I think Smerconish realized how hollow and intellectually weak the GOP was when Palin showed up to the party as was treated as a representative for the conservative movement.

Toomey is probably too far off the deep end for Smerconish.

Smerconish could be a big asset for Specter with moderate conservatives.

My view is that Smerconish is an entertainer. He gets paid to entertain but he has a wide and deep education. If you pay attention, Smerconish is about class and it is not the class he came from, it is the elite he belongs to now. I think he could support a guy like Toomey who is educated, white collar and successful just as Obama was or Specter. It is harder for him to support someone with the background of a McCain, Sestak, Corbett or Wagner who wore the uniform.

Can you say opportunist ? It just proves how bleak politics really are these days. A stead fast, very electable Sestak is ignored by the Democrats for Specter, who has Rightwingers riding his coattails. Specters old, odds are he dies in office this round. Leaving the Pennsylvania Senate Seat open for months, hurting the Democrats chances of passing any progressive legislation or perhaps giving the Senate to the Republicans for a time.
Specter isn’t a benefit to anyone. Not Obama, Reed or the Democratic Parties agenda..
Specter is a big mistake. Not as big as Toomey but that’s another story..

This is really the Philadelphia back scratchers club. Party does not matter to Rendell, Specter, Perzel, Fumo, Asher and the rest. Smerconish knows this. What matters is taking care of each other with enough taxpayer money which is primarily coming from outside the region. Pay to play and payola are the stains on the commonwealth. Corbett should be proscuting these guys in both parties and he would sweep to victory.

Smerconish is not a conservative and does not hold himself out as such. He has been a Republican all his life (not sure how much longer) but no conservative. His support of Specter goes back a long way. He and Specter’s son attended law school together and are friends. This has to explain at least a part of his support for Specter because he was a Santorum supporter based, in part, upon a respect for Santorum’s adherence to certain principles (some of which Smerconsih deeply disagreed with). The personal friendship has to explain much of the support. How else can someone who asmires principle support Specter – a man with no conviction driven only by a desire to survive politically?

This shows Specters power with moderates, something which greatly will help our ENTIRE ticket in 2010.

What is a moderate conservative? Let’s get down to the policies these people are pushing on all of
Pennsylvania. As far as Smerconish his vote for
Obama, and now his support for Specter clearly suggests he is a democrat and would probably gain more respect if moved on over! You really won’t be missed I promise!

Karen,

Fair question. I may be partially a moderate conservative. My voting line prob ends up more w/ the likes of Casey Jr or Specter in some aspects.

For starters, id say in my opinion…a moderate conservative is one who does not let a single issue become a polarizing issue, or road block if you will, which prevents the mental block to bi-partisan ship and working for the common good. Good ideas on the left, good ideas on the right… their brains are “open for business’.

A moderate conservative and a moderate liberal (if u will) are both interesting case studies (in how i see it). They (moderates) represent a “lions share” of traitionalist voters (like me) in Pennsylvania. Semerconish, from what ive seen is a moderate conservative. He is not lock and step w/ conservatives and has the ability to think outside the box. Thats my thoughts for starters.

Karen-
Let me take a swing at this: Specter is fiscally conservative. He’s socially liberal. He’s not an ideologue nor a religious nut.