Defector

Yesterday, Republican Senator Arlen Specter announced that he was switching sides and will run, in 2010, as a democrat. In a letter he emailed to supporters he writes: “Last year, more than 200,000 Republicans in Pennsylvania changed their registration to become Democrats.” and "I have traveled the State, talked to Republican leaders and office-holders and my supporters and I have carefully examined public opinion. It has become clear to me that my stimulus vote caused a schism which makes our differences irreconcilable. On this state of the record, I am unwilling to have my twenty-nine year Senate record judged by the Pennsylvania Republican primary electorate." Who was the senior administration official that said “Ideology is so yesterday”? After 29 years as a Republican Senator, Specter is pursuing new opportunities wherever they may lead him – in spite of the fact that this will most likely grant the Democrats a filibuster-proof majority in the Senate (assuming Al Franken ends up winning)… Of course, as a Democrat, he will most likely receive the chairmanship of some important committee… Specter is a seasoned politician and I doubt that he switched without a sweet deal from the Dems. In my book, there is only one word to describe this: Traitor!