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Live-blogging the Specter town-hall meeting at the UPenn

Its Friday afternoon, and I am at Houston Hall with about 100 other University of Pennsylvania students awaiting the arrival of Senator Arlen Specter for a town hall meeting. We’re in the Hall of Flags in Houston Hall, a large, rectangular room, with are seats in a fan shape around a small lectern where the Senator will be speaking. There is a boisterous atmosphere in the room, and it is clear that, while there are some supporters in the audience, Specter will be speaking to a skeptical crowd. Let me relate an anecdote that I believe adequately captures the attitude of many of the people here.

As I approached the entrance of the hall, a group of student volunteers were asking attendees to sign in, as well as handing out Specter literature and stickers. One student walked up and asked the volunteers, “Do you guys work for Arlen Specter?”

“Yes,” they replied.

“Aren’t you guys Democrats?” he replied.

“Of course,” they said.

“Then why are you working for that Republican, Arlen Specter?” was his sneering rejoinder.

The student volunteers tried to placate them with the standard line—“you know the Senator became a Democrat this year”—but like many Democrats in Pennsylvania, this student remains unconvinced.

While Specter has moved his position to the left since jumping off the elephant’s back, there is clear worry among this staunchly Democratic crowed that Specter has only taken liberal positions on important issues like the public option and EFCA to win the Democratic primary, and that once elected, he will have no reason not to move back to the political center and betray the Democrats who reelect him. It will be interesting to see what strategy Specter takes in this forum to convince these young, well-educated, liberal activists that he is a man they can trust.

4:50
There’s been a flurry activity in here because apparently MAGIC JOHNSON was just hanging out outside this building. No word yet if this has any connection to Specter, but the students are visibly more excited about seeing a former basketball player than an old Senator.
Ah – and now it turns out that Johnson’s son is applying to Penn. Small world…

5:00
The Magic Johnson excitement has settled down, and now people are settling in and waiting for Specter’s imminent arrival. He should be here any minute…

5:04
The president of the Penn Dems has just informed us that the Senator has arrived, but is running a few minutes late. Apparently he is chatting it up outside with Magic Johnson. Students are up and out of there seats trying to peek out the windows and see this strange, incongruous pair.

5:07
This is too bizarre. Magic Johnson has entered the room as is speaking about the “American treasure” who we should “look up to” for his “devotion to America-“ Arlen Specter. Everyone is sort of starstruck and baffled by this strange turn of events. And, after a brief speech in which he invokes the need for “change” several times, Johnson is gone.

5:08
Now Penn Dems President Jordan Levine is introducing Specter. I was Jordan’s resident advisor when he was a student spending a summer at Georgetown several summers ago, doing the Junior Statesman of America program. I am so proud to see my former students making waves in the political world.
Levine is now giving a laudatory introduction discussing Specter’s record and painting his votes during the Bush II administration with a rosy color. Applause for Specter’s vote on the stimulus, which the University recently got a $163 million grant from.

5:11
Specter takes the stage.
I am sitting about six feet from the Senator. Specter was a Penn grad, and he is speaking fondly of his time as an undergraduate here. He’s also letting us know that the meeting with Johnson was totally unexpected, getting laughs for saying he has gotten endorsements from two influential figures last month – Magic Johnson, and President Obama. Specter is also joking about Biden and how he was almost able to get “a few words in” during their recent tour of the state.

Now he is launching into the discussion of his decision to join “the Obama team,” which he claims he is happy to be on.

Specter tells us the trust story of how Obama asked him, when they were Senators, for advice on how to win Pensylvania. He said, “If a Jewish kid from Kansas can carry PA, how can a black kid from Kansas carry PA?”

5:15

Moving onto the public option—Specter again voices his support. He is using a smart rhetorical tactic to tie himself to the President, saying, “President Obama wants to do XXX, and so do I.” Smart move to tie himself to Obama in this room.

Specter is now speaking personally about his fight with cancer. “some people wanted him to wear a toupee, others wanted him to shave his head to become a sex symbol.” I will admit, Specter is really charming and funny in person. Its hard not to smile and laugh.

5:17
Specter keeps emphasizing how he is Obama’s “partner;” as he moves from topic to topic (financial regulations, energy, etc.) he makes sure to emphasize these are the President’s ideas and goals, who Specter is hoping to support.

5:19
Again, Specter defending Obama from Republican attacks. Using Republican nasties like Joe Wilson to illustrate what real nasty opponents look like.

5:20
First mention of his “opponent in the primary-“ he doesn’t mention him by name – and quickly turns to elicit the support of these “young people” to help his campaign. Specter is now going to throw the floor open for comments, questions and observations. He says he wants to talk with us about the details on a host of issues, domestic and foreign. With help from senators “like arlen specter,” these problems will be handled.

5:22 he’s going to take “all 20 questions”

1. “you were a republican for 45 years. You tried to stop medicare in the 90s. you voted for the war in iraq. Why should we all of a sudden now try to help you keep your job, when we have a true progressive who consistently supports the principles of the Democratic party?” this gets some applause which Specter says “he is happy to hear there isn’t too much of.”
a. Claims he wasn’t against reform but against waste
b. Cites his support of unions, education, funding for NIH, worker safety, environmental programs
c. Said no to judge bork, Guantanamo, water boarding, warrantless wiretapping
d. Doesn’t know if Sestak is a real Dem- he registered for 1st time in Feb 2006 to run for the house. Makes “excuse” he was in the military, but “why didn’t he vote for Democrats?” he “didn’t even vote half the time” and now, he’s in the house “and he isn’t voting again;” the familiar lines of attack are coming out now from Specter.
e. BUT- the BEST reason to vote for Specter? He’s on the Obama team. Specter took on the crazies at the town hall meetings as evidence that he is fighting for our team – and this supports my earlier observation, that standing up to these town hall nuts was good politically for Specter.
f. Specter gets more applause at the end of his answer than there was for the accusatory question.
2. Frustration with lack of Democratic leadership to get Republicans onboard. Can it happen?
a. Says he is working with Republicans across the aisle on Medicare issues and to televise the supreme court.
b. He is trying to get a reporter’s shield, so reporters don’t go to jail for exposing graft and corruption
3. Does he agree with his old theory of the single bullet theory that killed JFK? (chuckles from the crowd).
a. Refers us to his book – “a passion for the truth.”
4. Afghanistan: are we going down the same path we did in Iraq?
a. This time he wants the intelligence to tell us what the facts are…
5. Now, a former combat vet from Iraq is speaking. He is asking, in what areas does he disagree with the president?
a. Against his signing statements – president should sign or veto.
b. Questions about his policies in opposing the reporter shield
c. Against certain parts of the PATRIOT act that obama wants passed
d. Cites his long experience as an independent
6. What does he think about the reappointment of Bernanke?
a. He is “making the best he can out of a bad situation”
b. Cites Bernanke’s academic experience
c. Apparently, they place squash together. Specter is there at 6:15 playing (wow!)
d. This was not an answer of any substance at all. Specter does a deft job of making his answers sound satisfying, when they actually have little heft.
7. Should stimulus package have included more public works
a. Specter turns this into a question about priorities – he decides “what’s most important,” for example medical research, and goes with that.
b. He would have put more money into “shovel ready” projects like highways.
8. An exec of the Penn Dems asks a question about health care: “is there any reason to believe this package will pass, unlike Clinton, and is so, why?”
a. Clinton’s made a giant bureaucracy, this one is different because we have to do something about it and Obama’s leadership will make it happen.
b. Need to crack down on Medicare and Medicaid fraud
c. Save money on advance directives, annual exams, lifestyle.
d. Thinks there is determination in the Democratic caucus to get it down. Says it is impossible to work with Dems because of few Republicans who are moderates, except the two from Maine.
9. A “Jew from New York” has a question about the UN – Iranian president denied the Holocaust and is building a new nuclear facility. This guy is worried about the way Obama has “nonchalantly dismissed” the Iranian threat. He has concerns about Israel being kept from intervening militarily.
a. Specter doesn’t think Obama has been nonchalant – he has given a deadline (for what?), and willing to engage Iran as Bush did not.
b. Thinks that Israel has made nukes plainly intolerable in Iran. He thinks Iran is coming around on this issue, as they are willing to have uranium enriched outside of the country. He doesn’t think we can tell Iran what we will do.
c. Thinks Obama is concerned about Israel’s security, “with more than a minyan in the Senate” assuring the Congress is as well.
10. Is Obama deserving of the Nobel Peace Prize?
a. Yes, and much more deserving than Yassir Arafat (to much applause). Thinks it’s a sign that people appreciate Obama’s willingness to engage with the world, go to Cairo, deal with Russia, a positive sign of how the U.S. is now regarded around the world.
11. EFCA – specifically, the proposed government arbitration panel – he thinks the government can “impose” a contract after 120 days. What gives government a right to tell employers what they can pay, and that they can’t walk away? (this also gets scattered applause – clearly there are some Republicans in here as well.)
a. Explaining how now, employers are abusing the process at the pain of the unions. Thinks this is contributing to the breach between the people at the top and at the bottom. There is a concern that the playing field need to be leveled.
b. Arbitrator doesn’t decide what figure should be, but rather to decide what was the “last best offer.” This gives the arbitrator limited discretion to drive people to the center.
12. Global warming is a major issue – cap and trade bill is being worked on – President Obama and Sestak both support the Kerry-Boxer bill. Will he vote for it?
a. Says he will vote for a strong bill that deals with the problem of global warming but insists that it be balanced.
13. Health care and being pro-choice; she thinks people are always compromising on women’s health. How can we assure poor women aren’t the ones suffering?
a. Will maintain an aggressive posture so that woman can keep her right to chose
b. People don’t need to buy policy that provides for abortion, but they should be able to buy one
c. Took the lead on the Lily Ledbetter case
d. Puts women on his staff and on the federal bench
e. Will support the amendment that would allow for public option to pay for abortions (controversial!)
14. Question about recent party switch – he says he did it to support Obama. Asks how influential all the endorsements from powerful Democrats played into his decision to switch parties?
a. They were a factor
b. greater factor was his friendship with Joe biden; cites co-sponsorship of violence against women act, COPs program, bork nomination, etc.
c. governor Rendell – support is fine, but they’ve been friends for a long time, since he was an assistant D.A.
15. Democrat upset with the bipartisan infighting, and how ugly the partisanship is. Where is the commitment to bipartisanship that Obama ran on? Also what about hyperinflation that will come from national debt?
a. Says he has supported important causes like line item veto, balanced budget amendment, promise not to vote for health care package that adds to deficit, that he isn’t ideological
16. Climate change one of most pressing issues – a key to reinvent America economically and reduce dependence on petro-dictators. How can we pass energy legislation in Senate and get Americans on board?
a. Supporting Bingham’s committee
b. Likes money in stimulus for alternative energy
c. Looking for electric cars
17. Afghan election looked rigged- what should we do?
a. Says we need to wait for U.N. report
b. Karzai not exactly a boy scout with his brother apparently in drug trafficking business
18. President of college republicans notes they hosted him 2 weeks before he jumped ship. He says Specter rubbed him the wrong way by leaving the GOP; quotes statement where he said he doesn’t want to be chosen by Republican party electorate in PA.
a. Specter cites the fact that the Republican party here has changed – the moderates have become Democrats and the remaining Republicans are very right wing
b. Saw that republicans were a “totally different party” than it had been when he was elected 30 years ago.
c. Says it is now the party fo Senator DeMint – he is no longer part of that party.
d. Blames party for throwing him out on the stimulus.
19. don’t ask don’t tell, and also Dawn Johnsen – my question
a. Johnsen: he likes her positions on a woman’s right to chose, but her views on exec power are different. Had a second meeting with her, and he is thinking about it- may change if it is brought to the floor
b. ignores my question on don’t ask don’t tell!
20. Sexual battery and assault in the military – a bill passed to stop it, but there were reports Specter didn’t vote for it. Why?
a. His sister died and he was at her funeral. (yeesh!)
b. Now he came back to my question about don’t ask don’t tell. He thinks sexual orientation has nothing to do with ability to serve in the military, and is a cosponsor of legislation to make the change. Thinks Congress ought to take the lead and make this change happen – thinks Don’t ask, Don’t Tell ought to be rescinded.
Closing argument: he ignores the primary, and goes to talking about the Senate race. He notes how the pros are foreseeing the loss of 6 Democratic seats, so he needs our help to win.

You can judge how Specter did by reading this outline of his answers, but I must say, Specter really does seem genuine in his coming back to the Democratic party. I’m still troubled by how waffley he is. For instance, on Dawn Johnsen, tonight he seemed to imply that he’d vote for her when she comes up for a vote on the Senate floor- but then why was he against her when he switched parties, saying on the day that he became a Democratic that he still wouldn’t vote for her? Its mysterious to me what motivates some of his more “principled” moves and makes me nervous about how reliable he will be once and if reelected. Still, all in all, Specter did a very commendable job tonight.

October 9, 2009 at 6:32 pm

--Adam Schwartzbaum

Tags: Arlen Specter

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