What was he thinking? Arlen Specter shot off his mouth (
1,
2) last week about court nominations and how they should not threaten a woman's right to an abortion (or something like that). Then, to nobody's surprise, he gets attacked by the religious right and other Republican senators.
It was clear from the election and the atmospherics surrounding it, that a Bush/Republican win was for a move to the right - along with silencing discordant voices (Democratic and Republican). So why did Specter say what he did? He risks his committee chairmanship, and plays his cards publicly, which is not a good strategy.
Why did he do it? We're stumped.
posted by Quiddity at 11/08/2004 11:18:00 AM
It should be obvious, if you take into consideration Specter's abysmal primary race: he doesn't really believe in a woman's right to choose. He made this public statement, which is obviously against the rising tide of the republican cesspool, merely because he wants credit for doing so. He'll still be chairman, and he's hoping he'll get some slack from his braindead moderate core. Or at least from the SCLM. That'll be the story: he tried. Or he'll be held up as an example of the republican's supposed big tent. Smoke, meet ass.
