Arlen Specter reiterated on Face The Nation that while his tough Republican primary was a factor in his party switch, he is also becoming more comfortable on principle with the Democrats’ policies. That and other political news in today’s TPMDC Sunday Roundup.
What Andy Stern twittered earlier this afternoon: “Congressman Sestak impressive on CNN. Visiting him tomorrow.”
I’m generally of the opinion that it’s great to have anyone as a Democrat who will caucus with the party and support its candidates. People get all bent out of shape about Ben Nelson (D-NE); and I’d count myself among the bent. But it’d be difficult to get a Democratic elected from Nebraska whose politics were dramatically different from Nelson’s. And party’s aren’t political cells or even clubs; they/re coalitions.
This has mainly informed my opinion about Arlen Specter, given what I’ve always considered his relatively reasonable politics and what high-profile party switches almost always tell us about the shifting tectonic plates about the nation’s politics. But Specter does seem to have been going out of his way, not just on the optics, which I can sort of understand (since he doesn’t want to appear utterly craven), but also to oppose the consensus Democratic position on almost every issue. And in any case, Specter isn’t just a Democrat in 2009 and 2010. He’s running in the Democratic primary as a first time nominee for senate. And there’s a decent argument to be made that the state could elect a substantially more progressive Democrat this year, though Pennsylvania Democrats, even ones that are pretty progressive on some issues, tend to be fairly conservative on others.
So it was with all that in mind that I read this typically meaty post from Nate Silver which notes that by some measures Joe Sestak, who’s looking like Specter’s most probable primary challenger, may actually be more conservative than Specter. (Note that SEIU head Andy Stern says he’s holding a meeting with Sestak tomorrow.)
I guess my thought on this, to the extent it matters — which isn’t much since I’m not a Pennsylvania voter — is that I’m happy to have him as a Dem. But it’d be nice to see him have to make some case to the Democrats in his state that he’s worthy of their nomination — something that could be accomplished either by Sestak threatening to get in or actually challenging him in the primary. Because at the moment at least it does seem like he’s taking the matter entirely for granted.
Thoughts?
MJ Rosenberg on the Pete Seeger’s 90th Birthday celebration at Madison Square Garden.
This should work well: The House GOP is bringing in three former Bush advisers — Dana Perino, Tony Fratto, and Ed Gillespie — for advice. Onward and upward! That and the day’s other political news in the TPMDC Morning Roundup.
Is Barack Obama speaking in Supreme Court code? Did Arlen Specter pledge loyalty to the party to become a Democrat? And what is the GOP really lacking, ideas or just cuteness? We find the answers to all these questions and more in today’s Sunday Show Roundup …
Full-size video at TPMtv.com.
A Sestak constituent responds to my post from last night …
Sestak is my rep. Nate might be an electoral-poll god, but he is way off on this. He cites silly ratings in his piece that don’t reflect reality. There is NO WAY Joe Sestak, had he been a Senator, votes for the Bush tax cuts, or Roberts, or Alito. Sestak voted for Obama’s budget; has an excellent labor record, and is superior Democrat in every way to the principle-free Specter. I work in an office in Sestak’s district that is 25-5 Democratic, and for years I’ve been pleading with people to take a hard look at Specter, whom they have consistently given a slide to as some sort of ‘moderate.’ Someone the other day said,
“Yeah, he’s a weasel, but he’s OUR weasel.’ And this person should know better. Very frustrating. Arlen self-preserves with this move, and the Old Boys Club applauds (Biden, Rendell, the execrable Reid, all the way up to Obama). ‘Clear the primary field’ my ass. I’d love if Sestak took Specter on and kicked his sorry ass.
I don’t want this to become some knock on Nate Silver, whom I’m a huge fan of. But I think it’s true that Sestak’s record to date compared to Specter’s, because of the different chambers they’ve served in, the particular district Sestak represents and how little time he’s served, is kind of an apples to oranges comparison. And as I said in the post last night, my only angle on this is that I’d like to see Specter at least have to make his case to Democrats in his state.
Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-AL) to become ranking member of the Senate Judiciary Committee (albeit as a placeholder until 2011 for Sen. Charles Grassley (R-IA)).
Brian Beutler has more.