A new twist for Pennsylvania's Senate race?

msnbc ^ | 7 March 2006 | Tom Curry

[Aussie Dasher]

WASHINGTON — Abortion rights leader Kate Michelman is thinking of jumping into the Senate race in Pennsylvania as an independent.

Michelman is appalled by Democratic Party leaders’ selection of anti-abortion candidate Bob Casey Jr. as their choice to try to unseat two-term Republican Sen. Rick Santorum.

For Michelman and other supporters of the Supreme Court’s 1973 Roe v. Wade abortion decision, the final straw came in late January when Casey endorsed President Bush’s Supreme Court nominee Samuel Alito.

Analyst and pollster Terry Madonna at Franklin & Marshall College in Pennsylvania said, “If she runs as an independent, they’ve given Santorum a significant boost.” He added, “This is a very interesting dilemma liberal Democrats have right now.”

Michelman said that if she joined the Senate race, she’d do so as an independent since she couldn’t meet Tuesday’s filing deadline to compete in the May 16 Democratic primary.

To run as an independent Michelman would need to get the signatures of 67,000 registered voters by Aug. 1.

[Aussie Dasher]

I just LOVE watching the Dems at war with themselves!

[decal]

"To run as an independent Michelman would need to get the signatures of 67,000 registered voters by Aug. 1."

Finally, a "poll" worth FReeping.

Sign up, Keystoners!

[rightwingintelligentsia]

Run, Kate, run!!

[philsfan24]

run skank run!

[Publius]

I covered a lot of this territory a year ago in The Splintering of the Democratic Party.

But I would argue that she would be better off tying up with the Green Party, an organization with an existing infrastructure that could simplify her money-raising issues and give her a ready-made base.

[RWR8189]

This is probably one of the few ways Santorum could eek out a win.

As of right now I don't have high hopes for Santorum's reelection.

[Tall_Texan]

run skank run!

Well said.

[Petronski]

"To run as an independent Michelman would need to get the signatures of 67,000 registered voters by Aug. 1."

Where do I sign?

[nj26]

She's not going to get 67,000 signatures without some serious $$$ from somebody. Pennsylvania is a difficult state in which to get on the ballot.

[Barnyard]

Santorum will win regardless of his opponent.

[RWR8189]

Why?

He has been down consistently 15-20 points in the polls.

There has been nothing to suggest to me that Santorum will win this race thus far.

His big wedge issue was abortion and Casey took it away from him.

[Theodore R.]

I think that if Michelman ran, it would marginally help Santorum. But I suspect that she is mouthing hot air. The Democrat powers have anointed Casey, and he is leading in all preelection polls now.

[jocon307]

"Run, Kate, run!!"

I second that. So, she's a pennsy resident, I take it?

[iowamark]

Allentown Morning Call/Muhlenberg College poll

Junior leading by 12 points in the latest poll. It is quite conceivable that Santorum could come back and win.

[RWR8189]

Believe me, I hope Santorum finds a way to pull it off.

But when I look at the electoral picture for 2006, I assume a Santorum loss.

[conservative_2001]

You go girl! I fully endorse Kate Michelperson to run as an independent candidate. I believe all pro-abortionists should have a candidate they can vote for in this race!

[Lancey Howard]

Michelman is talking about "jumping into the race" as a way to help Casey get publicity and make him look downright reasonable and "moderate", etc. - - ie., safe for regular folks to vote for. I'm sure the DNC (or maybe even the Casey campaign) is behind all this Michelman press.

If Casey gets elected, the Democrats will let him go his own way on any slam-dunk abortion-related votes, but in the end he'll do whatever the party leadership tells him to do on the close stuff where his vote is truly needed. Especially judicial nominations.

Michelman knows this and is only there to help.

[kvanbrunt2]

thx for posting. when i first saw the article i was just disgusted but after seeing the post i realized that there is an opportunity here and have since activated my local town hall meetup to help organize for her petition drive. thx

[Cicero]

Yes, that's the way I see it, too.

Casey's father was pro-life, but it's by no means certain that Casey is. He has not really committed himself. By mouthing off like this, Michelman is only making Casey look good to voters who may doubt his pro-life credentials.

[Lancey Howard]

By mouthing off like this, Michelman is only making Casey look good to voters who may doubt his pro-life credentials.

Yep. That's what the game is all about.

[Torie]

Dems want to bag Santorum bad. Pennsylvania doesn't have a lot of true independent voters. It is a very old fashioned state, the closest we have left to the 1950's in some ways. Michaelman will pull very few votes.

[Mike Darancette]

Abortion rights leader Kate Michelman is thinking of jumping into the Senate race in Pennsylvania as an independent.

AWWWWWWW

[Lancey Howard]

"Pennsylvania is Philadelphia on one side, Pittsburgh on the other side, and Alabama in between."
- James Carville

[SuziQ]

Run, Kate, Run!!

[TigersEye]

It seems that fewer and fewer people are willing to stand up for infanticide all the time. I guess the word is getting out...there's just no moral, ethical or healthy reason for it.

Abortion is not about saving women’s lives!

Studies Find Abortions Have Long-Term Adverse Effects

Total Abortions since 1973

45,951,133

------------------------------------------------------------

Why the drop after 1960? (in deaths of women from illegal abortions)

The reasons were new and better antibiotics, better surgery and the establishment of intensive care units in hospitals. This was in the face of a rising population. Between 1967 and 1970 sixteen states legalized abortion. In most it was limited, only for rape, incest and severe fetal handicap (life of mother was legal in all states). There were two big exceptions — California in 1967, and New York in 1970 allowed abortion on demand. Now look at the chart carefully.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Abortion Statistics - Decision to Have an Abortion (U.S.)

· 25.5% of women deciding to have an abortion want to postpone childbearing

· 21.3% of women cannot afford a baby

· 14.1% of women have a relationship issue or their partner does not want a child

· 12.2% of women are too young (their parents or others object to the pregnancy)

· 10.8% of women feel a child will disrupt their education or career

· 7.9% of women want no (more) children

· 3.3% of women have an abortion due to a risk to fetal health

2.8% of women have an abortion due to a risk to maternal health

----------------------------------------------------------------------

So how many women’s lives have been saved by abortion?

Only about 3% of abortions since 1972 were reported to be “due to a risk to maternal health.” A reasonable person would recognize that not all of those cases represent a lethal risk. But let’s say they did. That means that nearly 45 million fetuses were butchered to save the lives of about 1.3 million women. Or put another way; 35 babies are killed to save each woman.

Abortion was legal in all 50 states prior to Roe v. Wade in cases of danger to the life of the woman.

Roe v Wade: FULL Text (The Decision that wiped out an entire Generation 33 years ago today)

[Torie]

That IS a good one isn't it?

[Kuksool]

In 1998, some PA conservatives were dismayed that no "real conservative" is running for Governor. Peg Luksik ran on the Constitutional Party ticket. She received 10% of the vote. Tom Ridge was re-elected that year with 57% of the vote.

I suspect that the RATS will attempt to abort Michelman's candidacy by shopping for a judge to invalidate the signatures. By aborting Michaelman, Hillary Clinton could say that this is proof that people of faith are welcome in the RAT party.

I think Michaelman is sincere in her hatred of Junior Casey. To her, anyone who even supports mild restrictions on abortion is the enemy. She is still angry about her 1st husband dumping her when she was pregnant 35+ years ago.

[Torie]

Yes, and in another year, she might get traction, but not this year. The Dems are de-emphasizing abortion across the board, and gun control is dead. The Dems have found more promising traps to lay, the biggie being Iraq.

[Once-Ler]

Oh Yeah!!!

[no dems]

LOL !!!

[no dems]

Personally, I hope she DOESN'T run. She would certainly pull enough Dem votes from Casey to give Santorum the victory but, I'm still pissed at him for working as hard as he could to give us six more years of Arlen Specter.

I think Casey would probably be just as conservative as Little Ricky. I know we want all the Pubbies to win that can because we want to maintain a majority for Committee Chairmanships etc., but I'm just sick and tired of political whores regardless of their party affilitation.

[RobbyS]

Apart from abortion, how is Casey conservative? Was his father a "conservative" of a typisch Irish-Catholic Democrat? I fear that he is about as conservative as the Irish Catholic bishops, which means slightly to the right of social democracy. Look at the manifesto of the 55 "Catholic" Democratic house members.

[Kuksool]

***The Dems are de-emphasizing abortion across the board, and gun control is dead***

That is true in Red States and Purple States. But the RATS haven't changed their tune at all in Blue States. For example in IL, my RAT Governor, Blago, wants to chase gun manufacturers out of the state to keep kids safe from street gangs. He called the GOP Governor primary, "A beauty contest for the NRA". Also, he is touting how we're one Supreme Justice away from back alley abortions. He pledges to not to turn IL into SD.

In CA, I suspect the 2 Marxists vying to take a poke at Arnold are accusing the Governor of being a "Right Wing Barbarian". Arnold vetoed a pro-gay marriage bill and campaigned for parent notification for abortion in the special election. Also he raised money for McClintock. The RAT nominee will no doubt attempt to link him with the Religious Right as a method to motivate the Bay Area and Hollywood against Arnold.

[Kuksool]

Junior Casey is pro-life on abortion and stem cell research. but liberal on everything else. He says universal health care and raising the minimum wage will reduce abortions.

[no dems]

"Apart from abortion, how is Casey conservative?"

I guess we'll have to wait and see; won't we?

[jmaroneps37]

I just never believed the baby killers would let casey have a pass. Let's find out where to send her some money and help her in any way we can. If she needs voluteers to get her signatures, please you Keystone Freepers go out and help. Make sure the signatures she gets will stand up. Remember the the establishment rat will sneak into this process to try to spoil it.

[Stentor]

I think Casey would probably be just as conservative as Little Ricky. I know we want all the Pubbies to win that can because we want to maintain a majority for Committee Chairmanships etc., but I'm just sick and tired of political whores regardless of their party affilitation.

Too much Iron City for you.