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By Rebecca Cole
Perhaps Sen. Arlen Specter isn't as "entitled" as he thinks he is.
Just one week after Specter jumped the sinking ship that is the GOP for the relative warmth of the Democratic side of the aisle, the Pennsylvania senator has found himself frozen out of the action.
Amid questions about Specter's "loyalty" and his outspoken pushback on several key Democratic issues, Politico reports, the Senate in a voice vote Tuesday night stripped Specter of his 29 years of seniority.
Now Specter is crying foul. Specter released a statement this afternoon asserting that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-N.V.) offered assurances that Specter would retain his committee assignments and "would have the same seniority" as if he had been elected as a Democrat in 1980.
"It was understood that the issue of subcommittee chairmanships would not be decided until after the 2010 election. Some members of the caucus have raised concerns about my seniority, so the caucus will vote on my seniority at the same time subcommittee chairmanships are confirmed after the 2010 election. I am confident my seniority will be maintained under the arrangement I worked out with Sen. Reid."
Not so fast, many in the party said. Concerned with Specter's actions -- and possibly by his cocky insistence to David Gregory on "Meet the Press" that his seniority was an "entitlement" -- members decided to stash the 29-year veteran at the far end of the committee table.
Here's how Sunday's exchange went, with Gregory asking if Specter received any inducements from Democrats for making the switch:
GREGORY: You won't retain your seniority as you move over on key committees?
SPECTER: Well, that is true, but -
GREGORY: That's not an inducement, Senator?
SPECTER: Well, no, that's an entitlement. I've earned the seniority. I was elected in 1980, and I think that's not a bribe or a gift or something extraordinary. I will be treated by the Democrats as if I'd been elected as a Democrat.
Without a top perch from which to dole out goodies to the folks back home, Specter may face a tougher re-election process than he first thought.
The Hill is a lonely place sometimes. Specter had better get busy cozying up to his new Democratic friends, because his Republican ex-teammates are probably sharpening their knives.
Comments
Good!...he already stripped himself of any dignity by joining the Socialist Party!!
Posted by: Joe | May 6, 2009 5:41 PM
Specter still hasn't figured out that in the Democratic party if you piss off the netroots (average voters) your career will be over in a heartbeat. In the Republican party Specter could get away with shooting off his mouth without any repercussions because the Repubs are a top-down organization. In the Republican party, the leadership (Rush etc) passes out the talking and thinking points and the wingnut minions run around with their hair on fire repeating them.
Posted by: DrainYou | May 6, 2009 5:53 PM
Nobody likes a traitor.
Benedict Arnold, for instance, a daring and brilliant general* on the colonial side during the Revolutionary War, was never given any substantial responsibility by the British.
*Without Arnold's participation the battle of Saratoga would likely not have been won, Gentleman Johnny Burgoyne would likely have been able to cut the colonies in two along the Lake Champlain - Hudson River valley, and the war would have been lost. At Saratoga, there's the "Boot Monument." There's no name on it, but it's Arnold's right leg, in which he took a ball in front of Quebec and which he further injured when his horse fell on it at Saratoga. It was said that if the Americans ever caught him after his defection, they'd hang him, cut off his right leg, and bury it with full military honors.
Posted by: DaveB | May 6, 2009 6:01 PM
Good!...he already stripped himself of any dignity by joining the Socialist Party!!
Posted by: Joe | May 6, 2009 5:41 PM
.
Joe the Teabag,
I didn't know he moved to Cuba, when did that happen?
Posted by: debunked Republican talking-point | May 6, 2009 6:10 PM
Just great, just what he deserves a kick in the___.
Must think he is a Living God like Obama.
Posted by: Inky | May 6, 2009 7:46 PM
Now the next thing that needs to happen is for the Republican party
to demand back the money they raised for this piece of garbage.
Posted by: Paul | May 6, 2009 8:38 PM
Now he knows what Charlie Brown feels like when Lucy pulls the football away as he goes to kick it.
It just proves that you can't trust the dems - especially their leadership.
Posted by: Terry | May 6, 2009 9:10 PM
It just proves that you can't trust the dems - especially their leadership.
Posted by: Terry | May 6, 2009 9:10 PM
********
Troll Terri,
It's called 'accountabilty', something that your deadender team has only when they're answering to Druggy Rush.
Posted by: you | May 6, 2009 9:49 PM
Better give that seniority back to him.
You don't treat someone who has it within his power to hand over the crown jewels like a ribbon clerk.
Posted by: ornery | May 7, 2009 12:05 AM
Specter and Other "Fun" Moments
STORIES THAT TICKLED MY FANCY
Nice work if you can get it: The Los Angeles Unified School District is hurting for money and is laying off teachers yet pays some 160 “employed” teachers to do nothing because of union agreements. Awaiting disposition of various misconduct charges ranging from “sexual contact with students, harassment, theft or drug possession . . . they collect about $10 million in salaries per year — even as the district is contemplating widespread layoffs of teachers because of a financial shortfall.” Two million dollars has already been expended in salary and legal fees on a single teacher. And we thought the UAW has it good! (http://www.latimes.com/news/la-me-teachers6-2009may06,0,6604006.story?track=rss)
Mahmoud and Bashar and Barack: Iranian President Ahmadinejad and Syrian President Assad had a little conference after which “Ahmadinejad boasted that ‘those who one day called Iran and Syria part of the axis of evil now want to develop relations with Iran and Syria. Circumstances are changing rapidly in our favor. . . We are on the road to victory.’ ” I do believe Mahmoud was referring to George W. Bush and his administration as “those.” I also believe congratulations should immediately be extended to Barack Obama for dissolving that axis of evil after barely 100 days in office. Great victory, Mr. President! What’s next? Ending blizzards and hurricanes? (http://www.cnsnews.com/public/content/article.aspx?RsrcID=47702)
Mighty Oaks from Little Acorns Grow: One particular, mighty rotten little ACORN is making news again. Rumors are afoot that Arthur Sulzberger, Chairman of the soon-to-be-defunct New York Times, is still playing his favorite game of Hide All the News That Doesn’t Fit. It seems . . .
(Read the rest at http://genelalor.com/)
Posted by: Gene Lalor | May 7, 2009 2:09 AM
So Specter didn't even get the 30 pieces of silver the Democrats promised him?
Posted by: Rodney Daingerfield | May 7, 2009 8:40 AM
LOL- "dont think we're not keeping score" applies to him to, eh? Shouldn't have gone on about his "independence" so much, apparently not what Team Obama wanted to hear out of him.
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What else to expect? He'll use you, if you let him... that's how narcissists are.
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But when you're no longer politically benefitial, the ruthless serial opportunist Obama will treat you like yesterday's garbage.
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He even approaches the press, who lick his posterior, with contempt... hectoring them with "don't waste your question" and telling them when they've "got enough pictures".
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Just ask Khalidi, Ayers, Wright, Rezko, Blagojevich, et. al... or any other former ally he kicked to the curb when he was done with them- and now treats like a leper he's never met.
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Barack takes care of Barack- that's How It Works in DC now.
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http://reaganiterepublicanresistance.blogspot.com
Posted by: Reaganite Republican Resistance | May 7, 2009 3:21 PM
You don't hardly find DINOs like u do RINOs. They don't play that stuff in socialist world. Harry Reid mis-led the poor guy and now he's just about a homeless person.
Posted by: Django - N Exile somewhere in/around the 30th Parallel | May 7, 2009 3:52 PM
Trickled-On You,
Accountability on whose part? Reid's - that's pur dishonesty or he isn't the leader of the Senate dems.
The Seante dems are all about themselves and their senority ranking. No wonder why they get along withe the unions.
Posted by: Terry | May 7, 2009 9:59 PM