(H/T – Michelle Malkin)
The Washington Post‘s Chris Cillizza reports that Senator Arlen “Scottish Law” Specter (R RINO Rat-PA) is going to make that last designation official, hand Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) a filibuster-proof majority once Stuart Small…er, Al Franken gets his certificate, and run in 2010 as a ‘Rat. Two things:
– The NRSC, and its head John Cornyn (“R”-TX), now has major egg on its face for supporting Scottish Law in his expected primary against Pat Toomey
– For those of you thinking that 60 is a magical number, guess again – there has been no difference between 57 ‘Rats and 60 thus far.
I’d like to thank Scottish Law for making it official, and making Toomey’s election a little bit easier.
Revisions/extensions (11:52 am 4/28/2009) – Allahpundit brought the full scope of Specter’s betrayal out of the memory hole, recalling a March 17 interview with “The Hill” (emphasis in Allahpundit’s copy):
I am staying a Republican because I think I have an important role, a more important role, to play there. The United States very desperately needs a two-party system. That’s the basis of politics in America. I’m afraid we are becoming a one-party system, with Republicans becoming just a regional party with so little representation of the northeast or in the middle atlantic. I think as a governmental matter, it is very important to have a check and balance. That’s a very important principle in the operation of our government. In the constitution on Separation of powers.
One more thing – this quote from my piece last month (linked above) looking at just how ineffective the Senate Republicans have been (failed to stop the Dems 9 times out of 10 at that point) needs to be dusted off – “So, who were the big failures? Specter and Snowe lead the pack at 9, but I give the edge to Specter for his attempt to make the total failure rate 100%.”
R&E part 2 (12:14 pm 4/28/2009) – Jim Geraghty has a few more tidbits:
– That promise to stay in the Republican Party was made as late as April 9.
– Specter is already off the list of Senators at the NRSC home page
There is more over at Jim’s place.
[…] Related reading: Michelle Malkin: Arlen Specter: Human Ipecac and Breaking news: Arlen Specter acts like a conservative for once…BUT and Jack Kemp, 1935-2009 and Arlen Specter makes it official; Flashback: Specter’s denial Frugal Café Blog Zone: You’re Kidding, Arlen Specter Was a Republican? News to Me… Hot Air: Video: Specter says he would have cured Kemp if GOP had listened The American Spectator: A New Low, Even for Specter and The Importance of Jack Kemp Nice Deb: Specter Wastes No Time In Politicizing Jack Kemp’s Death Washington Times: Specter hints Kemp died of GOP agenda Personal Liberty Digest: Senator Arlen Specter flips the aisle Heartland Pinstripes: Jack Kemp, Bills QB and Congressman, Dead at 73 NewsBusters: AP’s Kemp Obit Follows Recent Pattern: Find Something (Anything) Negative, Mention Wealth of the Deceased GayPatriot: Benedict Arlen Shows No Principles… Again and The Departure of Arlen Specter & the Return to Unifying Republican Principles Marginal Revolution: The game theory of Arlen Specter The American Spectator: Reagan Defeats Specter Human Events: Arlen Specter Switching Parties Today The Hill: Specter had disavowed a switch… in March No Runny Eggs: DLTDHYOTWO, Scottish Law […]