Arlen Specter Weighs New York Senate Bid

Having switched parties, Senator Arlen Specter is considering switching states. A Pennsylvania inside political operative revealed Specter's alternate plan should he run into early difficulty winning a Pennsylvania primary next year for the Senate seat on the Democratic side.

"The Senator loves New York," the insider said. "He recently attended a bar mitzvah at Tavern on the Green and he's seen The Lion King twice."

Specter switched parties the last week in April saying, "I am not prepared to have my 29-year record in the United States Senate decided by the Republican primary electorate -- not prepared to have that record decided by that jury." One Democratic Party wag said, "Well, that's the way it works in America, it's called the election process. But if he wants to slide over to our side, we'll take him."

However, Specter has run into immediate difficulties. After it was reported out of the White House that Specter assured President Obama he would be a loyal Democrat and supported the President's agenda, Specter went on national television with David Gregory and denied saying any such thing. "Not a problem," said the Pennsylvania insider, "being dogmatic is out and reversing positions is Specter's strength."

As to the difficulties in New York State of winning a Democratic Party primary for the United States Senate, the insider said, "Who is he going to be up against, that woman who replaced Hillary? Nobody knows who she is. Andrew Cuomo? Specter has been a senator for nearly as long as Cuomo has been a grownup."

"Specter knows how to campaign," the insider continued. "Obama won by saying it was a time for change. Specter can win in New York by saying it's a time for flexibility. Flexibility -- Arlen Specter is a Houdini at that."