Arlen Makes Some New Friends « Around The Sphere

April 28, 2009...1:30 pm

Arlen Makes Some New Friends

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specter

Arlen Specter will soon no longer be (R-Pennsylvania).

The reactions thus far. First, from the right:

The Human Events article:

http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=31639

Mark Hemingway at The Corner: “I read that he was switching parties, but I was disappointed to learn he’s still a Democrat.”

http://corner.nationalreview.com/post/?q=MjZmYTIwMGNhODlkOGVkOGFhYjIzNzgxNzM0MTljZTY=

Michelle Malkin: “Don’t let the door hit you on the way out.”

http://michellemalkin.com/2009/04/28/arlen-specter-makes-it-official/

Allah Pundit (with a paragraph from Ed Morrissey) seems to be also in the “good bye is too good a word, so I’ll just say fare thee well” camp:

http://hotair.com/archives/2009/04/28/breaking-specter-becoming-a-democrat/

Eric Trager over at Commentary notes that Specter’s primary challenge was so tough, he had almost no choice to switch.

http://www.commentarymagazine.com/blogs/index.php/trager/63891

Erick Erickson just gave money to Pat Toomey:

http://www.redstate.com/erick/2009/04/28/i-just-gave-money-to-pat-toomey/

James Joyner argues that it is unethical for elected officials to switch parties, without resigning and running in an election:

http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/arlen_specter_switching_parties/

Alex Massie sees things differently: “And so, a heretic was cast into the wilderness and the conservative movement offered great hosannas of joy. Better to be small but pure than large and corrupted by moderation and squishy centrism. That this defection may ensure the Democrats have a filibuster-proof 60 votes in the Senate matters less than enforcing ideological conformity. That’s how you win these days, right?”

http://www.spectator.co.uk/alexmassie/3571496/great-gop-victory-arlen-specter-now-officially-a-democrat.thtml

UPDATE: We got Larison’s take. He sides with Massie:

http://www.amconmag.com/larison/2009/04/28/specter-flips/

UPDATE #2: David Frum is with Larison and Massie.

http://www.newmajority.com/ShowScroll.aspx?ID=13e86822-61d6-459a-9aab-4fc32fc9acef

Poulos, with an interesting take: “Two very dangerous and bad things seem just a little more likely today: that the Democratic party will increasingly become the party of doubling down on the political economy of Bushism — same old FAIL, brand new socialism — and the Republican party will increasingly become the angry inch left over.”

http://www.firstthings.com/postmodernconservative/?p=400

And the left reacts:

Paul Krguman calls it a “self-inflected wound” for the GOP.

http://krugman.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/04/28/the-specter-of-republican-marginalization/

Matt Y wonders how he will vote:

http://yglesias.thinkprogress.org/archives/2009/04/specter-leaving-gop.php

Kevin Drum gives him points for honesty in his statement. “It’s hard to avoid the conclusion that Specter finds his views more in line with Democrats these days solely because there are 200,000 more of them in Pennsylvania than there used to be.”

http://www.motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2009/04/road-60

Jason Zengerle has Michael Steele’s statement:

http://blogs.tnr.com/tnr/blogs/the_plank/archive/2009/04/28/michael-steele-needs-a-new-speechwriter.aspx

Also at the New Republic, Chris Orr’s reaction:

http://blogs.tnr.com/tnr/blogs/the_plank/archive/2009/04/28/they-wish-they-were-in-dixie.aspx

Jonathan Cohn:

http://blogs.tnr.com/tnr/blogs/the_plank/archive/2009/04/28/what-a-specter-shift-means-and-doesn-t-mean.aspx

Atrios’s post has a simple title “Crap.” He’s less than excited.

http://www.eschatonblog.com/2009/04/crap.html

Digby, too, less than thrilled, but ends with this shot at the right: “If you want to enjoy this watch Fox news. They all look like they’ve just sucked on a bag of lemons.”

http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2009/04/welcome-to-our-new-overlord-by-digby-im.html

And who better to speak to this matter than John Cole, another R turned D. He advises Specter: “Once you get over the patchouli smell and get used to all the barefoot hippies, it isn’t so bad.”

http://www.balloon-juice.com/?p=20528

More to come, I’m sure.

UPDATE #3: Sully has a great round-up of re-acts, some seen here, some not, including Nate Silver, Steve Benen and Kos:

http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/the_daily_dish/2009/04/the-big-tent-shrinks.html#more

And his own thoughts:

http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/the_daily_dish/2009/04/the-conservative-fissure-widens.html

UPDATE #4: It’s all anyone is talking about in the blogosphere. More posts, not organized by any ideological spectrum.

James Wolcott excerpts Frum and offers his glee.

http://www.vanityfair.com/online/wolcott/2009/04/club-for-growth-shrinks-republican-party.html

Ed Morrissey on Frum’s piece:

http://hotair.com/archives/2009/04/28/what-did-specter-represent-besides-himself/

Jane Hamsher’s thoughts: