New Dem Specter Votes No On Obama's Budget

It didn't take long for Sen. Arlen Specter to let his new colleagues in the Democratic Party know that his vote won't be taken for granted.

A day after abandoning the Republican Party for the Democrats, saying the latter better represented his political philosophy, Specter voted against President Obama's budget -- which he and other Democrats have described as a manifestation of the party's political philosophy.

Specter was greeted warmly by his new fellow party members on his way into the chamber.

"Welcome," said Sen. Carl Levin (D-Mich.), extending his hand when he saw Specter exit the elevator.

Specter was joined in his opposition to the president by the entire GOP. Not a single Senate Republican voted to support the budget. Sen. Ben Nelson, a conservative Democrat from Nebraska, also voted no. It passed 53-43.

Ryan Grim is the author of the forthcoming book This Is Your Country On Drugs: The Secret History of Getting High in America

Get HuffPost Politics On Facebook and Twitter!

Comments

[Rog49Thomas]

Another imagined step on the way to a 60 vote majority!

And another blue dog in the party.

As they say, the opportunist never fails to seize the opportunity.

[JZ735]

Yes, that's why the media's stupid portrayal of this being a big boost for Obama's agenda is so wrong...

[Rog49Thomas]

The MSM is no smarter than the average American.

In fact, one could say that our media reflects who we are as a nation.

And it' ain't 300 million Gail Trimbles.

[CaptainVideo]

Spector's vote was not needed. I would conjecture that it was agreed on by the Democratic leadership in the Senate that he could vote against it in order to show his independence.

[pangurban]

Oh great another sham ala Boooosh.

[pangurban]

Old (79) white guy doesn't know when to fold 'em. Maybe he needs to listen to Dylan's "The times they are a changin'" and retire gracefully instead of making an a$$ of himself.

[Pete2069]

Don't democrat voters believe that it is very strange that the democrat party is fundind supporting republican which could not make it on the republican ticket...

This is what Emanuel meant when he claim they were taking the democrat party to the center right..

The Blue dog republicans have not been elected on the democrat ticket by accident..­.

It looks like one of the best plans a person like Rove could have...

If the republican loses on the republican ticket they will win on the democrat ticket...

[meinmd]

I do not mind his vote, personally. He has a right to his opinion/objection to any policy Obama wants to put forward. I would have a problem with him if he just approved 100 percent with what the current administration does after switching parties. That would mean he just switched parties to kick the right-wingers where it hurts and not on principle.

[kimleehan]

you know what they say about opinions everybody has one.

[meinmd]

He still has a right to his though.

I am as liberal as one can be but will argue that Specter does not have to vote lock-step with Obama if he does not want to. He has a right to dissent against - just like I have a right to approve of - what the preferred party does. Democrats do not want to become a mirror image of the right-wingers by towing the party line, regardless of the popular opinion.

[felisa11]

slimjack, that was tooo funny.

[SimJack]

Give the mans some time to adjust, he's been living in the deoxygenated depths of neocon mud. I'm surprised he actually hadn't grown tentacles, claws and a bioluminescent tongue useful for capturing food during his time in the cold dark heavy sediment of the right. His tailor is obviously a genius, and Arlen's rising from those formidable depths and adaptation to waters that light is permitted to penetrate is noteworthy and historical. We should assist with his recovery in the same manner we would assist a diver afflicted with the 'Bends'.

[pangurban]

Hell, the guy is 79...how about some young woman to take his fossilized place?

[JZ735]

It is so funny when so-called liberals engage in un-PC behavior..­.

...when they show their underlying homophobia while attacking the Neocons for the same thing which they do outright..­.(Roland Martin of CNN's stupid defense of Miss California comes to mind).

...when they demonstrate a distinctly detestable level of misogyny (as went on during the campaign in 2008)

...when they show repellent ageism (directed here at Specter and during the campaign at McCain)...

Being PC isn't about pickling and choosing what isms you wish to embrace and which you choose to discard.

[pangurban]

H+ell the guy is 79...how about some young woman to take his fossilized place?

[Peaceisnecessary]

I don't trust Bayh or Nelson. They appear to be true DINO by always voting with the GOP. I am hoping better from Specter.

[pepperdude]

I HOPE BAYH AND NELSON SWITCH PARTIES SOON. THEY ARE REALLY REPUBS.

[Rockwell]

Obviously he went to the Joe Libermann school of "I'm there for ya buddy!".

[American Hayek]

"In accordance to the principles of Doublethink, it does not matter if the war is not real, or when it is, that victory is not possible. The war is not meant to be won. It is meant to be continuous. The essential act of modern warfare is the destruction of the produce of human labor. A hierarchical society is only possible on the basis of poverty and ignorance. In principle, the war effort is always planned to keep society on the brink of starvation. The war is waged by the ruling group against its own subjects. And its object is not victory over Eurasia or Eastasia, but to keep the very structure of society intact. Julia? Are you awake? There is truth, and there is untruth. To be in a minority of one doesn't make you mad. "

- George Orwell, 1984

[Jonni Rae]

I agree with those who say, "Wait and watch." By the way, did any of you hear President O. say tonite that he favors a public option in the health care legislation. To me, this is really BIG. Nobody seems to be picking this up.

[American Hayek]

Public OPTION? The dems want to take over health care, period.

Thou shalt not steal - the government doesn't like competitio­n...

[somsoc]

Having the government handle healthcare is far better than having a for profit insurance company and a for profit hospital making medical decisions regarding your healthcare and medical needs. M0ron.

[babyboomerorig]

Whenever Spector voted with the Democrats, the Republicans were mad. Now, he's been a Democrat for 2 days and the Republicans are already saying "See, we told you so!"

Pathetic.

Spector's always been either admired or hated for his independend stance, just like Snowe, Hagel, Vilechek, etc. What's wrong with a difference of opinion? That's what separates the Democrats from the Republicans to start with. The Democrats have never marched in lock-step like the Republicans and it drives them crazy.

[foreverleft]

The left continues to pretend that if it weren't for us, the privilege of being represented by Obama would never have come to be.

What were we going to do-vote to elect McCain?

Hell, Clinton damn near had to shut the government down to get a budget through.

For Obama, this was a walk in the park.

Not worth bunching the panties over really.

[meinmd]

Err.......­..........­..Clinton did not shut the government down, that was all Newty!! Remember his so-called "Contract with America"?

I am a government worker. When the government went through the furlough in late 1995, early 1996, it was because Newty was mad at Clinton for a so-called snub on Air Force One on the way to a funeral/memorial service for Rabin. Old Newty was as big old crybaby back then as Boehner is now.

I agree that it is not worth bunching the panties over though!!

[lungfish]

Not even surprised, but his re-election is coming and he wants to be relevent. As a Dem he can beat the GOP challenger­.... however, Spectre is quite Lieberman-like. Given that he comes from the Party of NO its reasonable to conclude that old habits die hard.

[somsoc]

Let's hope that there is a Democratic primary with a real progressive Democrat in the race, the phoney Specter will lose and the Democrat will cream Toomey.

[felisa11]

there is a lot of repugs trolling this thread, don't let them upset you democrats.

They are just doing what they are good at: lying, denying and criticizing.