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More on Arlen Specter from Ed Rendell

By Karen Tumulty | April 30, 2009 | +

I just talked to Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell about his new Democratic colleague, and he sheds some additional light on Arlen Specter’s decision to switch parties:

Specter, Rendell says, had been looking for ways to survive politically without switching parties. One move he considered is the reverse of something that worked well for Rendell in the 2002 gubernatorial primary against Bob Casey: Appealing to Democrats to switch their registration temporarily so that they could vote in the GOP primary.

In 2002, Rendell, the only leading candidate on either side who was pro-choice, had sent voter registration cards in the mail to moderate Republicans–along with a promise that if they switched registration to vote for him in the Democratic primary, he would send them another card after the election, so they could switch back. Statewide, Rendell says, he managed to convince 65,000 Republicans to become Democrats for at least a day. But in the end, Rendell said, Specter decided that kind of maneuver wouldn’t work for him.

Another idea that Specter considered, according to the Governor, was appealing to Republicans in the state Senate to change the rules and allow independents to vote in the GOP primary. However, Specter was rebuffed by a party that had so turned against him after his vote for the stimulus bill that it told him not to come to a meeting of the state GOP committee, lest he be booed.

While Rendell had long been wheedling Specter to switch parties, he says that he was completely surprised when the Senator actually did so–and, indeed, didn’t learn about it until Barack Obama called with the news. (The Governor noted, as an aside, that Specter and Obama had become friendly back in the days when they shared neighborhing offices in the Hart Senate Office Building.) Rendell insists he cut no deals with Specter, and did not promise to clear the Democratic primary field for him. However, he says he will campaign for Specter, if asked.

“Arlen Specter is his own man. He marches to his own drum, and that’s one reason to admire him,” Rendell told me. “I wish we had more people in politics like him.”

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  • Paul-no not that one

    Such respect for the rank and file Pennsylvania Democrats.
    .
    I know that BHO, Reid, Lieberman, and Rendell are delighted but has there been any polling done on the people Specter represents? Okay, he represents Rendell.
    Or polling on the state Democrats?

  • Ivy_B

    When Rendell asked people to change registration, he was just finishing his second term as mayor of Philadelphia. He was a terrific mayor and really put the city back on the right path and got things moving again. Several old Philadelphia Republicans sent out letters saying they were going to switch and asked others to do it as well. The Rendell campaign also promised to send out cards after the primary so people could easily change back. There was such enthusiasm for Ed in the city and surrounding counties this wasn’t a problem. There is no way Specter could generate that kind of movement.
    .
    It would be nice to have PAs closed primary rules changed, but the state legislators aren’t likely to do that in any case.
    .
    Interesting post, KT

  • Ivy_B

    Paul, there are a number of local pollsters and I’ll bet there will be some done over the week-end. Would be interesting to see what is asked and the results.

  • choska

    Wow. What craven political hacks. If it is true that people get the government they deserve, then the Democratic voters of Pennsylvania deserve to be led around like sheep.
    .
    What makes Obama so refreshing is that he won despite the opposition of Democratic Party hacks like Rendell. It is isn’t astonishing that a black guy won. It is astonishing that the political machine didn’t push Hillary over the top.
    .
    What I don’t understand is why people think Specter is such a great idea for the Dems. After watching the performance of Joe Lieberman, whose poll numbers in Connecticut are terrible, I can’t understand why the Democratic voters in Penn would hand their nomination to Specter when they have a GREAT candidate in Sestak.
    .
    I really think Rendell just handed a sure Democratic seat to Tom Ridge. Maybe we need to get governors to stop substituting their decisions for the judgment of the voters.

  • FlownOver

    Someone please forward a copy of this post to others in the MSM and explain that it’s something called “reporting.” I’m pretty sure a number of them are unfamiliar with the concept.
    .
    Thanks, KT.

  • Ivy_B

    The election isn’t until 2010. A lot is going to happen before any Democratic votes are cast.
    .
    While there is a lot of talk about Tom Ridge being nominated on the R side, that may just be wishful thinking on the part of a few that there are some moderates left in the PA Republican party.

  • Paul-no not that one

    Ivy, If you see some polls and if you are so inclined please post them.

  • afguy

    I really think Rendell just handed a sure Democratic seat to Tom Ridge.
    .
    choska,
    .
    You really think so? You think Ridge is really that attractive a candidate? All I remember about him is the ridiculous Threat Level color coding that DHS came up with under his tenure.
    .
    I agree about all the backroom dickering – what happened to government “by the people”?

  • Dee in Columbia MD

    pnnto — It’s pretty much tradition that Democrats don’t run anyone for the seat that has any chance of winning the state. But of course that was because he was moderate and voted their way on certain things, like labor. I’m sure he’s going to have to find away to support EFCA again or he’s going to have a problem.

  • carlinpa

    It shouldn’t be forgotten that Arlen Specter, as Philadelphia DA way back when, gave Ed Rendell his first job.

    After Specter’s fiscal stimulus crossover vote I had emailed his website congratulating him for putting country above party. That’s one of the things I like about him is his willingness to go against the partisan grain. It’s obviously backfired in re the PA primary. But, in my email I expressed a willingness to change my registration to vote for him in the primary provided that there weren’t other Democratic office aspirants whom I would be forsaking. I suspect, from conversations with fellow Pennsylvanians, that I was not the only one willing to change registration in support of Specter. Plus, he lost 200,000 Republicans who went the other way in 2008 Presidential election. I do miss John Heinz, though. But I have not had a day without schadenfreude at Rick Santorum’s defeat.

  • bitterpill8

    KT: Don’t want toto sound patronising: but this is good reporting. Rendell, obviously, does not mind talking about wheeling and dealing. In the end it is about individuals, their lust for power, and their readiness to arrive at accommodations (comprimsing themselves in the process?). “We the people” are reminded to head to the polling booth and do the “right” thing.

  • Ivy_B

    Some thoughts on candidates in both parties from a Politics PA columnist.

    http://www.politicspa.com/Roarty-Daily%20Read.htm

  • Dee in Columbia MD

    Here’s a suggestion, limit the tax deduction for home ownership to interest on the first $150k of a mortgage any thing over that is fair game — of course, I rent so I’m all for eliminating it completely. And we could increase taxes on beer and alcohol, sports and concert tickets, lawyers fees (they’re annoying they write the tax code)etc.

  • Dee in Columbia MD

    Oh lets tax fast food, junk food etc.

  • Paul-no not that one

    From Ivy’s link-
    .
    “On the Democratic side, Joe Torsella said he’s staying in the race and denied reports that Gov. Ed Rendell asked him to step aside, reports pa2010. The Web site also reported that U.S. Rep. Joe Sestak is likely to stay in the race and is now seen as Specter’s biggest competition.”
    .
    I’d give to Sestak.

  • rustyreturns

    The problem with Rendell is that his own polling numbers are falling with all of the budget cuts he is making, and the increase in taxes here in Pennsylvania.
    .
    Soon you shall see like in 1972, when they “thought the republican party was dead”, the Presidency was won by the Republican party.
    .
    Same happened in 1980 when Reagan was elected.
    .
    The same will happen in 2010 and 2012. A one term wonder. We can only hope that he doesn’t do too much damage in the next 4 years.
    .
    So far as Specter. He is toast. No republican will vote for him for abandoning his principals and ideals. He ran on the republican backs, now he skates away to the democrats. This will never be forgiven in the State of Pennsylvania. And, my democrat friends suspect that he cannot be trusted either and are planning full opposition with a democrat challenger in the primaries.
    .
    There is news you can trust right from the State itself. Not some blow-bag washed up almost ex-Governor

  • rustyreturns

    Might add that Specter rode the coat-tails of Reagan to be elected into the Senate in the first place in 1980. He didn’t comment on that now, did he?

  • Ivy_B

    Also via Politicspa — Cornyn calling Gerlach to see if he’s interested in a Senate run.
    .
    http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/s_623051.html

  • choska

    I’m not a big fan of Ridge. That said, given a choice between a guy who has stuck to his guns and his beliefs, and a guy who bailed when his beliefs became inconvenient to his re-election possibilities, I’d probably take the guy who wasn’t the blatant political opportunist.
    .
    I’m not naive. I know this stuff is par for the course. But it is still dirty.

  • fhmadvocat

    Rusty,

    You must be living in a parallel universe. What do you mean “they thought the Republican party was dead?” In case you did not know, the incumbent was a Republican and the Democrats nominated the most left wing politician they could find. After 1968, it was the Democrats, on a national level, who were disorganized, and were actually several personal fiefdoms.

    1980? Who are you kidding? Carter was a disaster. Reagan may have scared some liberals, but he built a coalition that the Republicans have squandered.

    If you are anticipating 1972 to repeat in 2012, with an incumbent winning against a candidate with the support of the extreme wing of the other party, given the behavior of the Republicans today, your prediction may come true, though in the way you would like.

  • Dee in Columbia MD

    This is all crap. In today’s GOP environment, Ronald Reagan couldn’t get in the door. These people keep calling on the spirit of the Gipper like its some sort of security blanket, when in reality, if you stripped his name out of the record and just showed them the bills he signed into law, tax hikes and all, they would label him a RINO and send him on his way.
    .
    And as for the Northeast and Mid-atlantic what’s left of the GOP is just too darn mean spirited. The fact is nobody likes them. Not the leadership, not the rank and file elected officials, not the cable pundits, not the talk show hosts on tee vee or radio and not the trolls unleashed in the blogosphere everyday. Prime example, the kindly looking grey haired congresswoman from North Carolina seemed gentle enough until she called the Matthew Shepard story a hoax in front of his mother. These people are just mean.

  • gloriousglo2

    Rusty knows PA politics….right. Ridge never crossed the wingnut Rubicon, so he’s a no-go. On the link to the Philly Daily News they mentioned Dom Pileggi. I went to high school with Dom. He is a good guy as I remember him, but he is also the typical moderate SE PA Republican, only slightly right of center, and I have a hard time seeing him tuning the car radio to Rush every day. I live in Toomey’s former district. He is well spoken, and a certifiable wingnut. He was a derivatives trader on WS who was big in the Club for Growth. Peg Luksik is the Wingnut Queen. Gerlach has barely held on to his seat in the last 2 elections in Chester County. My money’s on Toomey….

  • gloriousglo2

    Toomey is really much like Rick Santorum. He’ll do as well as RS did in his last run, maybe a little better if GOP turnout is high…43% maybe?…if it rains and the turnout in Philly is low. Sestak has a lot of appeal in SE PA, think he’d be hard to beat.

  • plukasiak

    The refusal of the State GOP to consider allowing independents to vote in their primary to protect an incumbent GOP senators from a primary challenger who has no change of winning a general election shows how completely insane the GOP has become.
    _
    but perhaps more interesting is the extent to which national republicans are now rumored to be trying to find a challenger for Toomey — had they but half as much effort into helping Specter, Arlen would still be a Republican…

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