Remember on "Meet the Depressed" when Arlen Specter said:
Host David Gregory challenged that answer, asking whether the agreement to keep his Senate seniority was an inducement. "No, that's an entitlement," Specter responded. "I've earned that seniority."
Apparently the Democrats don't agree!
The Senate dealt a blow tonight to Sen. Arlen Specter's hold on seniority in several key committees, a week after the Pennsylvanian's party switch placed Democrats on the precipice of a 60-seat majority.
In a unanimous voice vote, the Senate approved a resolution that added Specter to the Democratic side of the dais on the five committees on which he serves, an expected move that gives Democrats larger margins on key panels such as Judiciary and Appropriations.
But Democrats placed Specter in one of the two most junior slots on each of the five committees for the remainder of this Congress, which goes through December 2010. Democrats have suggested that they will consider revisiting Specter's seniority claim at the committee level only after the midterm elections next year.
That's called a bust-down. You know, when you give a bum the used butt of your cigarette. Looks like Arlen hasn't earned jack.
When Supreme Court nomination hearings are held later this summer, Specter will be the last senator to ask questions of the eventual nominee -- a dramatically lower profile than in 2005 and 2006, when he chaired the committee and ran the confirmations of Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. and Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr
HA! I love it.
I know this isn't much of a diary, far below even my subpar standards. But I just thought you oughtta know.