After watching Rep. Sestak on RACHEL, I am 100% behind his challenging Specter.

[BigBearJohn]

To hell with Specter!

[secondwind]

1. I think that's what he was aiming for. n/t

[Tangerine LaBamba]

2. Sestak's great -

a bit conservative, but so is Pennsylvania.

I think - I'm SERIES - that Specter's lost it. I honestly think he's failing, that his faculties might be deserting him, however slowly. He's almost 80 years old and his cancer just recurred AGAIN this past August.

The idea that he's running for re-election is an offense to the intelligence of the residents of my home Commonwealth. And I think that's exactly what Rahm Emanuel and President Obama had in mind when they demoted him - quite rightly - to the junior Senator from Pennsylvania position. After his remark about "I didn't say I'd be a LOYAL Democrat," he deserves nothing but to be stripped of everything.

Now, Specter can no longer "deliver" to his constituency, and that's where Sestak comes in.

He'll run, Sestak will, and he'll win very nicely - that's my prediction.....................

[Psychic Consortium]

3. Yes, it appears something is wrong with Specter.

Possible dementia. He speech and behavior are erratic.

And yes the probability of a Specter win is low.

[AlinPA]

4. Specter has lost it with Democrats - except Obama, Biden, Rendell, Casey, Schwartz. It is

a steep hill to climb with all that organization and money behind Specter. They jumped too early in declaring support for him.

[Tangerine LaBamba]

5. I don't know -

of course they made public proclamations of "backing" him.

But he fucked with them - voting against the budget, reiterating his opposition to the confirmation of Dawn Johnson, his announcement re: "... loyal Democrat" - and, as you saw, the hard and swift hand of Rahm Emanuel came right down on him.

Specter's gonna have to snap to and behave VERY differently before he gets anywhere with the Democrats. That's my theory ......

[saltpoint]

12. I like reading analyses from other states' potential Dem matchups come

primary time. Thanks for this one.

Very interesting insight also on Specter's illness from last summer.

It feels to me as if Sestak would be formidable.

[Tangerine LaBamba]

17. Hiya, sugar ........

You ever see Sestak being interviewed? The guy's very, very good, and his credentials - the military thing - are impeccable. I think he'll take it. He'd wipe up the floor with Toomey - PA loves its veterans.

You know, Specter could have made his move and said all the right things and he would have been fine. He could have justified changing his vote on the budget, his opposition to Johnson by virtue of his embracing the Democratic philosophy (or whatever it's called), and he would have been fine. But he had to open his mouth and say those absolutely anti-Democratic things, and then his votes - oy, his votes!

The tip-off was his blurb about hoping that Norm Coleman would win so that the Republicans could have at least one Jewish Senator - that was so nuts as to be suspect. This was AFTER he'd switched parties, and that was when I thought of his cancer's recurrence. Hell, that affects everything, every thought, every move, and who knows what kind of death sentence is hanging over him? I'm no longer trusting his cognitive processes, and I daresay Rahm Emanuel and Barack Obama can't afford to do that, either.

It's never boring, though ........................................

[JerseygirlCT]

6. He was quite impressive, wasn't he?

I really liked him.

[BigBearJohn]

8. me too. A man's man.

[JerseygirlCT]

15. Well, I'm not a man, but I still found him impressive! nt

[bdamomma]

7. watch out Specter!

Sestak knew what he was talking about.

[DearAbby]

9. I actually envy the people of Pennsylvania

What an awesome choice I saw tonight. Hats off.

[Lugnut]

10. I hope he runs.

There is no way in hell that I can vote for Specter.

[PHIMG]

11. Yes and to hell with D.C. politicians deciding whats best for PA

Based on half-baked formulas of political expediency.

Like "the public option" rather than single payer, for example.

[Senator]

13. K&R

[livefreest]

14. welcome to the club

[Patiod]

16. If you're reading this in Pennsylvania, get into the system!

Yes, the "party bosses" have too much power, and deals are made in back rooms, etc.

But we have some say, and if there are enough of us rumbling, we can make a difference. For instance, many of us felt Hillary was being chosen FOR us, and our little district chose not to endorse her (even though many committee people backed her, they didn't like the "we want Hillary, right?" pressure that seemed to be coming from the top of the party, much of which I attribute to Fast Eddie).

Given enough anger from within the party]/i] (and by "from within the party", I mean from committee chairman, we can chane things.

So get involved! Many, many areas lack committee chairmen, and you can just call, attend meetings, and be appointed committee chair -- then you "run" in the next election (which, in an area where they need people, involves getting 10 signatures and then running unopposed for the position. But until then, you have a VOICE in the process right away.

I as actually OK with Arlen until he decided that he could just continue to vote as a Republican. Now I'm looking hard at Admiral Joe...