Obama, Biden To Raise Money For Specter

[Purveyor]

Sen. Arlen Specter (D) will welcome President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden to Pennsylvania in the coming months as he looks to build his financial lead in his race for reelection.

The president will attend a Sept. 15 fundraiser for Specter at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia, while the vice president will join the new Democrat for an event in Western Pennsylvania later this fall.

Fundraisers for Specter's campaign hope to raise $2.5 million during the event in Philadelphia, according to an e-mail invitation obtained by the Philadelphia Daily News. The event has already raised $600,000, and backers have committed another $700,000 to organizers, wrote David Cohen, executive vice president of Comcast and a major Specter donor.

Obama and Biden both pledged to support Specter after he bolted the Republican Party in late April. Biden, who as a Delaware senator had a close working relationship with his Pennsylvania colleague, had long worked to convince Specter to jump ship.

"We asked the president to help us campaigning with us and doing a fundraiser, and they were gracious enough to say yes," Chris Nicholas, Specter's campaign manager, told The Hill.

Specter has worked to consolidate his support within his new party, aiming to cut off a primary challenge from Rep. Joe Sestak (D). Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter (D) and Gov. Ed Rendell (D), two prominent Specter backers, will also be at the Sept. 15 event with the president.

THE HILL: http://thehill.com/campaign-2008/obama-biden-to-raise-money-for-specter-2009-08-17.html

[S_E_Fudd]

1. Good for them....nt

[chimpymustgo]

19. Go Sestak. Dammit.

[onehandle]

2. I expect Specter to pull this off, but you never know.

If he doesn't, will we see a "Pennsylvania for Specter" party?

[madfloridian]

3. That's a shame that Obama is sending the message to Sestak to get out.

There is nothing wrong with having primaries.

[FrenchieCat]

5. He is doing what he said he would do before Sestak got in.....

the primaries go on....and Obama is fully aware of that.

Right now, we need another vote on health care in the Senate,
and Spector is one bird in the hand.

[freddie mertz]

12. I'd like to invite the Admin. stay out of our PA primary

And leave it to the voters to decide.

Specter has improved of late. I still plan to vote for Sestak.

And I am not at all happy to see the White house meddling here.

[debbierlus]

30. It is wrong. Specter has been a Republican traitor on so many issues, screw him

He was a total sell out to Bush.

Obama should just let the two candidates duke it out, and stay the hell out of it.

[Arugula Latte]

4. Ugh.

Wish we could get a real Democrat in there ... I'm probably dreaming, though.

[AlinPA]

6. That's bad. So Specter gets elected using money raised by Obama; then just after

he is sworn in, he switches back to R, laughing up his sleeve with his republican buddies.

[onenote]

11. willing to put a small wager on that?

I'll buy you a DU star if that happens.

[AlinPA]

22. I don't trust him - Democrats are being played for suckers.

[Cha]

7. Arlen is on board for

the Energy Climate Bill..

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x8597377

[S_E_Fudd]

8. Does no good to encourage Repubicans to switch parties...

And then trash them for what they did as Republicans once they made the switch...

It's not fair, and it will discourage others from making the jump...

Fact is Arlen has done a very good job as a Democratic Senator...on the Sotomayor nomination, on health care, and on energy...

He should be encouraged...not trashed!

[madfloridian]

15. You consider a legit primary "trashing"? I don't.

I think they are the heart of our democracy. Since the Rahm types have started interfering in prmaries so much....we are becoming almost like the other party in order to win.

[S_E_Fudd]

I didn't say a word about the primary challenge now did I ?

You may wanna take a look back...the Obama administration is hardly the first one to support a candidate in a contested primary...in fact I dare say it is almost a given that the incumbent will get the support of Prez of the same party...

Specter has done a very good job since switching...I see no reason to replace him...

[AlinPA]

23. What will he do when / if he wins? He's using us.

[S_E_Fudd]

25. And you are basing this on?

By that logic we should never accept a party switcher...

[AlinPA]

26. He admitted that he switched for the election. That's not the same as a person

switching because of principles. I'm not saying that he has no principles at all.

[S_E_Fudd]

27. What politician didn't switch for political reasons...?

Had he been representative of the modern Republican party he wouldn't have been in trouble in the first place...

[AlinPA]

29. Yes, because of some of his votes he felt confident that the political leaders

would help him but he needs to gain a lot of trust of Democrats on the ground, people who donate, work the streets and campaign offices. As you see, I don't trust him and don't know one associate or friend here in W. PA who does.

I agree with Sestak who said "The Washington D.C. “establishment” has told us that their standard-bearer for Pennsylvania Democrats should be a 45-year Republican Party member who stood “shoulder-to-shoulder” with George W. Bush on the President’s failed policies that we are now suffering from … and now the D.C. insiders are telling us we are to vote for this Republican."

But if Specter wins the primary I will never consider voting for Toomey. Hopefully Specter will run a civil campaign.

[Umbral]

9. Get all the votes out of this guy that you can, because as soon as he's in the clear.... nt

[ChiciB1]

10. All I Can Say Is... What A Shame!!! This Isn't CHANGE... No It's NOT!!!

I realize they courted Specter, but if anyone knows anything about Arlen Specter is that he's FAMOUS for spouting off what he supports, then turning around and voting AGAINST what he said he supported!!!

At least most of the time I've seen him in action! If I could vote, it would be for Sestak! A much better man, and one who most probably has MANY good PROGRESSIVE years ahead of him, instead of BEHIND him! Specter isn't getting any younger OR robust! I'm a "Boomer" and can actually speak to the health issue myself!

[SIMPLYB1980]

13. Has Sestak said why he missed over 100 votes?

Specter has been doing a good job since his switch, bet he votes for the Public Option.

[ChiciB1]

14. We Shall See... I'm No Psychic... Just Going On What I've Experienced About Specter n/t

[S_E_Fudd]

28. He has come out in favor of it...nt

[invictus]

16. Shame on them for supporting a Republican turncoat over a real Democrat.

[Thrill]

17. They should wait until the primary is over to do that

I don't like it. But oh well. At least give Joe a shot

[IndianaGreen]

18. I hope they fail miserably!

Joe Sestak should be the next Democratic Senator from Pennsylvania, not the "Single-Bullet Theory" inventor and perennial asshole.

[chimpymustgo]

21. And thank you for that single bullet bullshit reminder. Gawd, he's a criminal skank.

[rug]

20. Won't help.

[ncteechur]

24. It's called "A bird in hand..." and actually Sestak is pushing Specter more left.