Specter needs to prove he's not replacing Lieberman

[dusmcj]

First off as a facilitator and lamplighter for the Likudnik branch of the neocons (precisely: those folks who think that conservative interpretations of Israel's security interests have higher priority than America's national interest, and/or that the latter is always equivalent to the former). Note I used the word 'conservative', please let's not argue about universality because it's not present here. And I'll laugh in your face if you say I'm antisemitic.

That said: more broadly Mr. Specter has played a peculiar role in the Senate for decades. It goes something like this:

Flaming Reactionary GOP Hack: "we're introducing mandatory wearing of burkahs for both genders and deportation of the poor."

Honest Moderate Arlen: "I'm shocked, shocked and appalled at the meanspiritedness of my Republican colleagues. I'm going home to Pennsylvania to meditate."

(weeks pass while the issue is hashed over by Wolf Blitzer exploring why deportation of the poor might not be a bad thing and how Sen. Specter gives the GOP a humanitarian face.)
(...)
Honest Moderate Arlen: "I want to announce that after long negotiations with my good friend Flaming Reactionary GOP Hack, we've reached a compromise on the original proposal whereby the poor of both genders will have to wear burkahs on Tuesdays and when menstruating. We appreciate the cooperative spirit under which we were able to arrive at this vast improvement over the original legislation."

I.e. feign shock and dismay at a GOP initiative that the opposition is (accurately) describing as a piece of shit, fall back and let the center and left wear themselves out about it, and then come back in as the "moderate Republican" who negotiated superficial changes in the piece of shit or if nothing else represented a nonexistent GOP moderate wing, but it's still a piece of shit contentwise.

I believe I recall him playing this role to the hilt in various PATSY Act negotiations.

[LSparkle]

1. Not to mention his "magic bullet" theory ...

Lots of DUers even call him that ("Magic Bullet Specter").

[dusmcj]

2. pls elaborate or give a pointer

I'm intrigued - is this a Grassy Knoll ref or other ?

[LSparkle]

4. Yep -- grassy knoll, JFK ...

He was the one who came up with the theory that one
bullet could injure both JFK and Connally (even
changing directions if I'm remembering right).

[dusmcj]

6. that's it, he's a Gray!!! /nt

[Kittycat]

3. Well, for starters, Spector is willing to be called a democrat by party designation

Lieberman is an independent, and already proven he'll jump ship and back when it's convenient for him.

I'm not saying he's perfect, far from it. But I'll take a moderate that will vote with us most of the time, over a republican that tows the party line at all costs.

[lsewpershad]

5. When

a politician is changing his party affiliation to save his ass, can we trust him. Can we really trust Specter? On so many occasions when I thought he truely understand our plight he votes against America and as a repuke.