Hardball: Did Obama & Dems play King-Maker on Specter, forcing candidate on PA

tomm2thumbs

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Fri May-01-09 07:41 PM
Original message

Hardball: Did Obama & Dems play King-Maker on Specter, forcing candidate on PA

Run time: 07:33
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D5hJ6s96wrw

Posted on YouTube: May 01, 2009
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Posted on DU: May 02, 2009
By DU Member: tomm2thumbs
Views on DU: 794

A very insightful discussion on whether Democrats got anything at all by having Specter change sides - when reconciliation would have guaranteed healthcare anyway - did President Obama guarantee support for Specter in a 'business as usual in Washington' move over letting Pennsylvanians make their mind up for a genuinely Democratic-Democrat?

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glowing

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Fri May-01-09 07:45 PM
Response to Original message

1. We'll only know when it counts for the close votes.. If we get healthcare,

I think its a compromise that is well weighted.

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napi21

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Fri May-01-09 07:51 PM
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2. Maybe I just don't understand, but why would the Dems have said

"we don't want you" if Arlan was looking to change? Arlan was looking to save his political butt, and he didn't make any secret of it. 2010 is still a while away and anything can happen between now & then, and it will be the Dems of Pa. who decide who will be the nominee anyway.

There's also the subhect of Arlans health. I don't want to press the issue, but he has had two bouts with cancer.

I think the biggest benefit from the move was how much it pissed off the Pubs! It further demoralizes them too! I welcome him as a Dem just for the pleasure of seeing the Pubs sqirm even more!

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tomm2thumbs

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Fri May-01-09 07:55 PM
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3. you may be right re: health - he may not even run but realized his party had left him to die

and changing and then NOT running would be the biggest message of all

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cooolandrew

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Fri May-01-09 08:13 PM
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4. If he backs healthcare and employees free choice he deserves another shot anything else.>

Edited on Fri May-01-09 08:16 PM by cooolandrew

End of the road. If Specter is here to be a Democrat all on board if it's games then we'll soon work that out.

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wisteria

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Fri May-01-09 08:45 PM
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5. Look, I would rather have Senator Specter and his health care vote

than have Toomey represent us in Pa. He is worse than Santorum, but he comes across as a nice sensible guy and with the money from Scaife I am convinced that Toomey would have won a general election with a fairly unknown Democrat running. Specter isn't that bad, he votes independently just like other Dem's do. A real Democrat is someone who is independent minded. Specter fits this mold. As a Pa resident, I don't mind at all voting for Specter he has a great shot of winning.

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Thrill

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Fri May-01-09 09:27 PM
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6. They didn't need to do anything for Specter. He couldn't win the Repuke Primary

He had to get out. He's a weasel.

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MindMatter

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Fri May-01-09 10:40 PM
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7. Time for a new generation, and a Democrat

Specter is probably no worse that Bayh and the other DINOs. That's not the point. The key point is that here is an opportunity to get a true Democrat in a Senate seat, one who will be young enough and energetic enough to carry on the traditions of Ted and others who are near the end of their careers or lives. I understand why Obama did it, but we have to wrestle that away from him and put one of our own in that seat.

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bc3000

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Fri May-01-09 10:41 PM
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8. I have to believe that the terms of the deal were specific

These guys know what's on the agenda. They know the votes that are coming up. I can't believe the deal was made without specific agreements on specific issues already in place.

If I had to guess, I'd say Obama and company agreed to a no on Employees Free Choice in exchange for a yes on Healthcare.

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IsItJustMe

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Sat May-02-09 12:38 AM
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9. It sure looks to me that Arlen will be having a Dem run against him in the primary. Obama will have

Edited on Sat May-02-09 12:38 AM by IsItJustMe

to be careful as not to look like he is shoving Arlen down the throats of Pennsylvanians. Who ever runs against Arlen is going to have some great talking points against him.

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