Posted on 06/26/2006 1:04:30 PM PDT by waterloofan
OK, I currently live and vote in PA. Most folks I know weren't happy that Santorum did NOT back Toomey, but understood that it would have been a very foolish thing to do. His "support" for Schfincter, oops, Specter, was obviously half hearted. Same as Bush. I don't care much for Specter at all, but you have to admit that we HAVE added conservative judges to the court. And NOT "despite" him (which was the deal). Specter is not "toast". Bob Casey Jr. has support that is "a mile wide and an inch deep". Local liberal rags are alreay moaning about how he will snatch defeat from the jaws of victory like he has for just about every other race he's been in. The libs also hate the fact that he is a "pro-life" Democrat (like daddy was). So, don't count Santorum out by any means.
Don't you get it? It's the pubies that can't remember what it was like. I like Santorum, I'd like to see him get re-elected, and I hope somehow it happens. But I understand the conservatives not forgiving him not endorsing Toomey. It's hard to forget with Snarlin' Arlen firing off his big trap every day.
BTW, Santorum has some small opportunity as off year elections tend to have lower turnout than Presidential elections. And conservatives vote in higher percentages than liberals.
It's clearly a matter of cutting off noses to spite faces. Unless the DEM candidate is superior to Santorum, it should be a no-brainer. Any other conclusion is just sour grapes about Specter, who, by the way, voted for Alito and Roberts, and helped dump Meyers.
Let's say that's true. Do you think those kinds of communications would have had any impact if Leahy were the chairman?
Specter has assumed for himself veto power over the president's nominees.
Huck, all I am pointing out here is that voters in PA are disillusioned. I am not a PA voter and do not seek to persuade anyone any which way. I was stating objectively that it's his responsibility to come to the table to his constituents and reclaim his credibility.
I am trying to put this in the positive -- it's within his potential to turn this around.
I understand them not forgiving Santorum, but I don't understand them not voting for him. Who did the DEM candidate endorse? It comes down to two choices, Santorum or the DEM. I haven't forgiven GWB for a lot of the crap he's done, but I still voted for him in 04. It was a no-brainer. I don't see this race as being any different. There is no way to remain logically consistent if you voted for GWB in 04 (he supported Specter as well) and don't vote for Santorum. It's just being a baby.
Santorum voted against the senate illegal alien amnesty bill you're so hot for, but you probably knew that and just wanted to get in a dig at the anti illegal alien conservatives.
Fair enough. It's too early anyway. You are probably right. People are free to throw their tantrums now. Sorry, tantrum is a loaded word. They are free to vent their frustrations now, but when they go vote, assuming they bother, it makes no sense to not vote for Santorum. He'll be the best available choice.
I don't. I wasn't upset that Santorum didn't back Toomey, I'm not even upset that Santorum supported Specter in the general. What I expected Santorum to do was to stay the heck out of the primary. Granted, it was more likely Bush's support of Specter (I still remember those ads) than Santorum's that put Specter over the top, but the fact remains that Santorum chose to endorse that jackass Specter over a good man like Toomey. Arlen "not proven" Specter didn't waste one full day before he was out in front of the media rejoicing in the killing of babies after that primary. Santorum ought to be ashamed of himself.
I agree with you. Anyone who is going to let their "hurt" feelings prevent them from voting for Santorum, just shows how immature they are. Common sense should prevail here. People in PA should vote for Santorum if they want to keep conservatives in control of the Senate. Just because Santorum did one or two things that someone doesn't agree with, doesn't mean you should throw the baby out with the bathwater. Letting your feelings dictate how you vote, and not your common sense, is selfish and immature. Isn't that what liberals are know for doing?
Thanks, it's good to let the Dems malign their own.
It helps us that speaking for Casey from time to time will be the ever glorious Dr. Dean. With occasional messages from the rarely lucid Nancy Pelosi.
PA is a very blue state. But even the Bluest of the blue states are alienated by some of the commentary by Dean and Pelosi.
Don't leave out the part that Santorum was the Caucus Chair and Specter was a sitting member of the caucus. That ads even more to it. That being the case is probably why Specter voted the Marriage Amdt. out of committee even though he personally opposed it. He had the power to block it, but did not.
In addition by the logic you used - you think that Specter should have worked to defeat Santorum in 1994 and 2000? Obviously they disagree on a number of things. I appreciate the fact Santorum is there and I know he is there with Specter's help. Otherwise there would be an incumbent liberal Democrat there now. Unlike what happened in NJ and other places when the conservative won the primary rather than the "moderate", Specter still went to bat for Santorum. Do you really think it would show integrity on Santorum's part to have won with Specter's backing and then, when Specter himself was in a tight bind, say "sorry, I know you helped me, but now that you need me to the return the favor I am going to stab you in the back." I would have prefered Toomey myself (and urged people in PA to vote for him) but I don't think I could respect Santorum personally if he had done that to Specter. Integrity matters to me. I'm sorry you disagree.
I don't remember Santorum being in a fiercely contested primary in 2000. Can you refresh my memory please?
Tell me, how bad is Specter? As judiciary chairman he got through all the conservative judges the President wanted and even some that were languishing for years.
Specter has an ACU rating over 60, four times higher than Holy Joe Lieberman that a lot of stupid Freepers seem to admire.
I wanted Toomey and voted for him in the primary because his views were more in line with my own. Unfortunately, he lost and my party endorsed Specter. Being that I am a grownup and didn't want a filthy socialist like Hoefell to represent my state I voted for Specter.
I understand that sitting US senators must support another sitting senator of the same party from the home state and have no animus against Santorum. You shouldn't either.
I like Mr. Santorum as well, however, he IS a politician by trade. Why are we so indifferent to so many politicians? BECAUSE they tell us what we want to hear and then vote oppositively to satisfy another politician's cause or concern. Politics is ugly; haven;t you heard? So may of us have been so gullible. It's not necessarily a left wing fallability.
Because it is normal protocol to support the other senator's reelection if you are of the same party. In AZ McCain is supporting Kyl in his reelection.
Normal protocol is an outdated idea. That was fine when all we ever saw was a liberal Republican running against an even more liberal Democrat. History moves on and rolls over those who will not or can not change with it. By the way we don't see Specter following the protocol, do we?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.