Say what you want about Specter... but this news is a PR disaster for the GOP...

[Puzzler]

... and it will completely throw the RW pundits off message during the MSM's "Obama 100 Day" media-fest.

[vaberella]

1. You're right. It's actually killed ALL other news stories.

New York---WH faux pas: Dead.
Houston---Flood: Dead.
FBI---Obama: Dead.

[guruoo]

38. Blogs too...

Results 1 - 10 of about 11,634 for Specter switch
http://blogsearch.google.com/blogsearch?hl=en&um=1&ie=UTF-8&q=Specter+switch&btnG=Search+Blogs

[katmondoo]

2. Makes me happy, very happy

[grantcart]

3. yep

[Duer 157099]

4. Agree - for that alone, it's worth it n/t

[msallied]

5. I wish this post had a "like" function like Facebook. Because I like it. lol

[TheWraith]

16. Press "Recommend" below the post. :)

[msallied]

22. Oh yeah!

Gawd, I haven't been here in awhile. I forgot a lot about how this board works. lol

[vaberella]

25. Done. n/t

[Hutzpa]

6. Agreed

smart political play by the Obama administration once again.

Kudos to them....:thumbsup:

[abluelady]

7. Absolutely!

I wonder if we are going to see more of this with the Republican party becoming so nutty. I imagine it is going to be harder and harder for the moderate Republican to function in this crazy right wing atmosphere the party has become.

[jillan]

8. Exactly! And Specter is now going to have to pander to the dems to win his re-election.

[Mojambo]

14. A good start would be to get on board with the Employee Free Choice Act. n/t

[vaberella]

21. He'll change his tune when his constituents start harassing him, or we do. n/t

[bdamomma]

42. it will be up to us.

I heard on C Span he is not the 60th vote, and is not voting on party lines, I am very cautious about Specter switching over, but the GOP is going going gone!!!

[La Lioness Priyanka]

9. yes it is. it means our brand has a better value.

[msanthrope]

10. Yes!!!! The Punditry was caught unawares.... n/t

[liberalmuse]

11. This is fantastic news.

What did the GOP expect, turning on him like this? He could still lose his election, but we have our filibuster-proof majority (as soon as Franken is seated). He will vote with us more often now, I think.

[Political Tiger]

12. The puke reaction is going to be vicious

which will only highlight how savage and incorrigible they are!

[vaberella]

24. And it's already started with Michael Steele..."He's a liberal." n/t

[yardwork]

27. Who cares? Pennsylvania loves him. He's guaranteed reelection now.

[bdamomma]

44. that is all he wanted to be re elected, and getting that (D) after

his name do it? PA residents should be mindful and cautious. Just my opinion.

[Political Tiger]

33. Steele's sour grapes reaction was so predictable.

What a fool!

[ErinBerin84]

13. I'm not sure what I think of this yet

(I mean, it could be helpful, but I don't trust him to be helpful. He better be giving us some freaking votes)

But did anyone hear Steele's reaction? David Shuster read it on MSNBC, it was hilarious....the same "I am sad about this, because it was out of political expediency and not principle...." and best of all, reference to Specter's "left wing voting record". Left wing voting record? Lol, don't we wish! And I guess most senators were really surprised and asking about this to reporters in the hall.

[Marrah_G]

15. Damn right it is- They have to be freaking out.

[TeamJordan23]

17. Also likely the nail in the coffin for Michael Steele. nm

[Cha]

36. Steele is leaking like

a sieve.

[Binka]

47. That's Being Too Kind Cha He Is Leaking Like An Old Depends

Smelling like piss. What a fuckwittage.

[Cha]

48. Uuuuuooooewwweeeeee!

;(

:hi:Binka

[PatSeg]

18. I wonder if this might open the door for

some other moderate republicans to switch parties.

[Hamlette]

29. I think not, at least not for Collins or Snowe. They don't need to.

As happy as I am about Specter switching, I think he's still a fairly conservative guy. I don't think he did this for the same reason Jeffords did (my mom, bless her heart, sent him money every month after he switched). Jeffords was more altruistic. Specter is doing it to win reelection which he can't do as a republican unless he moves to Utah.

[PatSeg]

30. True

but I think deals have been made and in order to get top positions in the senate, he'll have to make some compromises.

[Arkana]

19. Yes it is--and that, ladies and gents, is where our victory lies.

We're not cheering because Arlen is some sort of all-star who we were trying to sign to a long-term contract.

We're happy because once again it takes that story about GOP infighting and shines a BIG fucking spotlight RIGHT on it.

[bdamomma]

45. oh for sure, the spotlight is certainly blinding.

[AspenRose]

20. .

[LittleBlue]

23. Exactly! It's only really important for two things

1) To get 60
2) To make the GOP look bad

I really don't care about Specter other than these two things. If he turns out to show more of his progressive side, then kudos to him. If not, I'll thank him for his vote.

[yardwork]

26. Excellent timing. I'm sure that this was planned in advance and held for the right moment.

[SemiCharmedQuark]

31. Where was it that some Dem was considering changing affilliation and the Republicans blew the story

by putting it on Twitter?

Anyway, *this* is how you unleash a story on your opponents.

[rvablue]

32. It was in the State Legislature in VA.

And the Repub. party chair twittered it right before the announcement.

Gave the Dems an opportunity to stop it. And they succeeded.

This timing is indeed brilliant. Right after Tedisco conceded and right before the 100 days analysis!

[lolamio]

28. I agree. I heard the reporter on CNN say the party leadership was "shellshocked!" Gotta love it!

[FraDon]

34. MagicBullet Boy ! • He's always been quick on his feet.

This could prove to be the opportunity to retire him to the memoir writing room. Worth a try.

[iamthebandfanman]

35. definitely agree with that..

and i definitely welcome his defection...

but that doesnt mean im not going to work my ass off to make sure another dem has his seat and not him.

regardless, the republican running in that general election isnt going to win.
doesnt matter if its specter with a d by his name or not.

all of my limited small resources will be going to the democratic challenger, whoever has the guts to do it.

[Bobbie Jo]

37. R: The new Scarlet Letter.

[leftofthedial]

39. yes it is

[OnceUponTimeOnTheNet]

40. K&R. nt

[Bluerthanblue]

41. k&r and it's the 'sound-bites' that many right wingers live on-

this is NOT 'good-news' for them.


:hi:

[AtomicKitten]

43. And that silver lining makes this too delicious to dismiss. n/t

[wryter2000]

46. Absolutely

This is a really big PR loss for them. There's no good way for them to spin it.