Sen. Specter’s Seat Crosses the Aisle
EmailABC News’ Z. Byron Wolf reports: ABC’s Vic Ratner was smart enough to chase down a nice little Specter-related item: the Senate seating chart. You may recall that part of Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid’s pitch to Pennsylvania Senator Arlen Specter, wooing him from the Republican to the Democratic side of the aisle, was that the longtime Pa. senator would receive seniority in the Democratic caucus as if he’d been a Democrat all along, despite first taking office as a Republican in 1981. There are sure to be some bruised egos, angry words and hurt feelings among the other Democrats as Specter elbows his way onto Senate committees. It will be a while before we know how that part of his changeover shakes out. But, we do know that last night Senate staffers literally moved Specter’s seat in the Senate chamber from the Republican side of the aisle over to the Democratic side. And true to Reid’s word, Specter got a nice spot indeed, in the second row, between longtime Democrats Patrick Leahy of Vermont, in office since 1975, and Chris Dodd of Connecticut, in office since 1981, and right behind the Senate majority leader and minority leader’s desks. It should be said that there are some quirks to the seating chart, for example Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., keeping his brother’s seat in the back row despite now being one of the most senior Democrats and senior New Hampshire Sen. Judd Gregg’s place of honor in the front row regardless of seniority. For more details on seating arrangements for the 111th Congress, click HERE.
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Apparently, bi-partisanship now means Republicans become Democrats.
Whatever it takes to overcome Republican obstructionism and do the tax payers’ business.
At what point will the Republican Party change its name to reflect “truth in advertizing”? Dixiecrats, Dixiecans, or Southern White Bible and Gun Party……all seem appropriate.
Posted by: Sammy | April 30, 2009, 11:40 am 11:40 am
Spector left the Repb. party for the same reason I did. The 26% who still call themselfs Repb. have the Bible confused with the Constitution. They expound individual rights yet insist on imposing their religious beliefs on others.
Posted by: roncraw | April 30, 2009, 11:51 am 11:51 am
I think the Only Way Republicans will come Back they Have to CLEAN HOUSE Get rid Of Boner,Cantor,Grahm,Michelle Bachman they are Loonie right wing Morons MODERATES PLEASE!
Posted by: Angie in Pa | April 30, 2009, 11:58 am 11:58 am
Since Specter actually voted against Obama’s budget, looks like Reid and the White House need to do more to accommodate the defector.
Posted by: matt | April 30, 2009, 12:00 pm 12:00 pm
This is an interview with RNC Chair, Steele from CBS morning show. Once again, letting the world know Limbaugh speaks for the Republican party and there is no room for moderates.
SMITH: Pretty good. I want first talk about Arlen Specter, his defection to the Democratic Party. Olympia Snowe mourned his loss earlier this week. Rush Limbaugh said he was dead weight, good riddance.
Who’s right?
STEELE: Rush. I’m sorry I’m not weeping here. I’m sorry.
Posted by: Paige | April 30, 2009, 12:26 pm 12:26 pm
Honestly ,this Republican meltdown is the best entertainment I have had in 45 years.
Hair-pulling ,circular firing squads ,tossing each other under the bus, ,whining aplenty about “socialism/communism” ,birth certificates ,online polls or just whatever
they can dig/dream up on any given day.
I hope this show never ends ,it’s almost too good to be true!
Priceless!
Posted by: sandman | April 30, 2009, 1:30 pm 1:30 pm
The Republican Party seems about ready to self-destruct, except perhaps in states like Texas and Alaska. Vehemently embracing failed concepts and principles like the Bush doctrine and Reganomics, it stands diametrically opposed to pragmatic decision-making, diplomacy and policies that make scientific and/or economic sense. Perhaps it’s time for something new and relevant before we become a one-party nation.
Posted by: Kent | April 30, 2009, 1:41 pm 1:41 pm
I won’t be voting Republican again until they get an agenda that can include more of America. I understand Mr Spector and his move very well.
Republicans ,listen up. Moderate yourselves ,in more than just a word.
Saying you are a moderate/running as a moderate then actively employing the same-old-same-old Republican machinations day in/day out will not cut the mustard ever again.
Moderate means just that . The Republican Party and it’s agenda need to obviously and honestly get nearer to the middle or they will never ever get my (or lots of other moderate Republicans’) vote .
Posted by: Jeff | April 30, 2009, 1:43 pm 1:43 pm
The Republican Party seems about ready to self-destruct, except perhaps in states like Texas
____________________________________
“And the other problem, at least for Texas Republicans, is that the state is changing. Texas became majority minority in 2005, when whites dipped under 50 percent of the population. The surge in the Latino electorate, 20 percent of the vote in 2008 and climbing fast, is the prime factor turning the state purple again, but younger white voters and Anglo transplants are also less Republican than older whites. Experts who spoke to Salon predicted that Texas would be a presidential swing state by 2016.” (Salon)
Posted by: Paige | April 30, 2009, 2:32 pm 2:32 pm
It is sad to think that this man is more concerned about staying in washington than upholding values and ideas that his voting constituents hold and used to put him in office. Alas his voting block may have fallen off the wagon and decided to stand for nothing except me also. And oh this garbage about science and being practical being the way to go.The trouble here seems to be same old D.C. nothing has changed except the party that puts its name on the same old new plicies.I hope I am wrong but I don’t think so ,this country will suffer more yet, and we are going to see it is because as a country we are a one party country have been for a long time and that party was not the republican party, it just so happens that the dems. finally got off thier duffs and decided they wanted what all the other left wing groups seem to be getting or at least being told that they will be heard.Truth is that the far left is the only one that counts to the dems. because they don’t believe in moral issues and the only values they seem to express is for self.
Posted by: gustavo s. gonzales | April 30, 2009, 3:27 pm 3:27 pm
OK kids, when the music stops everyone grab a chair.
Posted by: vnvet69 | April 30, 2009, 4:15 pm 4:15 pm
“The Republican Party seems about ready to self-destruct, except perhaps in states like Texas and Alaska. Vehemently embracing failed concepts and principles like the Bush doctrine and Reganomics, it stands diametrically opposed to pragmatic decision-making, diplomacy and policies that make scientific and/or economic sense. – Kent”
More wishful thinking by the left. Ironically, it is the failed policies of the left that will swing the pendulum away from democrats with catastrophic spending and debt, foreign policy disasters, and economic stagnation.
Posted by: Bjohns | May 1, 2009, 6:03 pm 6:03 pm
I was a Republican until 2003. I voted for Spector every time he ran. I was planning on not voting for him this time because there are only a few Republican moderates left and they have no voice. This is not the party of Lincoln and Teddy Roosevelt any more. If Richard Nixon would have known that by opening the Republican Party arms to all the southern segregationist Democrats, that they would take over the party in 40 years he would have closed those arms. If Lincoln and Roosevelt were alive today we would be watching their press conference switching parties!
Posted by: William | May 4, 2009, 4:33 am 4:33 am