Sestak Goes for the Kill on Specter

[babylonsister]

http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2010/05/sestak-goes-for-the-kill-on-specter/56310/

Sestak Goes for the Kill on Specter
Marc Ambinder
May 6 2010, 2:36 PM ET


The White House and senior Democrats have grown increasingly nervous that Sen. Arlen Specter, who switched parties last year, will lose his Democratic primary to Rep. Joe Sestak. A senior political strategist who is consulted by the White House puts the odds at "50/50."

President Obama is expected to campaign for Specter late next week or just before the May 18 primaries. Sestak has insinuated that White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel tried to force him out of the race by dangling a top-level Defense Department job.

Specter's troubles aren't terribly surprising. Rank and file Democrats remain frustrated at their party and are skeptical of hand-picked candidates. Though Specter has moved to the left since his party switch, voters know that he was a Republican for 30 years. Early polling in the race was almost certainly inflated because Specter was a known commodity statewide, and few people outside of Sestak's district had heard of him. That's slowly changed, and Sestak has crept up on Specter in the polls.

Today, Sestak went for the kill, releasing a television ad showing Sarah Palin and George W. Bush praising Specter -- a political taunt that irritates Democratic trigger points. Specter still holds the line in polls. He is popular with independent leaning Democrats, who tend to be less liberal, and with African American voters, who have always supported him more than they tend to support other Republicans.

Ad here:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=385x462460

[gratuitous]

1. Sestak has to make his move

I hope it's effective and Mr. Specter can soon be known as the former Senator from Pennsylvania.

[PM Martin]

2. I hear that Specter has gone after Mr. Sestak's military record.

The Republicans did the same thing to John Kerry and a Senator from Georgia a few years back.

[AlinPA]

12. Joe has a great come-back ad for that.

[Lugnut]

21. Yes he does.

I think it's well done and will be well received.

I've seen the new Sestak ad featuring GWB and Palin. It's devastating.

[LakeSamish706]

3. I hope Sestak slaps the crap outta Specter... It's time to put him out to pasture. n/t

[T Wolf]

4. If/when Spectre loses, will he pull a LIEberman and run as an Indy? And will the WH and DLC and

DSCC and DNC support him or the actual nominee?

That is, if Sestak wins?

I bet the powers in the party are praying that Magic bullet Boy pulls this out so they don't have to piss off another state's loyal voters.

[RamboLiberal]

8. Not in PA - not allowed by our rules

I had thought that a tactic as well till I found out my state doesn't allow it.

[T Wolf]

13. Only major-party nominees are allowed to run? Even for a write-in effort? Or is the

restriction to those who "win" in the primary?

Having lived in PA since 1976, I know too well how fucked up this state's politics are. Nothing surprises me.

[disillusioned73]

5. This is gonna get interesting..

I've been on the Sestak bandwagon for some time, but peopl here in southeastern PA haven't heard enough about him. I hope people start paying attention - I am doing my little part to get the word out for him..

[freddie mertz]

6. It sure has become an interesting race! nt.

[howaboutme]

7. Why would Obama and Rahm want Specter to win?

Arlen Specter and his political shenanigans have zero credibility with either Party and with the independents. This self serving nature is transparent to all.

Sestak could put him away by accentuating ads that Specter consistently has his finger in the air testing the politics for himself not the people.

[RamboLiberal]

9. I like Sestak but was kind of wavering cause I want someone

to be able to beat Toomey. However I'm so disgusted with Specter's slimey adds I'm almost sure I'm voting Sestak now. I just wish he wasn't for the AWB which won't play well in PA and I wish he'd been stronger pushing back against Specter in the debate.

[AlinPA]

10. I'm voting for Sestak. There is one thing that made up my mind and that is that Specter

supported Palin and campaigned for her.

[old mark]

18. Obama and I assume Rahm as well as PA Dem.Governer Ed Rendell

and the PA Democratic Party PROMISED to support Specter if he made the switch from the GOP. Actually, as a republican he has not been too bad on many issues, which is why the GOP hated him, but he has been hanginbg on in Fderal politics since he was an attorney on the Warren Commission (JFK assassination investigators) and many people think his entrance into politics was a payoff for his service on that committee. He has had a long enough time at the public trough and should be retired.

I am not that crazy about Sestak, but I hate Rendell and I will probably vote for Sestak just to fuck with him and to let the WH know they may not carry as much weight as they like to think.

mark

[Nothing Without Hope]

11. Go Sestak!!!! The Dem Machine needs to be taken down a peg. K & R n/t

[WI_DEM]

14. I'm as big of an Obama supporter as anybody, but he really should stay out of the Dem primaries.

[rhett o rick]

19. It is very important to him that the conservative Dems win. nm

[Blue-Jay]

15. Next target: Marshall, Will, & Holly.

couldn't resist.

[MrSlayer]

16. I'm definitely voting for Sestak.

My union is supporting Specter for some unknown reason. Specter made it clear he is not for EFCA so he can go pound sand.

[howaboutme]

17. Exactly

Why would any union support Specter even though he has stated he would not support the EFCA card check, which is badly needed in a USA as a means of balancing out the power of big business and Wall St.

[saltpoint]

20. Joe told everybody he was in the hunt for this seat and that he intended to

fight hard to get the nomination.

Just speaking for myself, I wouldn't miss Arlen Specter one iota.

And in any event a crazy weasel like Toomey should not be allowed anywhere near the U.S. Senate.

I'm rooting for Joe.

[fujiyama]

22. Effective ad

Showing him next to Palin doesn't exactly help in a DEMOCRATIC primary! Hahaha

[Hawkowl]

23. Obama front stabbing progressives again

He's much more than a backstabber. At least he cozies right up to rethuglicans in full view of the public.