The Republican political arsenal has long used swiftboat-style attacks, with the two most famous attacks being George W. Bush's attack on John McCain in 2000 and George W. Bush's attack on John Kerry in 2004. Now that Arlen Specter has switched to the Democratic party, he seems to have brought the swift-boat style attacks with him in an attack on Joe Sestak's 31 year honorable military career.
We need to stand up as Dems and make it clear that we do not support Swiftboating in the Dem party. The swift boat style ad claims "Joe Sestak, relieved of duty in the Navy for creating a poor command climate" - and gives zero evidence of this baseless attack. This has been the formula for swiftboating - make an outrageous claim about the challenger's strength (their military career) and then try to force them to disprove the lie. Instead of boasting his own record, Specter has decided to attack in the lowest, most anti-democratic ways.
It is time we come together and say no to swiftboating and elect a true progressive in PA - Joe Sestak.
In response to the swiftboat ad, Sestak campaign spokesman Jonathon Dworkin said:
We absolutely are saying that that account is inaccurate and no one has gone on the record and there's been no document that says anything like that.
Sestak's record was distinguished by all accounts:
Sestak spent 31 years in the Navy and was promoted to a deputy chief of naval operations by Admiral Vernon Clark in 2004 and awarded three stars. During his career in the Navy, he led a series of operational commands, including commanding the USS George Washington aircraft carrier battle group in Afghanistan and Iraq. He served as Director for Defense Policy on the National Security Council under President Bill Clinton and, following the September 11 attacks, was selected to serve as the first Director of "Deep Blue," the Navy's anti-terrorism unit.
Following in his father's footsteps, Sestak graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1974 with a Bachelor of Science degree in American political systems. Between tours at sea, Sestak earned a Master of Public Administration and a Ph.D. in political economy and government from the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University in 1980 and 1984, respectively.
Sestak's decorations include the Defense Distinguished Service Medal, Defense Superior Service Medal, two Legion of Merit awards, two Meritorious Service Medals, Joint Service Commendation Medal, three Navy Commendation Medals and the Navy Achievement Medal.
Sestak is the highest ranking military official to serve in congress.
But, as with most Swiftboat style attacks, Arlen Specter was not trying to prove anything - he was trying to put doubt in his opponent's strength and distract from his own horrific record. Specter knows that if he has to rely on his own record, there is no way he could win the primary:
Specter's Record
* Voted for the Iraq War
* Voted for Bush's tax cuts for millionaires
* Helped defeat health care in the 1990's
* Helped put some of the most radically conservative justices on the bench including Alito and Thomas (and tearing down Anita Hill in the process)
* Voted for the Defense of Marriage Act
* Voted against background checks at gun shows
* Supports a Flat Tax that will hurt working and middle class Americans
And the list is a mile long.
Side by side, it is clear who we should vote for:
AFL-CIO Lifetime Rating:
Sestak 97%, Specter 61%
AFSCME Lifetime Rating:
Sestak 100%, Specter 54%
League of Women Voters:
Sestak 100%, Specter 44%
National Education Association:
Sestak 100%, Specter 56%
NAACP:
Sestak 95%, Specter 76%
League of Conservation Voters:
Sestak 97%, Specter 40.5%
ACLU:
Sestak 91%, Specter 43%
Brady Campaign to End Gun Violence:
Sestak 100%, Specter 10%
While these statistics and records show clearly that Sestak is much more progressive and the obvious choice for Dems in the primary - the only counter-argument that I seem to hear is that Specter is more likely to win. This is completely false for the following reasons:
- Nate Silver makes a good argument here about how the best result for Dems is for Sestak to win the primary, but the primary is too close to call.
- It is an anti-Washington year, Specter's 45 years in Washington make him the epitome of what all voters will be against this fall. Sestak has a shorter congressional career and can focus on his years as a reformer in the Navy.
- Many think that Specter will get Republican support. I have not met a Republican yet that will vote for him in fall. They think he is a traitor, they weren't crazy about him to begin with, and now he has voted for the stimulus and health care. He will get no Repub support in Fall. Sestak, in contrast, even though he is a progressive on most issues, he has not burned as many bridges and he has good numbers with Repubs that are veterans.
- Specter voted for the bills that both sides hated the most - Iraq, tax cuts, stimulus, health care, etc. Everyone has a reason to hate him. He has a huge target on his head and will have to waffle in many directions to explain his change in party and positions.
- People say that Sestak has less name recognition. Sestak has about the same name recognition as Toomey and will have 6 months of debates and democratic support to establish his credibility. While, Specter has more name recognition, he has huge negatives, which are much harder to change than people not knowing you.
- Enthusiasm, Enthusiasm, Enthusiasm! Who is going to be fired up this fall to go door-to-door, make phone calls, etc, for a waffley old Republican? I definitely know I will not be. In the mid terms enthusiasm of the base is the most important part of turnout - and I know I personally will take a month off and work as hard as I can to elect a true progressive - and I will not lift a finger for snarlen Arlen. I think most Dems feel the same.
Finally, the other argument I hear for Specter is that he is voting Democratic now, so after being elected he will help the Dem agenda. This argument is the exact same argument that we heard with Liebermann - more electable and will go with the Dems. The truth: it will probably be Specter's last term, so he will vote however the heck he wants. And after 45 years as a Republican, I am willing to bet that it will be at least 50-50 if not leaning Repub, especially after Dems did not give him the committee assignments he wanted. If you don't believe me, check out evidence via 538.com:
Most of all, if we are going to down in fall, shouldn't it be with a true progressive? I honestly believe that electing Specter in the primary is one of the worst mis-readings of the political atmosphere that we will see in our lifetimes, electing a lifetime pol in an anti-establishment year.
Meet the Face of the Washington establishment:
Look hard at this picture. Is this who you want representing us in fall? If we do not step up soon, the very face of what is wrong with Washington is going to be on the Dem ticket in fall. Are we really so inept politically that we are going to have the symbol of Washington on the PA ticket in an anti-establishment year? If so, we deserve to lose.