority in the Senate,” Cornyn wrote. “I can’t do that without Arlen Specter. With him as our nominee, I can target our campaign resources toward beating Democrats and growing the Senate Republican Conference.”
Whoops. Well…perhaps he’ll reconsider now that it looks like conservative Pat Toomey will be running against Specter in the general election not the primary.
