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Obama Screws With Pennsylvania Democrats [Updates]

By SusanUnPC on May 6, 2009 at 6:12 PM in Arlen Specter, Congress (House & Senate), Current Affairs, Rep. Joe Sestak, US Senate

In the entire saga involving Sen. Arlen Specter, there’s only ONE person I care about: Rep. Joe Sestak, a retired United States Navy rear admiral, who would make a brilliant senator. Rep. Sestak’s “legislative efforts have resulted in House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer naming him the most productive freshman member of Congress.” Update #2: “Poll to test Sestak’s Netroots support.” (Take the poll.)

Arlen Specter, you’re SEVENTY-NINE YEARS OLD. What in the hell business do you have switching parties and expecting anything, especially retaining your seniority?

What did Barack Obama and Joe Biden promise you? And you believed them? What a FOOL you are. Obama and Biden will screw with anybody to get that 60th vote. Even toss aside the Democrats’ best chance to win that Pennsylvania senate seat: Joe Sestak.

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Here’s more Sestak — READY TO FIGHT:

UPDATE: Check out Politico’s “Meltdown: Specter stands alone.” How amusing:

Arlen Specter infuriated Senate Republicans when he bolted from their party last week. Now he’s alienated just about everybody in the Senate Democratic caucus, too.

Since declaring himself a Democrat last Tuesday, Specter has defied Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and the White House on virtually everything that’s come down the pike: the budget, mortgage reform, the Al Franken-Norm Coleman race, even President Barack Obama’s appointment of Dawn Johnsen to head the Justice Department’s Office of Legal Counsel.

All while quibbling over whether he said he’d be a “loyal Democrat” — and insisting that he had an “entitlement” to transfer his Senate seniority from one side of the aisle to the other.

The blowback came Tuesday night: On a voice vote, the Senate voted to strip Specter of his 29 years of seniority, effectively transforming him in a blink-and-you-missed-it-moment from one of the most senior senators in the body to a lowly freshman on most committees.

“There were concerns about his actions,” said Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), chairwoman of the Senate Democratic Steering and Outreach Committee, which sets committee assignments. …

Check out more blog reactions to this story at Memeorandum.com.

  • Cindy

    Susan—Thanks for this post. I whole-heartedly agree with you about Rep.Sestak. I liked him the first time I saw him interviewed…..and he was an unapologetic Hillary supporter!

    • http://noquarterusa.net/ SusanUnPC

      You don’t suppose that was his big mistake, do you?

      • Cindy

        Susan—could be! I hadn’t thought about it like
        that.

      • Ani

        Good point, Susan. That told me a lot about him, however — his proud support of Hillary. Wes Clark also campaigned for Sestak.

        Well, they all have good taste. What can I say. And that certainly may have hurt them…

      • FranSC

        No, after Hillary suspended her campaign, Rep. Sestak jumped right on the Obama bandwagon. Though I understood he had to do that, it still was not easy to take. He has been comtemplating running for Specter’s seat and Obama and company knew that. But that did not stop them from promising Arlen Specter their full support and resources for his 2010 campaign as a dem. PA Gov Ed Randell has also promised HIS full support to Specter. In fact, Sestak said he got a call (probably Rham) asking him NOT to run. While Sestak is being defiant,that pretty much leaves him out in the cold, swinging in the wind. Another one goes under the bus!

        • FranSC

          In rethinking this, perhaps Sestak’s dogged support of Hillary, regardless of his quick change to 0zero in June, did have an effect. It is very likely he is being punished for not being on board 0′s initial train with no credit given for his support after the primaries.

          You would think it better to have a vibrant democratic candidate with a military career background would be a much better choice than putting all your eggs in Specter’s basket with his age and failing health. Looks like revenge may be more important to 0zero and team.

          I failed to say in the above post that I got that information from Zacaria Fareed’s GPS interview with Sestak May 3rd.

  • http://noquarter foxyladi14

    oh.yes without a doubt

  • J.J. (The P.U.M.A.)

    2010 is shaping up as a hard year for Democrats. (The Pendulum Theory).

    Had Specter not switched parties, he would have likely lost in the primaries to someone too far to the right to win the general election. But, the Specter switch opened the door for Tom Ridge to run. With the wind to his back, Ridge should easily win if he runs.

    The Specter switch could mean that the seat goes Republican next year instead of Democratic.

    • http://www.homestudioessentials.com/ A-Nony-Mouse

      Actually this isn’t true as far as the Senate goes. The Republicans are very likely to lose additional seats in the Senate in 2010 because of the way the races fall. There are a lot of retiring GOP Senators.

      And while the “pendulum theory” may usually mean that the Democrats will lose congressional seats in 2010 – so far it’s very hard to see any sort of momentum for the Republicans. Obviously there’s still a lot of time but… right now they are stuck in reverse.

      • beebop

        hahahahahaha I know you need to believe this, but really …. where have you been the last three weeks or so as the poll numbers slide? Gee. When most Americans finally realize that neither GM nor Chrysler are ever going to pay back what we austensibly “loaned” them? Yeah. You wait.

        • Ani

          Truly. Bush got a pass his first four years because of 9/11. They were scared into loyalty and banded together — no one would criticize him.

          Whereas with Obama, people are a lot less willing to give an administration a pass when they are feeling it in their own pocketbooks.

          • Obamastolemyboyfriend

            Shhhhhhh. Don’t tempt the Obama mob into an orchestrated terror attack. I put nothing past this shaministration.

            There is no doubt in my mind that the O farce one photo op over NY was planned to use in the future. Some orchestrated, “F16s had to escort President Obama in Air Force one today due to a serious threat that the plane would be shot down” or something to that effect and now they can’t do it. Hahaha. Seriously, there had to be some plan behind it.

  • TeakWoodKite

    A proper Democratic? Do not make me laugh.

    Who did Rep,Sestak indorse during the primaries?

    Arlen and his Magic Bullet. It is about trust.

    Those center right Dems are not voting for Spector this time around I would wager. (1 penny)

    • Peggy Sue

      Yes, Teakwood. The magic bullet story is infamous. And though feminist and current Democratic female reps might be willing to say let “bygones be bygones” on Specter’s Anita Hill savaging, I certainly have not forgotten nor forgiven.

      Arlen Specter is serving one purpose: his own. And last week’s announcement and excuses only made me feel he should have retired gracefully. Instead of making an utter fool of himself.

      And Susan, if you say Sestak is someone to watch and listen to? Then I will!

      • Animal Control

        Peggy Sue, Didn’t Joe “the plagiarist” Biden also have a hand in savaging Anita Hill.

        • Peggy Sue

          AnimalControl:

          Joey Biden was certainly no hero in the hearings, which he presided over. But I trolled the case and came up with this, a piece written in retospect:

          “In one interview, the two [Ms. Abramson and Ms. Mayer] wrote that Mr. Biden said later that he had tried to be a statesman, to uphold decency standards. In the end, however, he conceded that his motivations might have been “misplaced.” On excluding the pornography issue alone, they quoted Mr. Biden as saying that he acted, “in fairness to Thomas, which in retrospect he didn’t deserve.”

          But Specter [as I remember] was a literal pitbull in the case. Too many of these legislators were overly concerned about Thomas and whether “he” was being treated fairly. Yet, I remember few advocates for Anita Hill and her painful testimony.

          • TeakwoodKite

            So if Spector is a turncoat or a plant….

            If Spector was sent over to block a primary run by Rep. Sestak and BO and Biden cut a deal with Spector to run as a Dem then it is possible that the effect is a Republican wins.

            If you look around the edges of this, it stinks.

            (Biden having gone so far as to call his AG son to have Sinclair unlawfully arrested and BO lying about a house deal on national TV.)

            • FranSC

              If Specter was sent over to block a primary run by Rep. Sestak and B0 and Biden cut a deal with Specter to run as a Dem then it is possible that the effect is a Republican wins.

              If the real story is any version of that, lets hope the republican DOES win.

        • NomNomNom

          No, Biden voted against Thomas.

  • http://www.homestudioessentials.com/windows-7-to-the-rescue/252/ A-Nony-Mouse

    I definitely support a primary challenge against Specter regardless of whether the Democratic leadership has promised their support to Specter. I think it’s one of those things where we can get the best of both worlds. Specter’s 60th vote to stop Republican filibusters and then we can beat Specter in the primary to get a real Democrat to take his place.

    I think 65 Democrats is possible in 2010 – if you look at the Senate races it’s a real possibility.

    • HARP

      We don`t need more Democrats or Republicans. We need more people with a mind of their own. We call them Independents.

      • Ladydawnelle

        Right ON

        I followed Sestak for awhile – loved his Naval creds!

        Seemed like another jim webb type (Dems needed more military on their side, I thought back then) at first…………. then he scared me when he crossed over from Hillary to Bambi so easily.

        They all did.

        i still respect his creds

        I think the cancer treatment went to Arlen’s R head.
        I never thought he’d cross over. I’ve been expecting Collins to cross over any day though. I’ve been gone a while, maybe she has already?

      • Peggy Sue

        Hear, hear, Harp!

    • beebop

      I think your koolaid is mixed too strong there bud.

    • warehouse553

      Mike Castle beats Beau Biden.
      John Sunnuu could win Gregg’s seat or Greg could not retire and retain it.
      Roland Burris, if he wins the primary, his seat goes red.
      Chris Dodd, if he stays in, he’s toast.
      If Tom Ridge can beat Toomey, PA turns red.
      Kristen Gilibrand could also be a victim of Pataki in NY.
      Colorado, I don’t know
      Missouri, I don’t know

      I think if the economic situation remains as it is now with double digit unemployment in alot of states, some of these Republicans might not retire.

      That could be 6 Republican pick ups.

  • Diana L. C.

    This whole thing is, as Sestak implies, a “shovelful.”

    I don’t know, but I’m seeing a few less O stickers on cars around here and seeing more people against him being unafraid to speak opposition to him. This morning at the grocery store I parked next to a car with a “Don’t blame me. I voted McCain sticker.” Then this afternoon driving home from my son’s house, I got behind a man on his motorcycle. Behind his seat was a sign big enough for lots to see: “Obama/Pelosi: You Marxist f**ks [I left out the letters] make Chavez proud.”

    I live in latte land, so these kinds of things have been almost non-existent before.

    Maybe people will wake up earlier than we might expect and we might have a chance for a balanced government after all. I do not want another six years of a one-party government (counting the media).

    And WTF is Chris Tingle doing questioning his boyfriend’s motives? What’s up with that? Have they had a lover’s quarrel?

  • Linda Anselmi

    Great Post Susan. I hope Joe Sestak runs for Congress!

  • Linda Anselmi

    Sorry meant to say – I hope he runs for the Senate. He already is a rep.

  • I’m a Linda too

    I wrote Joe Sestak last week to say, YOU BETTER RUN!!!

    This is the same dirty campaign games we’ve seen from Democrats. Like Major Hackett that came back from VOLUNTEERING in Iraq to run in the Special election of Summer 2005 to fill House seat vacated by Rob Portman.

    Major Hackett came the closest a Democrat ever did in that district and only missed by a few points winning.

    When Reps Ryan and Sherrod Brown backed out of running for the Senate in Aug, Reid and Schumer came calling Major Hackett. They had their wives call his wife to get Major Hackett to run. He decided, to go ahead, set up campaign offices, staff and bought an RV to campaign the state. A poll was then done showing Hackett had a good chance outseating DeWine and that any Dem, by less, but still had a better chance than years before.

    So Sherrod Brown CHANGED his mind. Now it looked easier and started calling his friends to squeeze out Major Hackett. THEY DID. They offered no help in paying his debts, his RV after squeezing him out. They were calling his donors telling them to give to Brown, etc. DIRTY DIRTY DIRTY. Emanuel chimed in and even Rep Waxman started sending out letters to Hacketts California donors. And Brown resorted to smear tactics and spreading rumors he had pictures of Major Hackett “doing things to bodies in Iraq”.

    Heck, all you have to do is take a page out of Obama’s Chicago playbook. He surely used every means he could come up with to win his seat.

    So Joe Sestak OWES IT TO HIS CONSTITUENTS, not party leaders or special deals.

    Run Joe Run

    • FranSC

      The only problem is, if “they” cut you out, you don’t have a chance because they control the money and the message. If they could do it to Hillary, they can do it to anyone. In her case they were able to bring down the front runner, a former First Lady who had been ahead in the polls for a year to nominate the nothing nominee we got and is now POTUS.

      There is no recourse. The courts have said they do not get involved in primary politics – it’s left to the parties to work it out. Donna Brazile made reference to that fact when one of the FL senators threatened to take the FL situation to court. DB reminded him he had done that before and lost. We need to do something to change this.

  • jangles

    They are all sick b@#$%^&rds.

  • aeguy

    Joe Sestak is my favorite congressman. I donated to his congressional campaign. I’d LOVE to see him run for the Senate as a true Democrat. He’s very intelligent, an extremely hard worker, great character and integrity (no wonder he endorsed Hillary Clinton!).

    The guy tries his best to do the right thing. For example, he spoke at controversial CAIR, despite heavy criticism, he explained that he had Muslim constituents that he was going to hear from all voices. He made a speech that was balanced and fair, criticized CAIR for not denouncing HAMAS, but showed respect for the faith millions of Americans share (citing examples of Muslim Americans who served in our military and contribute to the country). A political coward would have ignored them. And even if you disagree with his positions, you respect that he has principles.

    I’m ready to fight for his campaign as hard as I did for HRC. Sestak and Clinton, my favorite Democrats.

  • CentralMass

    Sestak supported Hillary during the primary. I suspect this is why he is getting the Obama/Biden straight-arm.

    • I’m a Linda too

      Oh, you mean putting to action the Obama threat, “endorse Obama, or meet a challenger with money to campaign against you”?

      That dirty politician that so many Americans bought his hopey changey on with a dope on a rope.

  • AnneinPa

    Arlen is gone… and Obama will not go out and stomp for him in the primaries or any other election if he
    made it that far.

    This saves me from having to change my registration from Dem to Rep for the PA primary. I can’t wait to
    vote against Specter.

  • http://noquarterusa No-nonsense-Nancy

    Yea Joe, I hope You do run for the senate. I’ll campain for you all over my beloved PA! I will campain against Spector even if he is unopposed. I hope I don’t have to change my registration just to voe against spector.

  • DaddysDarlin

    Obama thinks he can tell the people of Pennsylvania who will be their democratic nominee huh? WTF?
    I was under the impression that WE THE PEOPLE decide who the democratic nominee will be.
    Obama is overstepping his bounds don’t you think?
    If Obama thinks for one minute he can tell the people of this country who our nominees will be, without a vote, he needs to read the Constitution again, if he ever read it in the first place.
    Let him try to control our voting process, if Obama wants a march on Washington DC the likes of which he has never seen, he’d better leave the democratic voting process the hell alone.
    Obama has f**ked with the people of this country enough, we will not tolerate being told who our candidates will be!
    Obama made Arlen some promises, one obviously being that he would guarantee Arlen the democratic nomination in Pennsylvania, that is a promise Obama can’t keep, but then again Obama is an expert at saying one thing and doing the complete opposite.
    The people of Pennsylvania will not be told who their democratic nominee will be, they will not bow down to Obama and forfeit their right to vote! Try it Obama, see what Pennsylvania has in store for you!!!

    • Obamastolemyboyfriend

      Obama is overstepping his bounds don’t you think?

      You are just now noticing?

    • PainkillerJayne

      The people of Pennsylvania will not be told who their democratic nominee will be, they will not bow down to Obama and forfeit their right to vote! Try it Obama, see what Pennsylvania has in store for you!!!

      Unfortunately the Dem party is a private entity and can put anyone they want on any ballot.

      I suggest no more donations to the party. Let them suck wind when it comes to finances and RUNNINGtheir darling candidates.

  • MBC

    Sadly, Obama has connections with the makers of the voting machines. Those IT guys have the 2010 and 2012 election already electronically set. Not to worry, whomever Obama wants to win, will win regardless of how we actually cast our votes.

  • politicalidentitycrisis

    testing-sorry, my computer keeps reverting to my old blog name. Weird!

  • Linda C.

    If I recall Spector was originally a democrat about a hundred years ago when he first ran for office. The current Republicans do not like Spector, because he is not “republican enough”. Which just shows how far right the Republican Party has drifted. Spector’s base of support is generally among non-ideologue moderate to conservatives voters. They are no longer active in the Republican Party that make up the block of primary voters who actually chose the candidate.

    The giving of the religious right so much “power” within the party starting with Ronald Reagan and ending with Karl Rove has changed the party into shallow tin horn of how abortion, terrorists and gay marriage are the only issues of any concern. So we have Virginia Foxx R-NC claiming Mathew Shepherd’s death was a hoax. Texas Republicans want to secede from the union because they don’t want to be obliged to assist their own constituents who might need some help with unemployment. However, they readily stick out their hands for other money. The Republicans called a special session in Congress about removing Terry Schaivo’s feeding tube. Then we had the famed comments from the good cardiologist, Rep Bill Fist, who tried to make a neurological diagnosis on Schiavo based on a video-tape. I for one am thankful that he is not practicing medicine in the real world. Can we ever forget the intelligent comments from Rep Rick Santorum? The party repeatedly calls for Constitutional Amendment protecting protecting the flag and “marriage”, and the unborn while failing to support the ERA, which actually protects the rights of over fifty percent of the people not things or institutions or those yet to be born. Until the Republicans begin picking candidates with a minimum amount of knowledge of history and some common sense, the Republican Party will cease to exist as anything but a joke.

  • NomNomNom
  • warehouse553

    Ridge has dropped out so that means Toomey will be crushed. Toomey is being selfish. He can’t win and he knows it but his presence in the race discourages Ridge. The far right must be stopped or the Republican Party will cease to exist. Maybe Specter losing his seniority will help but I can’t imagine Toomey winning unless a scandal breaks.

  • rose

    I want SESTAk to run ,he will have my vote and I am sure he will stand out as the one we prefer.

    I have mentioned before about how Blago gets indicted and for pay to play,while OB and gang play this game in our faces all the time so WTF? Wasn’t it the money for campaigning one of the main issues?