Specter’s support for the Alito and Roberts appointments to the Supreme Court is prominent among the consistent and enthusiastic support that Specter gave to George Bush for 8 long years. Specter’s prostration before the Republican caucus in order to get the chairmanship of the judiciary committee is well documented. Specter does what’s good for Specter and no rational voter should believe that he has changed his stripes to become a real Democrat or progressive.

Lee-
Even that’s true, then “what’s good for Specter” is now kissing the rings of the Democratic leadership and voting for our nominees.

Specter bucked the GOP to come out strongly against Bork. Specter voted for Ginsburg and Sotomayor (and will vote for Obama’s appointee as well). In fact, Specter always votes for whomever the President nominates (except Bork). To pretend his supreme court vote is “for sale” is to completely misread his general deference to the President on such matters.

Sestak-
“Sestak said he had no reason to doubt Santorum, whom he called a principled man”.
Really? Principled? I guess Joe is just sticking up for his fellow Virginian.

Of course, Sestak’s not really that principled himself. In his recent Philly Inky interview he said:
“I’m honest,” he says. “I’ll never do a deal.”

Well, it’s true that he hasn’t been good about honoring deals he’s made with local Delco Dems about providing support for them.

But, an example of Sestak p1ssing all over is own party, from the same article:
The House Democratic Caucus “is the most undemocratic place there is,” Sestak says. “There are times I can’t find out what’s going on, and that doesn’t bode well for transparency for the public.”

First of all, the GOP Caucus is far less Democratic. It’s arguably a total dictatorship.

Second, the reason Sestak is “out of the loop” is because he’s a Junior congressman and the Leadership doesn’t give him a seat-at-their-private-table or consult him when there are over 200 Dem congressmen. This is like one of his underpaid staffers complaining that she doesn’t get to sit in on the strategy sessions and has to wait for ‘orders’ to find out what’s been decided.
When Sestak was in the Navy, was every junior ensign given a seat at the table when battle strategy was being developed?

Sestak doesn’t have a seat at the table because he’s proven he’s a loner not a leader in Congress.

As for Sestak’s campaign:
” While most of Sestak’s Senate campaign staff are paid less than the minimum wage, his siblings have prominent roles and work for up to $4,000 a month. The congressman is unapologetic. “Nobody in politics would have anything to do with me,” Sestak said in a March interview on WSBA-AM in York. “My family stood by me. Let me tell you, my family? I would live and die by them.” ”

Wow. Fitzgerald nails him on the minimum wage issue and and the nepotism in one shot. As for Sestak’s claim that nobody would have anything to do with him, that’s total BS. Rendell and the Clinton people cleared the path for him in 2006. He was wholehearted embraced by the Delco Dems, who provided the support and infrastructure that got his campaign off the ground. But, once he got in, the attitude was that the local party provided no critical help.

I’ll pose the question once again: why is Representative Sestak, who purports to be a progressive Democrat, doing the bidding of the Republican Party?! Why has Sestak made baseless accusations the incumbent Democratic President of the United States? Why is Sestak echoing the sentiments of Santorum, one of the most reactionary Republican office-holders in modern times? Why does Sestak insist he has no reason to question the Santorum’s veracity?

It should be becoming evident to PA Democrats that Sestak is not, and never was, what he appeared to be. He has no commitment to the Democratic Party or its ideals. He is a self-serving, self-interested demagogue whose sole aim is to further his own narrow agenda. Sestak is a CON MAN, and always has been.

It seems that Sestak questions the veracity of only the people that oppose him (like Specter and Obama) and embraces the integrity of those that are supporting him against Specter (like Toomey and Santorum).

Lee Levan: Explain something to me. Sestak has antagonized the Obama White House, lodging unsubstantiated alegations against the Administration. Sestak has alienated prominent Democrats, accusing them of a wide array of offenses. Sestak has demonstrated that he is utterly incapable of galvanizing popular support (he remains 20% behind in the polls). If Sestak cannot cooperate and collaborate with his fellow Democrats, and he cannot electrify and motivate the masses, why should anyone cast their ballots for him?! Basically, Sestak is not an effective politician. He has shown contempt for both other office-holders and the common man. In sum, he does have the capabilities necessary to serve the populace. He has attempted to capture the support of both Democratic elites and the general public, and he has failed miserably. What more do you need to know? He does not have what it takes to be a United States Senator.

Mr. Diano: Meanwhile, the feds have the checks. And when the Sestak for Senate comes to an ignominious end, the kid goves are most assuredly off. Could explain the death throes we are witnessing at present.

Sestak bashing has become a favorite past time of Pennsylvania Democrats. Soon we can wash our hands of the filthy scoundrel and he can move back to Virginia and play golf at the Army Navy Country Club with his Republican bretheren.

Hater-
Interesting thing about your theory on Sestak’s money strategy and legal defense:

It seems pretty apparent that the Feds are unlikely to arrest Sestak prior to the primary (since it would appear that they’d be affecting the outcome). So, Sestak has to spend money to appear viable, to keep the Feds at bay (at least until the Primary). But, the more he spends, the less he would have for a legal defense.
Sounds like he’s caught between a rock and a hard place.

We are 11 past the fund-raising cutoff and only a few days before the FEC filings. It would be interesting to know how much each got this past quarter. Neither of them seems to be rushing to the mike to announce. This strikes me as silly to wait, since the number isn’t going to change.

TB-
Sestak’s shown that he can’t make friends in the party, so it’s no surprise that he find support from the PA Dems that actually get a chance to meet and interact with the candidates. Maybe, Joe and Rick can be golf buddies in Virginia.

Lol Dave talking to yourself again, I thought you were crazy to support Republican Specter over a genuine Democrat,but posting lies and suppositions seems to be your forte, keep talking to yourself,maybe you can convince yourself that there really is an indictment coming,but I doubt that is true. It isn’t likely that the FBI confides in you or your alter-ego “hatesestak”. Why not just become a real Republican that way you won’t be too late to catch the Toomey train in November when Sestak is beathing him. What was it I heard at the debate last night, Specter ran from Toomey and is ducking Joe Sestak.

Healy: Its April 12th – and your beloved Representative Sestak has yet to launch any campaign advertisements. Odd for an underdog trailing by 20% in public opinion polls, don’t you think? A legitimate candidate would almost certainly have undertaken an ad blitz by now. But Sestak is not a legitimate candidate, is he? No, he is desperate man – frantically hoping that a deal can be struck. Wishful thinking on his part. But then, wishful thinking has been a cornerstone of Sestak’s political career as of late, has it not?

Bill-
Hate to clue you in, but Sestak ran away from Specter when he claims he was approached to run in Jan 2009. By Sestak’s own admission didn’t get “interested” in running until months later, when it looked like Specter would lose the GOP Primary. At that point, lots of Dems were interested in the race, who previously had been afraid of challenging Specter in a General election.

Sestak is NOT a genuine Democrat. Ask him why he refuses to pay his workers minimum wage? Ask him why he agreed Cheney was his own 4th branch of Government. In Delaware County, we’ve come to realize that there is the Democratic party and the Sestak party. Once Joe loses, we will welcome you back into the actual party where you can do some good for a change.

BTW, Bill, are you Sestak lemmings so clueless to believe that Sestak can:
1) beat a 30 year incumbent in a primary
2) beat the candidate endorsed by the President, vice-President, Governor, other PA Senator and endorsed by the state committee
3) overcome a 20% name recognition deficit in 5 weeks.
4) out-blitz a candidate with twice as much money (who will have ads with Obama endorsing him)
5) win without having a campaign manager
6) win without having a message

Any one of these would ordinarily be an insurmountable obstacle to victory. Sestak has all of them to overcome. He’s done. Put a fork in him.

Dave are you so clueless that you haven’t realised Arlen Specter hasn’t won a Democratic primary in 30 years, do you think all Democrats are as easily duped as you?
I’m waiting for those ads with Obama,how do you think they will play with the ads showing Reagan,Bush,Bush the moron,Santorum,Palin and McCain.
20% name recognition in 5weeks no sweat. You won’t be able to turn on the TV without getting hit with a Sestak ad.

Bill, David is usually a pretty good Democrat. He’s done good things for the party, not just in Delco but here in Montgomery County, too.

That’s why it’s hard for me to figure out why he wants to saddle us with a problem like Arlen Specter. I know he has reservations about Sestak — many of them personal, that do not apply to Sestak as a candidate or Congressman — but his endless online vendetta just makes David look a little sad.

I feel sorry for him, feeling he has to defend a sad-sack candidate like Arlen Specter. In fact, if you’ll notice, he spends precious little time defending the indefensible Specter – instead, it’s bash Sestak 24/7 with molehill “issues” that David tries hard to spin into mountains.

Bruce,holding Specter up as any kind of Democrat is an impossiblity,that’s why even he doesn’t try,but Daves sniping is just that meaningless sniping, I doubt that very many Democrats are swayed by his nonsense.

Bruce
Joe has just opened a new office in Elkens Park,seems like Democrats there don’t share Dave’s enthusiasm for Arlen. Both candidates will be on the sample ballot there. Joe’s position at the top of the ballot will help too.

Over the next few weeks, I’m hoping to see the grassroots support for Sestak really start to spread. Netroots support — getting backers to make themselves heard in comment sections like this one, and those in local newspaper websites throughout the state – will be another vital part of that effort.

Perception is reality – once Democrats around the state see their peers saying that Specter is not a Democrat and does not deserve our party’s nomination, they’ll realize that there *is* a better choice in this election.

On the flip side, if party leaders are allowed to go unchallenged and get headlines with primary predictions saying “it’s going to be a Specter landslide” , THAT perception could become reality.

It’s really important to be involved in the messaging battle, which is one reason that you see so much of David on these comment threads. He knows that political insiders are reading this website and he is trying his damndest to sway the conventional wisdom (i.e., groupthink) that creeps its way into coverage of this race.

[...] Brisson, pa2010, [...]

Some dissonance here: if Sestak is such a loyal Dem, as some say, why is he giving R Toomey free debate publicity and believing R Santorum over Dem Specter?

Arlen ran from Toomey and ducks Sestak,if he chooses to not defend his beleifs,whatever they may be at present,that is his choice. The voters deserve to hear what the candidates have to say. Too bad Arlen can’t stand any scrutinty of his ever shifting,finger to the wind postions. It is a digrace that the Supposed leaders of the Democratic Party in Pa. even support this REPUBLICAN RETREAD.

You can do what you want but living in the 7th CD with the little admiral the sleaze that he is only sad that the Commonwealth just don’t see through him. He is fighting for himself and his family and to hell with his voters. He has the worse attendance in DC and only one molester endorsed him, what does that tell you. He came to Delaware county as a carpet bagger and became a Democrat 3 days before he said he was running and the Clinton’s pulled all the important strings even though we already had a great candidate. When will people wake up out of their long sleep or will they?

Bill-
People are going to be sick of all the ads, so Sestak won’t get much traction. The Dems know that the GOP has gone off the rails and they left Specter, long before he left them.
Are you one of those guys that won’t accept a player who gets traded to the Phillies, Eagles or Sixers from another city?

You forget that Sestak “ducked” Arlen when he claims he was asked to run in Jan 2009. As for ducking debates, how many debates did Sestak give Craig Williams? Oh, yeah… just one. Seems to be Joe owes Craig a few more debates before crying about Arlen and helping Toomey.

Joe has an Elkins Park office, because he plunked his money down to rent it. I’ve seen the Philly office every week since it opened, and I’ve never seen more than 2 or 3 people there. Having a office and having people to work it are two difference things. These offices are not like the Media HQ, though they are a nice quiet place to take a nap.

Chet-
Because Sestak isn’t a loyal Democrat. He recently referred to the House Dem Caucus as the most un-democratic place.

Lana-
It is disappointing that Sestak could find only one molester to endorse him.

Actually, if Lentz wins the seat, people will see a difference (a Congressman who helps local candidates) and wonder why they ever put up with a tool like Sestak.

Bruce-
Thanks for the (sort of) defense.
I’m defending Specter for two reasons:
1) He has the best shot at defeating Toomey (and the poll back this up)
2) I understand that Sestak is a self-serving b@stard who is no better than Specter or Lieberman, and can’t be trusted with a 6 year term (nor any term for that matter).

It doesn’t mean that I like Specter. I acknowledge his political ability and power as a way to stop Toomey. For me, his stimulus bill vote cancels his past transgressions from a generation ago, and I’m happy with his current voting record.