PrintApril 30, 2009
'When Harry Met Arlen' Gets Poor Reviews in Dem Caucus
The flipping of Arlen Specter's party identity to the partie gauche is already roiling the waters in the Democratic Caucus as senior party members speak out against the deal Specter cut with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid. Apparently without consulting senior members of his party, that old smoothie Reid agreed to let the senator from Pennsylvania keep his seniority regarding committee appointments.
"Not so fast, Harry" comes the cry from the offices of several senior Democrats. Alexander Bolton writes in The Hill:
"I won't be happy if I don't get to chair something because of Arlen Specter," said Sen. Barbara Mikulski (D-Md.), who sits on the Appropriations Committee with Specter and is fifth in seniority among Democrats."
And she is not alone. Another senior Democrat pointed out that Reid's deal with Specter was not the caucus's deal:
" The lawmaker requested anonymity because the issue of Specter's seniority is "a sensitive subject." The lawmaker said it would be OK if Specter joined his panel as long as he "sat at the end of the dais" with junior members."
Meanwhile Mitch McConnell and senior Senate Republicans have requested that Specter return campaign donations from Republican sources.
Life is about to get very complicated for the Democrat's new Quisling. Self-serving treachery like that demonstrated by Specter is certain to generate revulsion on both sides of the aisle. This should be fun to watch.
Ralph Alter blogs at Right on Target
