Spectre of a Man
The Watcher Emeritus on May 06 2009 at 1:56 pm | Filed under: Nominations
IT’S TUESDAY, May 6th, 2009!!! All you weasel watchers know what that means, right? Yup, only 1280 days until the next Presidential Election!
While we wait with baited breath for that next historic moment in American History we will have to settle for the more mundane sort of political theater; or perhaps not.
Rounding out the week with the most entertaining bit of political news is none other than Arlen Specter, that lovable, confused, self aggrandizing Democrat, turned Republican, and back to Democrat again. It seems that the Senator from Pennsylvania may have put a bit too much faith in Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid. Believing that he would somehow maintain his seniority Specter didn’t appear to think twice before jumping from the good ship GOP for what he thought would be friendlier waters.
But not so fast… Byron York reports at the Washington Examiner that Arlen Specter will be put at the bottom of the seniority list.
There’s word tonight that Senate Democrats have denied Arlen Specter seniority on the committees on which he will now serve as a Democrat. That means Specter, who has been a senator for 28 years, will now occupy the most junior position among Senate Democrats.
A few minutes ago, I asked a GOP Senate source for his reaction. “I don’t know if it says more about [Senate Majority Leader Harry] Reid’s lack of commitment or Specter’s naiveté,” he told me. “But either way, it’s going to be hard for Specter to argue that dumping him now would cost his constituents seniority and clout — he has the same ranking on committees that his successor will have in 2011.”
Now that is funny. Almost as funny as Specter forgetting that he joined the Democratic Party when he rooted for Minnesota Senator Norm Coleman over left wing clown Al Franken.
Not so funny however is the news that Specter was the only GOP candidate that received money from the UAW PAC along with 41 other Democrats. This news should not surprise anyone here in weasel watching country.
President Obama wants to make the United Auto Workers union the 55 percent owner of Chrysler. In that light, it’s worth looking at the UAW’s political activity.
As usual, in the 2008 election cycle the United Auto Workers’ PAC gave 99% of its campaign contributions to Democrats. As I mention in my K Street column today, the PAC funded 42 Senate candidates, 41 of them Democrats. The other? Arlen Specter.
From the Center for Responsive Politics’ website OpenSecrets.org, here’s some data on the UAW’s PAC activity in 2008:
* The PAC spent $ 13.1 million, making it the #14 PAC in the country, and placing it ahead of all business PACs except for the National Association of Realtors
* $4.9 million in reported independent expenditures, all of it dedicated to helping elect Barack Obama
* More than $2 million in direct contributions to candidates, with 99% of it going to Democrats
We have a lot of work to do between now and 2012! Please support the following writers and watcher’s council members in their quest to expose the weasels of the world! Enjoy this week’s submissions. The contest results will be in on Friday. – The Watcher
Council Submissions
- The Colossus of Rhodey - As yet another example of demonizing the speech of your opponent as “dangerous” …
- The Provocateur - From President to King While the Media Yawns
- Bookworm Room - Predators and Prey
- Joshuapundit - Can The GOP Get It;s Groove Back?
- Right Truth - More Dangerous Than Al-Qaeda: Liberals and Sharia
- The Razor - Yet More Green Hypocrisy
- Rhymes With Right - A Hero Of My Youth Passes
- Soccer Dad - The iranian priority
- The Glittering Eye - Never Let a Good Crisis Go To Waste
- Mere Rhetoric - UC Santa Barbara Professor Spams Class With Graphic “Jews Are Nazis” Email
- Wolf Howling - Waiting For The Iranian Shoe To Drop
Non-Council Submissions
- Submitted By: The Watcher – The Anchoress Online - Why “the recession is over.”
- Submitted By: The Colossus of Rhodey – The Times Online - 9/11 conspiracy theories: The truth is out there…just not on the internet
- Submitted By: The Provocateur – The Hill - Obama’s Economic Policy: Washington Knows Best
- Submitted By: Bookworm Room – National Journal - Twelve Points to Consider in Replacing Souter
- Submitted By: Joshuapundit – The Augean Stables - What Do I Think of the Arab-Israeli Conflict? Answers to a Questionnaire
- Submitted By: Right Truth – Chesler Chronicles at Pajamas Media - Let Us Praise Extraordinary Activists Who Stood Against Radical Islam in Times Square.
- Submitted By: Rhymes With Right – Gone Mild - How to Influence a Legislator (Free Version)
- Submitted By: Soccer Dad – Vinny’s Rants - Of Swine, Birds and Humans
- Submitted By: The Glittering Eye – Will Wilkinson - Libertarian Democraphobia
- Submitted By: Mere Rhetoric – NYT / Gail Collins - Joe Biden, the Flu and You
- Submitted By: Wolf Howling – Weapons of Mass Discussion - On Specter, The GOP Big Tent, & Reagan
- Submitted By: The Watcher – Kevin Mooney at The Washington Examiner - ACORN got $53 million in federal funds since 94, now eligible for up to $8 billion more
Eye Candy and Brain Food…
Eye candy from Murdoc Online, enjoy: The first painted P-8A Poseidon aircraft rolls out of the paint hangar at Boeing’s (NYSE: BA) Renton, Wash., facility, displaying its new U.S. Navy livery. The aircraft, designated T-2, is the third of five……
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Submitted 05/07/09…
This week’s Watcher’s Council nominations are up: As yet another example of demonizing the speech of your opponent as “dangerous” … – About 15 years ago, Yale University refused an alumni donation that was to be devoted to strengthening its Weste…
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[...] Council nominate the posts they think were the finest of the previous week. The entire list of submissions is here These are the submissions this [...]
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[...] So, let’s see what we have this week….and do check out the Watcher’s fine take on Arlen Specter’s changing from RINO to Donkey… [...]
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