by Joe Sudbay:
In 2004, the GOP hierarchy, led by George W. Bush, went all out for Arlen Specter in his primary against Pat Toomey. In April of 2004, the National Republican Senatorial Committee spent over $500,000 in support of Specter.
In 2010, the Democratic hierarchy, led by Barack Obama with the support of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, is going all out for Arlen Specter in his Democratic primary against Joe Sestak. Greg Sargent reports that the DSCC is funding Specter's latest tv ad, which features Obama:
In a sign of just how heavily invested the Dem establishment in Washington is in protecting Arlen Specter from Dem primary challenger Joe Sestak, the national Democratic Party is pouring cash into funding Specter's TV ad campaign starring President Obama, I'm told.
The ads are being funded by the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, meaning national party money is being spent to prop up an incumbent who was a Republican for most of his career -- and to help him defeat a longtime Democrat.
The Specter campaign has not gone out of its way to reveal this fact. The Youtube version of the Obama ad sent out yesterday to reporters featured a disclaimer at the end indicating that the ad was being funded by the Specter campaign.
But a version of the ad that's actually running on at least two Pennsylvania stations -- sent my way by a Pennsylvania Democrat -- features this disclaimer: "Paid for by the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee."Great use of DSCC money.
There are a number of critically important Senate races that could use DSCC resources. But, the DSCC has been busy pumping money into Pennsylvania to prop up a has-been GOPer.
Getting Specter to switch parties was considered a great coup by the Democrats last year. But, I'd still rather have a real Democrat in that seat. Specter being Specter (and only caring about Specter), he'll probably start voting with Republicans again right after the primary.
http://www.americablog.com/2010/05/dscc-is-pouring-cash-into-funding.html