Archive for June, 2009
Sestak: Only an ‘act of God’ will keep him out of Senate race
PITTSBURGH—Short of divine intervention, Congressman Joe Sestak (D-7) is running for Senate.
“It would take an act of God for me to not get in now,” Sestak told a Democratic State Committeeman Saturday morning within earshot of reporters.
Hearing his quote read back to him, Sestak cringed.
“That sounds blasphemous,” he said, not denying that he said it—and has said it before.
But he reiterated to pa2010.com that the final decision rests with his family—not…
Full StoryAt labor rally, frustration with Specter is palpable
PITTSBURGH—Organized labor’s dissatisfaction with Senator Arlen Specter spilled over into clear view Saturday morning, when the new Democrat was met with skepticism—and even some hostility—as he spoke at a rally here for the Employee Free Choice Act.
During his ten-minute remarks to a couple hundred union workers assembled outside the Westin Convention Center, Specter sought to focus attention on his past support for initiatives important to organized labor, and in what is becoming a familiar…
Full StoryCi vediamo, woops, see you next week…
I’ll be in Italy most of next week attending a conference, so the posts will likely be short-to-nonexistent.
A couple of predictions while I’m away:
1. Arlen Specter will continue to make Democrats and Republicans angry while raising a lot of money. Is this what they mean by “laughing all the way to the bank?”
2. Bruce Castor will decide to run for some office other than Montgomery County Commissioner. If not the state Senate,…
Full StoryLive-blogging Friday night at the Dem committee meeting in Pittsburgh
6:40—Flight from Philly was delayed, so I arrived late.
6:45—First thing I see is Joe Sestak talking with Shanin Specter like they’re old friends. “I’m trying to recruit him,” Sestak jokes. Also, did you know Sestak is apparently the only Congressman whose business card has braile?
6:47—Saw Gary Tuma for the first time in a while. Didn’t realize the former Vince Fumo spokesman now works for the party.
6:55—Specter is here with his chief of…
Full StorySpecter greets his new party
PITTSBURGH—Senator Arlen Specter on Friday night met his new party for the first time, briefly taking the stage at the State Committee’s dinner here to accept a blue “donkey tie” from Gov. Ed Rendell and Senator Bob Casey.
Originally scheduled to address to party faithful at the Friday night dinner, Specter rescheduled his formal speech for Saturday so as not to distract from the remembrance of the late Lt. Gov. Catherine Baker Knoll.
But regardless…
Full StoryRendell says Specter’s stimulus vote ‘saved the country’
PITTSBURGH—In lauding Senator Arlen Specter and his Democratic credentials here Friday night, Gov. Ed Rendell went so far as to say that Specter’s vote for President Obama’s stimulus package “saved the country.”
“We had to have a stimulus program … and Arlen Specter understood what was good for the country,” Rendell said. “He cast the vote knowing it would put his political career in peril. He cast that vote fearlessly. … He saved the country…
Full StoryLabor leader: Specter needs to vote ‘more like other Democratic Senators’
PITTSBURGH—Though many political insiders expect organized labor to eventually line up behind Senator Arlen Specter in next year’s Democratic primary, AFL-CIO head Bill George said that’s far from a given.
“He’s gotta vote more like other Democratic Senators in the northeast,” Geroge told pa2010.com Friday evening, comparing Specter’s labor voting record with other area Democrats.
How important is the Employee Free Choice Act in that picture?
“Nothing is more important than that,” George said.
Casey says his support for Specter is strong
PITTSBURGH—Ever since Senator Arlen Specter switched parties, his Democratic colleague in the Senate, Bob Casey, has arguably been more quiet than most any elected official in voicing support for Specter.
But Casey doesn’t see it that way. At the Democratic State Committee dinner here Friday night, Casey told pa2010.com that he’s backing Specter as much as anyone esle.
“I said from the beginning that I support him,” Casey said. “I hope he can avoid a…
Full StoryProgressive site on Specter’s back
Watch out Arlen Specter. Progressive organizations have created a Web site that will monitor Senator Arlen Specter’s voting record. The site, TrueMajority.org and pThe a href="http://www.specterscorecard.org" onclick="return TrackClick('http%3A%2F%2Fwww.specterscorecard.org','http%3A%2F%2Fwww.truemajority.org')" onclick="javascript:_gaq.push(['_trackEvent','outbound-article','http://www.specterscorecard.org" onclick="return TrackClick('http%3A%2F%2Fwww.specterscorecard.org','http%3A%2F%2Fwww.truemajority.org')"]);return TrackClick("http%3A%2F%2Fwww.specterscorecard.org','Specter+Scorecard')" onclick="javascript:_gaq.push(['_trackEvent','outbound-article','http://www.specterscorecard.org" onclick="return TrackClick('http%3A%2F%2Fwww.specterscorecard.org','http%3A%2F%2Fwww.truemajority.org')"]);return TrackClick("http%3A%2F%2Fwww.specterscorecard.org','Specter+Scorecard')">Specter Scorecard will track Specter’s key votes and combine them into a “progressive batting average,” which will be updated each time Specter…
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