Wait, we are talking about Specter, right?

Frighteningly enough, I agree with Steele and Cornyn about my senator. It's all about Arlen. His principles have been conveniently dormant for 8 years. I doubt they are suddenly so important now. Vote his entitled butt out. And Alex, stop kidding yourself.

That means it's the last option, in resignation, as the party implodes.

"his left-wing voting record."

Wait, we are talking about Specter, right?

Yes, but you have to consider the GOP frame of reference. They might have said the same thing about Attila the Hun.

I'm a Republican but I am crying in my beer! I am puking up bile and blood and crap! What a loser scumbag slime-dob crap-head. I am going to give $ to anyone who opposes this knucklehead. What at turd! What a Benedict Arnold! Hey Specter, YOU SUCK!!! How's THAT for "taking it well"???

the reason the Republicans are taking this so well is that they know that even if Reid had 99 votes, he'd still find a way to completely fail in his job. His lameness knows no bounds.

Have they ever taken anything well?

I think he may now lose the Democrat primary, and there's no better place to judge that groundswell, than Salon.

I don't live in Pennsylvania, but I will donate my time and money to making sure Specter's seat is returned to a Republican. Indeed, the two best and most visible candidates right now (Rick Santorum and Pat Toomey) are both movement conservatives.

I don't see Specter even making it to the election. I see "Judge Specter" in the future, and that won't mean much since the guy's 79 and ready to go on senior status anyway.

Buh bye, Senator Specter. Sure hope that ol' cancer doesn't kill you next year.

You are nothing if not consistant!!!

ROFLMA!!!

Alex: "The reason Specter found himself in this position is that a moderate seen as at all accomodating to Democrats just isn't acceptable to the GOP base these days."

So... why switch now? I mean, if he's such a paragon of virtue, he could've switched back in 2004, before Bush and Santurum had to step in and save his ass.

Let's turn it around: Would he had switch had Michael Steele indicated *support* instead of threats?

Of course not!!!

So explain to me how that makes him "ethical", Alex.

Serafin, have you ever heard of sarcasm? Oh, right, of course not.

They did a pretty good job of taking this country to the cleaners.

And they melted like that witch from Oz.

Specter's Full Statement:

I have been a Republican since 1966.....

Since my election in 1980, as part of the Reagan Big Tent, the Republican Party has moved far to the right.

That's it. Whether you think that Specter is really a disgusting conservative or opportunist or whatever it may be, the fact that he just stood up and said "The Republican party is too far to the right these days" is the whole story, and its massively important.

It's no secret to most of us of course but even the Republicans will have a hard time missing that statement, right out there coming from one of them. And if he's really a right wing conservative then it's even more significant that he thinks that the GOP is too right wing now for even him.

Yeah, I can imagine the GOP ads decrying Specter as the "most liberal senator" already.

My oh my, what to say? Except, I suppose, that I would fully support PA Republicans following Irrelevantman's sage advice. Please nominate Toomey or Santorum; please, please, please!

Santorum??!!!?!?!?

A fate far worse than Specter!!! Good thing I saved my "Kick Rick Out" t-shirt from the last election.

William F. Buckley conservatism is far from the current group's bizarre extremism. It is not a surprise that moderate conservatives no longer identify with the group. I don't think they are conservative per se anymore. They seem very much radical in an odd backwards way.

Frankly, I doubt you'll do so much as spend one dollar or one minute of time within the PA state border trying to unseat Specter. Talk is cheap.

As a Pennsylvania Democrat, I believe I've voted for Specter every time he's been up for election, including an absentee ballot during my military service. I've certainly not agreed with him on everything he's done or said, but on balance he's been a fine senator.

If Joe Sestak decides to enter the Democratic primary, it will be a difficult decision, but a most welcome dilemma. In either case (Specter or Sestak) this seat will no doubt stay in Democratic hands following the 2010 general election

a mighty cheer went up from the heroes of Shelbyville. They had banished the awful lemon tree forever, because it was haunted. Now let's all celebrate with a cool glass of turnip juice."

Indeed, the two best and most visible candidates right now (Rick Santorum and Pat Toomey) are both movement conservatives

My oh my, what to say?

You could point out that "movement conservatives" are usually found in toilet bowls.

And now Santorum?

Well... if one accepts popular culture's definition of those two terms at least it's logical.

(snorf)

obviously you aren't familiar with Pennsylvania. there is absolutely no way a conservative republican will win specter's seat. perhaps you forget what happened to santorum? and which way the state is trending?

60% of democrats approved of specter when he was a republican. he is going to win.

His votes on environmental issues are pretty bad; the League of Conservation voters gave him a score of 27% last year. Joe Lieberman got 100%.

It'll be interesting to see if he changes his voting patterns without GOP pressure. I wouldn't hold my breath. Maybe he just wants to be more important to the Democrats so they'll give him presents.

The system of checks and balances has nothing to do with how many seats each party has in the Senate.

I've hated this guy since he said on the senate floor that the murder of a federal judge's husband probably had something to do with judicial activism. What a wanker.