Specter to Switch Parties

Posted by Greg Laden on April 28, 2009
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Republican Sen. Arlen Specter has decided to switch parties and become a Democrat, stunning his GOP colleagues in the Senate while pushing Democrats and President Barack Obama one step closer to unfettered power in Washington.

Specter will be the 59th Democratic senator, and if Al Franken eventually pulls out his Senate race in Minnesota, Democrats will have a filibuster-proof 60 vote majority in the Senate, something the party could only have dreamed of at this time last year.

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Comments

  1. #1 The Science Pundit
    April 28, 2009

    I think that this was inevitable, but it still caught me off guard when I heard it. How come I never have champagne when I need it? ;-)

  2. #2 Kitty'sBitch
    April 28, 2009

    In Bush’s first term, when the repubs started piling on Specter, this is exactly the outcome I predicted.
    No one among the republican leadership wanted Specter.
    Careful what you wish for eh?

  3. #3 Jason Thibeault
    April 28, 2009

    Great news and all, given Specter was one of the “good Republicans” (meaning one that seemingly still had a brain of his own when everyone else was marching in Bush lockstep, despite my disagreeing with a number of his positions)… but what about Lieberman? He’s one of those 60, and hasn’t exactly been the most faithful allies.

  4. #4 Jackal
    April 28, 2009

    Not that suprising considering he refused to become a blind follower of Bush regiem, but I kind of wish he hand’t announced it until after Frankin is seated. Now they have even more incentive to delay Frankin’s seating.

  5. #5 Joel
    April 28, 2009

    Wow, that really makes Joe Lieberman look pretty foolish jumping in with the Republicans like he did.

  6. #6 Wayne Conrad
    April 28, 2009

    Then up stepped McBean with a very sly wink, and he said,
    “Things are not quite as bad as you think.
    You don’t know who’s who, that is perfectly true.
    But come with me, friends, do you know what I’ll do?
    I’ll make you again the best Sneetches on beaches,
    and all it will cost you is ten dollars eaches.

    Belly stars are no longer in style, ” said McBean.
    “What you need is a trip through my stars-off machine.
    This wondrous contraption will take off your stars,
    so you won’t look like Sneetches who have them on thars.”

  7. #7 Richard
    April 28, 2009

    I think Spector will be about as reliable as Lieberman. The only good I see is that it tweaked the noses of the Repubs.