Dear Walter,

After reading your reply to criticism of using "centrist" to describe Joe, I wanted to make a point about the statistics you quote. That Joe votes n% of the time with other Democrats is not the only point. I feel what really defines the current leftist dislike of Joe is that he bails out on the important issues. It is almost as if he "fakes it" most of the time so he can vote his Republican conscience when it really matters:

-> Social Security

-> Emergency rape treatment

-> War in Iraq

-> Alito

-> Endless Democratic criticism on cable

-> Kissing Bush

When the chips are down, Joe is on the other side.

Okay, I admit it, I don't get this one at all.

I must be dense today.

Honestly, I can't believe you bothered to print this article. No offense, but there is utterly no hope that Specter will stand up to the "Spectre" administration. This has become so clear that there is simply no point discussing it.

Specter is the worst kind of wimp, i.e., the kind who talks tough and then doesn't have the pride to even pretent he ever meant it. 100% joke.

Can PA start a recall? Maybe a PA Senator two-fer recall?

I was going to let the Specter "concern troll" go by until he/she started attacking people.

This is very simple:

American, PA Senator, Republican - in that order.

Saying he is a Republican does not forgive the weasel.

Listen, if he did not pretend to be anything more than a Rove suck-up like the rest of them, then I guess he would be just another party before anything loser.

That he pretends for attention only to cave every single time makes him as bad as that other phoney McCain.

This is almost too close to reality to be satire. I guess that makes it even better. So how do y'all like the theocracy so far? Birth control is next you know.

Then I would expect "position" to be dictated. All based on what exactly? I guess it doesn't matter. Once you chuck the constitution, there are no rules.

Specter is poised to drive the last nail into the coffin of our separation of powers. He will stand as the biggest enabler of the "drunk on power" administration. That Specter could be such a complete traitor to the constitution is surprising. One wonders what he got out of the "compromise".

Well written Glenn, keep fighting the good fight.

I was wondering if we might leave conventional wisdom land and actually talk about the guy who won the election. I was surprized at both the articles for towing the CW line about Lieberman. I thought Salon was far from the bubble of Washington. I guess I must be one of the angry blog readers or something.

Faith restored that CW does not reign at Salon.

BTW, all the people accusing Lamont's victory of being a big shift leftward should remember:

1) Lamont is a businessman from Greenwich, not the reincarnation of Jerry Garcia.

2) The majority of the country is now strongly against the war.

3) "Off Center" explains why there is a coo-coo perception that Lamont is extreme left. He is a centrist Democrat. Joe is a neocon. Neocons are the fringe elements in our political system even if the are running the country and the Washington "bubble boys (and girls)" of the press don't get it.

You really don't understand what sunk Joe?

After it has been explained by everyone 1000 times?

That other not completely reliable Dems are not in the

dog house? Really, or are you just pretending?

If not faking it, you must be in the beltway bubble to be so clueless.

Democrats should make sure Lamont wins. Joe Leaverman is the spoiler here and will lose support as time goes on. Joe voted the other way when it really mattered, which is what he would continue to do while trashing actual Dems. on Faux news. He supports endless war and refuses to hold commander codpiece accountable for anything.

We need backbone, not weasels.

Lamont is a centrist Democrat that CT will embrace.

I think Joes backers should demand their money back.

He would have no power as an independent and has given away his last months as a Dem. to play the spoiler.

is that Democrats have shown some life and backbone. This race has energized people. Look at the turnout! The volunteers, thrilled to help. This is democracy at its best and that is what scares Rove and DNC Stalin (who seems to be a concern troll in my estimation). The people are sick of the incompetence and corruption and the GOP is scared to death. Victory was sweet, but there is no time to rest. Onward to November.

It would be funny, if were not so close to the truth.

Wingnuts will squeal, as they are wont to do, but they actually do defend anything. Curious that, but when you are in the BushCo cult, it is never smart to question dear leader or his minions.

It was a perfect reflection of the self-centered, navel-gazing audience and the corporate enablers. We are losing our democracy and they show us Suri and worry about a catch-phrase.

Did I miss the Halloway update?