NYT: Specter, Victory in Hand, Now Pushes Bush Away

[DeepModem Mom]

Specter, Victory in Hand, Now Pushes Bush Away
By JAMES DAO

Published: April 29, 2004


PHILADELPHIA, April 28 — Just hours after he had squeaked by a conservative opponent in a grueling primary, Senator Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania on Wednesday began emphasizing his independence from the man who many Republicans believe carried him to victory, President Bush.

Republican analysts said Mr. Bush's hard work for Mr. Specter, which included a joint appearance last week, allowing his image to be used in commercials and dispatching aides to promote Mr. Specter's record, probably made the difference in Mr. Specter's two-point victory over Representative Patrick J. Toomey. The margin was 16,000 votes out of more than one million cast.

On Wednesday morning, Mr. Specter took steps to win over the centrist Democrats and swing voters who will be crucial in the general election by enumerating his differences with Mr. Bush's conservative agenda.

In a hastily called news conference, Mr. Specter said he supported stem cell research, while the president opposes it. He voted to trim part of the president's tax cut, much to conservatives' chagrin. He objected to an administration plan to roll back the minimum wage for some workers. And he opposes federally financed vouchers for private schools, an education priority for Mr. Bush.

"I intend to retain my independent voice," Mr. Specter said. "The people of Pennsylvania have not elected me to be a rubber stamp."...


http://www.nytimes.com/2004/04/29/national/29SPEC.html

[dusty64]

1. Hee hee, this

is good for my morning chuckle. There have been so few of them these last few years. I didn't expect one from the "magic bullet man".

[DeaconBlues]

5. Magic bullet man?

Please enlighten those of us who are less informed.

[THUNDER HANDS]

6. Spector came up with the 'magic bullet' theory

During the JFK investigations.

[DeaconBlues]

7. O.K. Thanks

I thought "magic bullet" might've referred to Spector being an advocate of some wacko Vince Foster conspiracy. I must have been thinking about Bob Barr.

[salin]

9. or pehaps Dan "blow the Watermelon up" Burton?

Spector was, however, among the Senate crew that worked to discredit Anita Hill - and hail Thomas as a wise judicial choice.

[enough]

2. Typical Specter

The guy who has managed to make a career on nothing but pure political opportunism.

What he (and the media) call "independence" has never been anything but a constant shifting in the wind of political expediency. He believes in nothing and will do anything to save his hide.

To conservatives he says: "I gave you Clarence Thomas." To liberals he says, "Well if I'd known how Clarence Thomas was going to behave on the Supreme Court, I might have had my doubts."

The original Hollow Man.

[sendero]

10. Exactly....

... IMHO, nobody who listened to the Anita Hill hearings during the Thomas confirmation could ever respect this man. He is a snake of the highest order.

Thanks for putting yet another idealogue on the Supreme Court, Mr. Specter.

[ramapo]

3. Too bad

The conservative Toomey would've been a better target

[dusty64]

4. True, I I don't like

specter at all. It is funny that he is trying so hard to run away from our regime however, I guess he recognizes them for the liability that they truly are. I really don't think PA will turn "red" in November, although Kerry will have to fight for it. I still think this Senate seat could be a pickup, the fundies are probably going to stay home on Election Day (just my gut feeling).

[JoFerret]

8. Hopeful thought.

.


http://booksforsoldiers.com/

[cmd]

11. I want that senate seat

Although Specter stands head and shoulders above most Pubbies, he still has an R after his name. We need that seat.

[PaDUer]

12. True...

that's why * has made so MANY trips here, w/ MORE to come-ugh! He'd probably like to erase it from the map!

[CTLawGuy]

13. wow, Arlen, I like those things too

thats why I would vote for Joe Hoeffel

[gasperc]

14. good encourage dems to split their ticket against Bush

and also help Hoeffel squeak in, comments like these should insure them not being seen together and not coordinating their campaigns

[skypilot]

15. ...roll back the minimum wage for some workers..."?!?!

Were these assholes really planning on trying that? Are they still? I missed that story. Not that it really surprises me. But Jesus Christ, the people making mininum wage are the one who can least afford to have it cut.

[enki23]

16. it's just reelection rhetoric

he knows it, bush knows it, and we should know it too. he owes bush big, and you'd be a fool if you didn't think that will matter.

[yellowcanine]

17. Good, This will help depress wingnut turnout in November in PA

Should help defeat both spectre and shrub in PA. Two birds with one stone. Yee haw.

[dryan]

19. Specter defended Unicorn killer

When Specter was in private practice he defended the Unicorn killer--Ira Eichorn. Eichorn murdered his girlfriend and stuffed her in a storage trunk where they stayed for several months. Specter defended Eichorn. During the trial, Eichorn was allowed out on R&R and skipped the country. He went to France where he lived openly including marrying a French woman. He was spotted by someone familiar with the case who alerted the Philadelphia DA's office. France didn't want to extradite him at first but they did eventually. There was always a rumor that Specter "suggested" he leave the country. Personally, I am still made over the hatchet job Specter did to Anita Hill.

[David__77]

18. I'm glad Specter won, in retrospect.

I tihnk Toomey would have energized the right. Specter will do the opposite. Furthermore, Specter is truly an ally on many things--abortion, gay rights, many labor issues... I personally think he'd be perfectly at home in the Democratic Party. I think Teresa Heinz could maybe convince him to at least not campaign for Bush.

[Chicago Democrat]

20. Maybe he might switch parties

His own party hates him. We love him. Jump ship Arlen!

[devinsgram]

21. I don't see that shrub helped him at all.

After all 16,000 out of over 1 million was not a help. Those who voted all ready had their minds made up. Although I did hear one idiot phone in to PCN(PA Public Affairs station)that commented that he was voting for Toomey, till he saw shrub and Santorum in a TV ad telling everyone to vote for Spector. Evidently one of those sheeple everyone talks about.

One of the analysts on the station said that the only reason shrub lost PA in last selection was because Spector wasn't up for re-election that year. That analyst absolutely did not know what he was talking about, because PA has a very influential teachers union and they were definetly against shrub.

I am glad though if Spector distances himself from shrub, because that could help the Democrats out.