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Reid: "We Can Try To Work Something Out" With Specter's Committees
Harry Reid appeared on CNN this afternoon, and apparently indicated that he may be trying to cut a deal to get Arlen Specter some important committee position.
"Arlen is a senior member of the Senate, and that's significant. I think also we can try to work something out with individual chairmen, and I'm certainly doing that," said Reid. "But I think everyone should just kinda relax and understand that he's a Democrat. We're doing our best to make him happy as a Democrat. I think he is, I've talked to him often. And any other situation I think is something that's kinda being made up."
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Josh
Matt
Eric
Huh?
May 6, 2009 1:51 PM | Reply | Permalink
So we're trying to make him happy as a Democrat. What about Specter trying to make the Democrats happy?
May 6, 2009 2:14 PM | Reply | Permalink
Doesn't it just takes us back to the times of Traitor Joe supposedly being demoted from his assignments, then not when he had a hissy fit?
And Reid said there would be no questions after they had a meeting to give Joe everything he wanted, so they could all quietly disperse and maintain some semblance of dignity? But Traitor Joe made the leader grimace when he lightly ignored the latter's direction, and instead went right on camera to wax poetic about what a great guy he was? After he had hinted that the new President was close to terrorists?
May 6, 2009 2:21 PM | Reply | Permalink
It's a genuine pleasure to be able to agree with you 100% about something.
May 6, 2009 2:22 PM | Reply | Permalink
Yeah seriously. Espically since it seems every time I read a post here, you too always engage in a shouting war. Shoot, I was shocked and amazed that when Obama became President, you actually said something positive towards him. It was a shock because you said some pretty negative stuff about the man.
Nice we can all agree on something.
May 6, 2009 2:32 PM | Reply | Permalink
Was that addressed to me? I supported, donated to, and voted for Obama in the primary, and made no secret of that support.
May 6, 2009 2:53 PM | Reply | Permalink
Yes that was directed towards you. I just remember during the transition period you were awfully negative and critical towards Obama and that when when he took office and he didn't something I don't know what (it may be the closure of Gitmo or the withdrawal from Iraq) that made you very supportive and I was shock when you did it.
May 6, 2009 3:14 PM | Reply | Permalink
Hey, this is a first! I agree with both Freerider and Steve LaBonne.
I'm marking the date!
May 6, 2009 2:59 PM | Reply | Permalink
1. I think the Democratic party MUST remain a big tent party if we are to be a viable national party. Therefore, trying to force out Blue Dogs who vote with the party 80-90% of the time is stupid!
Specter is a different story. Nelson, Lincoln, Bayh, Pryor, et al are lifelong Democrats who are more conservative than I'd like. Specter is NOT a Democrat at all. He is simply an opportunist and I hope he is not in the Senate come January, 2011, even if that means a Republican wins. That's how much I despise him.
2. I have NO patience for people who say Obama is unprincipled and is no different from Bush. These same people remain dead silent when Obama ends torture, passes SCHIP, pay equity, repeals gag orders but rush to deride him as a corporate tool with corrupt advisers because his economic philosophy differs from Krugman's.
They are niave and don't have a clue about governing which, unless you're a dictator, requires compromise.
They are professional malcontents invested in grievance. They seek to prove their bona fides by showing how "pure" they are by saying no one is ever good enough. They only like the politicians who are either dead or unelectable.
May 6, 2009 3:30 PM | Reply | Permalink
To be fair, Specter was a Democrat. From 1951-1965 he was a registered Democrat. He offically changed to Republican in 1966 after he won the race to become District Attorney of Philadelphia, beating incumbent Tom Gola. He did this by running on the GOP ticket as registered Democrat. How that is even legal I have no clue, but he did and won. He served two terms as DA.
Beyond that I strongly agree with what you said about everything in your post.
May 6, 2009 3:38 PM | Reply | Permalink
Agreed. But Specter was a Democrat at the same time Hillary was a Republican so it doesn't count!
May 6, 2009 3:50 PM | Reply | Permalink
you rather go with Pat Toomey, than Arlen Specter? I rather have 60 democratic senators in 2012 and Specter being one of them than 59.
May 6, 2009 4:24 PM | Reply | Permalink
Specter is not a democrat today and he won't be a democrat in 2010. He is and always will be a Specter-ite.
Having Specter has nothing to do with getting the 60th vote since he has said he will not vote for clocture on important issues.
If it takes getting Pat Toomey to teach Rendell and the PA Democratic party that they can't bully the constituents into submission, then so be it. Maybe next time, they'll let the voters decide on the nominee instead of trying to clear the field for this asshole.
Who the hell are these guys to tell Democratic voters "Specter is the guy no matter how badly he behaves so suck it up!"?
May 6, 2009 4:50 PM | Reply | Permalink
"Maybe next time, they'll let the voters decide on the nominee.." rarely happens. Still, if we're lucky and he loses the democratic primary he'll just go independent.
May 6, 2009 6:22 PM | Reply | Permalink
Lamont was not supposed to be the nominee and Barack Obama was not supposed to be the nominee for the Senate or the presidency.
Democrats have a way of telling the establishment to shove it.
May 6, 2009 7:01 PM | Reply | Permalink
"Still, if we're lucky and he loses the democratic primary he'll just go independent".
Well that's not possible because unlike CT, PA dosen't have a sore loser Law. So if Sestak ran and beat Specter, that's it ballgames over and Specter is out of the election for good.
May 7, 2009 1:12 AM | Reply | Permalink
Oh why didn't I see this coming. Why work out a deal with a "Democrat" that won't support the part's agenda. Whatever it's Al Franken, Dawn Johnsen of EFCA.
God you should be ashamed of yourself Senator Reid. I tried to see the best in you, I really did. But there is none, your just a hack that has absolutely no leadership qualties whatsoever.
Don't make the man comfortable, put his feet to the fire and pressure so you can count on him for votes. Right now he's as muuch of a reliable Democrat as Ben freaking Nelson and that's not reliable at all, quite the opposite.
Sorry for the rant everyone,this isn't my style. But this guy, my god he makes me want to put my fist through a wall he makes me so angry.
May 6, 2009 1:53 PM | Reply | Permalink
Sen.Reid..let this assfat earn his stripes by his votes before you spend one bit of energy and effort on this dude who can't keep his ducks in arow. What the hell are we worried about when it comes to whether he is happy; when he so is out of touch with Americans who are hurting w/ the economy or with the war dead and injuried vets he so eagerly supported. Screw Specter!
May 6, 2009 1:56 PM | Reply | Permalink
Reid is just awful. What a kiss ass.
May 6, 2009 1:58 PM | Reply | Permalink
"Sorry for the rant everyone,this isn't my style."
Hah! Who do you think you are fooling? Do you honestly believe we ever trusted a commenter with such a *sinister* middle name?!
DO YOU?!
;)
May 6, 2009 1:59 PM | Reply | Permalink
I get that alot at Daily Kos so please let me explain. The reason why I choosed to put the name "Hussein" as my middle name in my username was out of respect for Senator (now President) Obama. As you all remember Obama took a lot of crap from conservative asswipes like Limbaugh, Hannity as well as GOP voters for having the middle name Hussein, a muslim name meaning to them Obama is a terrorist that wants to take away our freedom and destroy us all. I choosed the name out of respect and solidarity for the man, because I thought he was being treated very unfairly by the GOP and the media for this BS.
No, I am not a Republican. I been a Dem all my life (offically since 2005 when I could register to vote) and a strong supporter of President Obama, I don't go to any message board to troll because I feel it's pointless and trival.
I hope this clears this up for you and the rest of the people who are scratching their heads because of my username. You not the first person to question it.
May 6, 2009 2:25 PM | Reply | Permalink
I think you was making a snark.....
May 6, 2009 2:43 PM | Reply | Permalink
Rather, she was making a snark.
May 6, 2009 2:44 PM | Reply | Permalink
Hmmm, didn't know. Usually when people say stuff like that to me about my username, there being serious.
May 6, 2009 2:50 PM | Reply | Permalink
Bradley, a great many of us on these boards have the same middle name for the same reasons, we just don't always write it that way, okay?
If the unfair critics of our transformational President think that it's a step too far to elect a man with that last name, well, for my money they can Overreach THIS!
Cheers.
May 6, 2009 3:05 PM | Reply | Permalink
Sorry, *middle* name:
"Bradley, a great many of us on these boards have the same middle name for the same reasons, we just don't always write it that way, okay?
If the unfair critics of our transformational President think that it's a step too far to elect a man with that middle name, well, for my money they can Overreach THIS!
Cheers."
May 6, 2009 3:09 PM | Reply | Permalink
Yeah, no problem OT!.
May 6, 2009 3:20 PM | Reply | Permalink
Good deal, friend. Wear that middle name proudly!
Cheers.
May 6, 2009 7:26 PM | Reply | Permalink
Here's the big clue:
May 6, 2009 2:53 PM | Reply | Permalink
And the "DO YOU??"
May 6, 2009 3:00 PM | Reply | Permalink
This deal is getting worse all the time!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YtKkyrZtUaM
May 6, 2009 2:02 PM | Reply | Permalink
It's not just Reid,Obama welcomed him with open arms.
May 6, 2009 2:16 PM | Reply | Permalink
Yeah but that's the thing. We like Obama, no one in the blog world (or the base to be very specific) likes Reid and probally everyone knew sooner or later this would happen (i'm talking about the committee thing, not Specter's party switching when talking about Harry Reid).
May 6, 2009 2:28 PM | Reply | Permalink
As I've said elsewhere, Specter was already on record on these current issues - EFCA, Dawn Johnsen, Obama's budget and even Coleman. To go back on that now would be leaving himself wide open to attacks during the 2010 Pa Senate election. "Specter stands for nothing except getting elected. For proof just look at all the principled stances he instantly flip flopped when he became a Democrat...".
I'll be watching Specter closely on issues where he isn't on record yet before I cast judgment. Healthcare will be far enough down the line that he can come around to the Dem side - whichever it finally is. Also I suspect he'll support whomever Obama names to replace Justice Souter on the Supreme Court.
He's also working on a compromise to EFCA that will change things enough that he can then support it again. I'm not a huge fan of the EFCA as I think it swings the pendulum too far in the unions favor.
May 6, 2009 3:10 PM | Reply | Permalink
"I'm not a huge fan of the EFCA as I think it swings the pendulum too far in the unions favor".
Yeah but isn't that what we want, for Unions to go into the bargaining table with the upperhand and a advantage instead of always getting their demands shut down by the employers and have them give in alot. (i.e pay cuts, cuts in befefits etc.)?
May 6, 2009 3:19 PM | Reply | Permalink
"I'm not a huge fan of the EFCA as I think it swings the pendulum too far in the unions favor."
Yes, the unions are to blame for their declining membership over the last thirty years of Republican rule. And, coincidentally, unions are also to blame for the flat or declining wages of average workers over that same period.
May 6, 2009 4:00 PM | Reply | Permalink