CNN: Arlen Spector is such a truly evil-looking beast. And he's the

[acmavm]

last person on earth who I want to hear from in regard to picking a SCOTUS judge.

[rooboy]

1. Don't care for his poltics, but his looks are due to chemotherapy...

he has cancer.

[OKNancy]

2. Really?

I don't care for him too much, but he's not as bad as some of them
( I didn't hear what he said,so I can't say much more)
As far as his looks... chemo does that to a person.

[KittyWampus]

43. imo, he really isn't as bad as some of them

[peace frog]

3. So far, Specter is the most rational-sounding of the GOP

we've heard from on the subject.

[JohnnyBoots]

4. He's not the worst there could be as GOP Judiciary Head

[Demeter]

5. I Thought Billy Graham Looks Like Evil Personified

Granted, he's very old, but maybe the demon that supported Nixon, Reagan, etc., is coming out at last.

[bullimiami]

6. despite that he is a nosferatu looking, magic bullet inventing, freak.

he has been a lot more rational than most in his demented party over that last couple of years.

[fujiyama]

7. I'm not the biggest fan of Specter

He usually goes along with the administration on most policies, but on judicial picks he's not as bad as some others. IIRC he did oppose Bork's nomination in the 80s.

As for his looks, that's due to chemo and it's in bad taste to criticize looks based on an illness.

[sendero]

9. He's still trying to atone...

... for installing the moronic Clarence Thomas on the SC. There's nothing he can ever do to make up for that, I'll never forget the Anita Hill hearings and what an absolute BASTARD he was.

Fuck him.

[acmavm]

17. He will never, ever, never be able to atone for Clarence 'Coke Can'

Thomas. Never.

He hasn't changed one bit. I watched him on CNN this morning. He's going to be a real problem for dems, you wait and see.

[Riddler]

8. What;s scary is that he's the SANE Senator from PA

[acmavm]

10. Okay, as for him being ill, that was not in any way part of my post.

He looks evil, regardless of what the reason is. And boo hoo hoo, I'm not picking on a sick man.

The only issue that Specter is liberal on, if you want to call it liberal, is stem cell research. And so far I haven't mentioned that just maybe he has a personal reason to be pushing that, which isn't necessarily a bad thing.

My post is about the fact that I don't want that old asshat calling the shots over the selection of a Supreme Court judge. He is just like the rest of the republican shills and panderers to the extreme right. He'll shackle us with a worse-than-Bork pick that we'll have to live with for years. Having that man anyway involved in this issue is enough to keep me up at night.

Anyone remember the Thomas hearings? I do.

<snip>
He is famous in his role as a member for his campaigning against Supreme Court nominee Robert Bork, defense of nominee Clarence Thomas, and participation in a 30 hour talkathon deploring filibusters against judicial confirmation.
<snip>
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arlen_Specter

[TreasonousBastard]

14. He's not a liberal-- he's a sort of moderate Repuiblican...

and I don't expect Republicans to be liberals-- that's our job. I do expect them to be reasonably honest and able to compromise, however, and Specter seems to be as good as it gets in that way.

But whatever he is, we are stuck with him, and complaining won't help.

Since we are forced to be stuck with a Republican heading the Judiciary Committee for the time being, Specter is one of the least offensive choices.

It could have been much, much worse.

[TruthIsAll]

11. He was the originator of the Magic Bullet Theory for the Warren Commission

And so he is an important part of the biggest coverup of all time.

[CBHagman]

12. You'll look that way too during the treatments for cancer.

Take a look at Specter's record, too, and you might be surprised.

[acmavm]

16. No, I won't be when it comes to his record for voting for SCOTUS

judges.

[Catherine Vincent]

13. Okay, so several have told you about his cancer.

But I will never forget his vote during the bogus impeachment of President Clinton. He and the other republicans that voted no impeachment.

[kentuck]

15. Do you remember anything since day before yesterday ?

Specter is one of the most rational Repubs in Washington....If he is a beast, what the hell are the rest of them?

[acmavm]

18. The rest of them are creatures straight out of the netherworld.

This Supreme Court thing is one of the most pressing issues facing us (outside of Iraq, of course). This issue could give the fundies everything that they want, and more. You think bush** turned this country inside out and upside down with his policies? Well, let's just get us a couple more Scalias or Thomases on this court, shall we? That happens and we can really kiss anything that's left of our feedoms goodbye.

[kentuck]

19. Yep, but...

I think Specter may be our ally in this battle....even though you may be correct about his past. But the present battle is the most important. Past battles are over.

[wallwriter]

20. Spector was on the radio this a.m.

arguing for moderation and consensus in a SCOTUS nominee, specifically criticizing extremists on both sides.

Frankly, I am a lefty extremist. And I'll never forgive him for the Anita Hill fiasco or the single bullet theory.

But if we end up with a new justice on whom some moderate Dems can agree with some moderate Repukes, it will be more thanks to Arlen Spector than any other Repuke you can name.

Would you rather have Rick Santorum on this?

[Goldeneye]

22. What is the single bullet theory?

There are a couple of responses in this thread talking about a bullet, and I'm totally clueless what they are refering to.

[wallwriter]

28. It's a Kennedy assassination theory,

promoted by the Warren Commission, that Kennedy was killed by a single bullet. The acceptance of this theory meant that the investigation was closed down rather than look into the possibility of a second guman, even though there was significant evidence to support it.

At the time, Spector was a young prosecutor making a name for himself. By helping perpetuate this theory, he advanced his career, but did so at the expense of shutting down an important investigation.

[Goldeneye]

29. Ok, I should've known that.

But thanks for explaining anyway.

[Goldeneye]

21. As far as republicans go....he's not that bad.

I'd rather him giving Bush advice than say brownback, santorum, lott, frist, or that freaking nut from alaska.

[acmavm]

25. Ted Stevens?

.

[Goldeneye]

30. that's the one.

[Al-CIAda]

23. Spector is the creator of the 'magic bullet' coverup. n/t

[AzDar]

24. You got it, baby!! Chief legal counsel to the Warren Commission...

He's been rewarded nicely for his "assistance" (as was Gerry Ford), don't you think?

[Dr Fate]

26. He ceratainly has an evil sounding name too- sounds like a Bond villain.

n/t

[elperromagico]

27. He has always looked and sounded to me like Howard Sprague

from The Andy Griffith Show.

[election_2004]

31. Would you rather have Jon Kyl as Judiciary Chair?

Because if Specter leaves office, Jon Kyl the wingnut from Arizona takes over in the Republican line of succession (Chuck Grassley cannot serve as Judiciary Chair as per GOP Caucus rules, since he already chairs the Finance Committee).

[blondeatlast]

37. Kyl, who introduced the "Get Them to the Electric Chair on Time"

Bill; Senate 1088, that aims to severely hobnail the right of habeas corpus.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/07/09/AR2005070900951.html?referrer=emailarticle

Spector is far from perfect, but when your choice is Satan personified as a Commander Bummypant's clone, I'll take less than perfect, TYVM.

[Tiggeroshii]

32. Considering his deals through cancer and chemo, I find it surprising he's

still doing what he's doing and admirable that he's working to get a fair deal with the next appointment. I don't always necessarily care for his politics, but he's certainly honest, moderate, and stands up for what he cares about. He has a backbone, not something I could say for the majority of Republicans in the House and Senate and not something I could say for a lot of Government officials in general.

I think that with Arlen Specter as Judiciary Chair, we can pretty much count on O Connor's replacement being of a pretty practical integrity.

[LittleClarkie]

33. Why, he's actually one of the more reasonable?

and he looks the way he does because he has cancer.

[laugle]

34. Maybe some of you don't remember, but

I will never forget how Spector tore into Anita Hill during the Clarence Thomas hearing for the Supreme court. To practically call her a damm liar, when it was sooooo obvious she was telling the truth about Thomas. Also, Orrin Hatch piled on with him. And today Spector talks of wasting years not having stem cell research, yes he does have a personal reason for this. I think it is typical, that congress people get involved when it is their life on the line, but don't give a damm about the rest of us!!

[blondeatlast]

36. Spector has LONG fought for increased funding an lines for stem cell resea

long before he was diagnosed with cancer.

I'm a SC activist, and have been for some time, and think it's essential to set the record straight.

[laugle]

39. I also think, he has had cancer a long time,

I believe it is hodgekins lymphoema, and he was in remission at one time. But I will take your word on it. Frankly, my post was more about his handling of the Thomas hearings and his horrible treatment of Anita Hill. I could never forget that.

[Piperay]

35. He's not great but

he is one of the few closest to being human you will find in the repuke party.

[Bullwinkle925]

38. I feel sorry for him undergoing his current cancer treatment, but I

can't help thinking how much he looks like that little troll in Lord of the Rings.

[Zynx]

40. Looks are from heavy-duty chemo treatment.

[Gemini Cat]

41. self delete.

[theboss]

42. You'd better kiss his ass

Because he's pretty much all that stands between a bunch of Scalia wanna-bes and the Supreme Court.