R.I.P. GOP 1854 – 2009
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Yesterday morning, Republican Senator Arlen Specter turned the political world upside-down by announcing his defection to the Democratic Party. By mid afternoon, funeral plans for the GOP were pending.
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Specter, a Pennsylvania moderate, has long been out of step with his right leaning Republican colleagues. So if anyone was poised to switch parties it was Specter. But the timing of his defection was an incredible surprise gift to President Obama, who marks his 100th day in office today. Specter now gives Democrats its 59th seat in the U.S. Senate. Adding just one more seat to the Democratic side of the aisle will give Dems the 60 seat filibuster proof majority they have long coveted. And with the long standing senate contest in Minnesota between Norm Coleman and Al Franken nearing an imminent conclusion, the leading Al Franken could soon become the 60th Democratic Senator, giving Dems full control of the White House and both houses of Congress in more than a decade.
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OBAMA TO SPECTER: “We are thrilled to have you”
Following the landslide victory of Barack Obama in the November election, the politically savvy Specter noted the rapidly changing northeast political map, and saw the writing on the wall. He knew that if he ran as a Republican in his upcoming re-election bid, he’d lose. His only hope for survival in the Democratic leaning Pennsylvania was to follow the old saying: “If you can’t beat ’em, join em!” Specter called the President early Tuesday morning after wrestling over the weekend with his unbelievably well kept secret. “Arlen Specter is on the phone and would like to speak to you,” Katie Johnson, the president’s personal secretary announced, according to a senior official present at the time. “Find out what he wants,” Mr. Obama said, noting that he was in a meeting at the moment. Johnson left the Oval Office, but returned moments later with a handwritten note from White House counsel Greg Craig, who had spoken with the Pennsylvania Republican. The note was scribbled with the very simple message: “Specter is announcing he is changing parties.” The President’s eyes reportedly got very wide. “Get him back on the phone!” Mr. Obama told Johnson, naturally ecstatic at the unexpected news. Party leaders raced to immediately get behind their new Democrat, and will likely throw the full weight of the party behind Specter’s re-election bid, even clearing the field for him to sail through unopposed. Democrats are aware that if Specter is re-elected (as expected), he will not automatically vote with the party every time. But he will surely owe them plenty of political favors for saving his political life, favors they will surely bank and cash in later when needed.`
GOP REACTION
Naturally, the GOP was shell-shocked when they learned of the news on the eve of Mr. Obama’s 100th Day in office. Sen. Olympia Snowe of Maine, one of the few remaining moderate Republicans in the Senate, called Specter’s abandonment of the GOP “devastating” and acknowledged the GOP has also abandoned its principles. GOP Chairman Michael Steele was seething when he told reporters Sen. Specter didn’t even have the decency to call him directly to inform him of his decision, and he only learned of the news from watching television like everyone else. “His momma should have taught him better than that” Chairman Steele angrily responded. Even the so-called true “Leader of the GOP” Rush Limbaugh weighed in on the Specter defection, saying “good riddance,” and barking at Specter to “Take McCain and his daughter with you!”`
Specter’s jump to the Democratic Party could potentially be the beginning of more to come as Dems are now gingerly targeting Sens. Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins of Maine. But right now, getting Al Franken of Minnesota seated as the 60th Democrat in what will surely now be a “knock-em-down, drag-em-out” fight, is more prominent on the party’s “TO DO” list. President Obama and Vice-President Biden are scheduled to join the newest member of their Democratic Party for some brief comments this morning. The White House announced the trio will make remarks to the press at 8 a.m., before Mr. Obama leaves for a nationally televised town hall meeting later tonight in St. Louis (every network news station will carry the presidential live event, except [surprise] FOX NEWS).
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HAPPY 100th DAY MR. PRESIDENT!
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Nixon’s “Southern Strategy”, as perfected by Lee Atwater and Karl Rove, has indeed WORKED.Frankly, it’s worked so well that some people are now referring to the GOP as “the Confederate party”. And "the base" no doubt would take that as a compliment_smh. Regarding Specter: Bill Kristol_the little neoCON_says Specter’s defection is a “good thing for the Republican party.” This is the same cretin who helped orchestrate the UNJUST pre-emptive “war” against Iraq saying our military would be greeted, by the Iraqi people, with chocolates and other assorted sweets; picked Sarah Palin as McCain’s VP choice, saying that she was more qualified to be President than Barack Obama; wants the U.S. to wage a preemptive strike against Iran on behalf of Israel.In other words Kristol is an intellectually bankrupt MORON and chicken-hawk ta boot. he's also a Republican_what a shock? (snark) IMO, Specter’s move crystallizes the fact that the GOP, as… Read more »