Lame-duck Specter can still make a difference

May 27, 2010 at 2:39 pm

When Arlen Specter lost the Democratic primary last week, he joined the pSpecter made a lot of Democratic turns in the last year, promising to be a leader on a whole set of issues still on the president’s agenda for 2010. Many people are wondering if Specter will still deliver. For my part,…

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What to look forward to (and my radio gig)

May 21, 2010 at 2:52 pm

What a week it’s been. Arlen Specter, the seemingly unbeatable political marathoner, was finally vanquished at the polls on Tuesday, as insurgent Democrat Joe Sestak won the primary in a political thriller that has left Washington abuzz.  Much ink has already been spilled analyzing this race, as well as the other major primary races around the country. Here’s my take on what happened on Tuesday, and what it means not just for Pennsylvania, but for…

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Why I’m voting for Joe Sestak

May 12, 2010 at 12:00 pm

After closely following the Democratic Senate primary for more than a year, and after careful and often painstaking internal deliberations in light of my beliefs and responsibilities as a loyal Democrat, I have decided to vote for Congressman Joe Sestak.

This has not been an easy choice. Senator Arlen Specter is a man I respect, a man who has dedicated his life to serving Pennsylvania. And since becoming a Democrat last year, he has been…

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Thoughts on Sestak closing the gap

May 6, 2010 at 4:12 pm

We’re 12 days out, and it appears that Joe Sestak is closing the gap against Arlen Specter. The pAnd this is just a href="http://www.realclearpolitics.com/horseraceblog/2010/05/keep_an_eye_on_joe_sestak.html" onclick="javascript:_gaq.push(['_trackEvent','outbound-article','http://www.realclearpolitics.com']);return TrackClick("http%3A%2F%2Fwww.realclearpolitics.com%2Fhorseraceblog%2F2010%2F05%2Fkeep_an_eye_on_joe_sestak.html','one+of+many+recent+polls')"one of many recent polls/a that show Sestak nipping at Specter’s heels. It can’t be denied there is real momentum now for Sestak. His…

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Politics Daily: Incisive commentary on Specter

April 30, 2010 at 1:31 pm

I just want to direct my readers’ attention to this very insightful and well developed article published by Jill Lawrence on Politics Daily this week, entitled

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Attacks give Sestak an opportunity to ‘hang a lantern’ on his problems

April 23, 2010 at 11:18 am

The first major controversy to emerge from the initial launch of television ads by the Specter and Sestak campaigns is the brouhaha over Sestak’s military career. It basically comes down to this: Sestak is relying on his 31 years of military service to distinguish himself and win the respect of voters, because it is his most compelling characteristic. Specter is employing a clever old political trick by going after his opponent’s biggest strength and trying…

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Specter’s opening salvo

April 19, 2010 at 7:00 am

With still no television ads from the Sestak campaign,

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The more things change, the more they stay the same

April 12, 2010 at 2:01 pm

Pat Toomey must be feeling pretty happy. Polls show him pHowever, beyond the spectacle of the race—the accusations and drama surrounding Rick Santorum’s a href="http://www.pa2010.com/2010/04/santorum-comment-ignites-a-clash-in-senate-race/" onclick="javascript:_gaq.push(['_trackEvent','outbound-article','http://www.pa2010.com']);return TrackClick("http%3A%2F%2Fwww.pa2010.com%2F2010%2F04%2Fsantorum-comment-ignites-a-clash-in-senate-race%2F','endorsement-for-vote+scandal')" target="_blank"endorsement-for-vote scandal/a being just one example—things seem surprisingly static. The numbers haven’t changed much, the lines of attack and argument are consistent, and everything seems to point to a predictable primary next month. This is all good news for Toomey. Every time Specter is in the news lately, unless it’s for another predictable endorsement by a Democratic institution, it’s some foible by the aging senator, like Specter calling College Democrats “a href="http://www.pa2010.com/2010/04/woops-the-party-switch-slips-specters-mind/" onclick="javascript:_gaq.push(['_trackEvent','outbound-article','http://www.pa2010.com']);return TrackClick("http%3A%2F%2Fwww.pa2010.com%2F2010%2F04%2Fwoops-the-party-switch-slips-specters-mind%2F','College+Republicans')" target="_blank">College Republicans.”

As for

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Clunky messaging spoils Specter’s new ‘Workers’ Bill of Rights’ (Updated)

April 1, 2010 at 9:00 am

In a speech to U.S. Steelworkers Thursday morning, Senator Arlen Specter unveiled a 5-point plan that he called his “worker’s bill of rights.” The Hill reported that his plan included forcing China to end its practice of pegging its currency to the U.S. dollar; more aggressive American enforcement of trade laws; rescinding the president’s authority to overrule the International Trade Commission’s recommendations; speedier remedies for illegal trade claims; and stronger “Buy American” requirements under the stimulus package.

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Union endorsement just another sign of Specter’s bedrock institutional support

March 30, 2010 at 4:19 pm

The AFL-CIO’s announcement Tuesday that they are

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