In just over a week since Arlen Specter shocked the political world by announcing his switch from the GOP to the Democratic Party, Arlen Specter has done almost everything in his power to make sure no one can tell it happened. The day after he made the announcement he voted against Obama’s budget, then announced that he would not support the single biggest initiative of the Obama administration in 2009, reforming the health care system to include a public health care option. Although some reports indicated otherwise, Arlen Specter claims he never told the President "I will be a loyal Democrat." But what has become increasingly clear is that the only thing he has been honest about is the fact that his decision was only a calculated political move.
It’s true that the Republican Party has become a smaller and smaller tent, casting out any members who don’t fit into their narrow social, and often religious doctrines. But that isn’t what Specter’s switch was about. It all became clear when Specter was asked about the lack of Republican Jews left in Congress and he responded "There’s still time for the Minnesota courts to do justice and declare Norm Coleman the winner." When questioned as to why he was endorsing a Republican for re-election (one who, by the way clearly lost his election), he responded by saying "In the swirl of moving from one caucus to another, I have to get used to my new teammates...I conclusively misspoke." And there it was. Yet another admission that for Arlen Specter it isn’t about what he believes in, just what team he believes best suits his ambition at the moment. And that is exactly what Americans have come to hate about the political process. The belief that politicians are in it more for their own advancement than for public service. It has often been said that politicians go to Washington to change Washington, and instead Washington changes them. As Arlen Specter said to a town hall meeting in Hershey, PA just a few days ago "You all want to hold on to your jobs too right?" Except Arlen that your job is accountable to the public. And you should know that we intend to hold you accountable. Not just for failing to produce results on the issues we care about, because I suppose if you always walk down the line people will always like you half the time, but rather for making a mockery of public service in the name of ambition. You can count on a primary Arlen, and whether President Obama recants his support or not, your days in this business are numbered...because it’s not a business.