Please Help Us Decide -- Should We Help Draft Joe Sestak To Primary Challenge Arlen Specter?

If you've been online in the last few days, you've probably noticed many Democrats are not terribly thrilled with the boneheaded deal Biden and Reid entered into with Pennsylvania Republican Arlen Specter-- namely that Specter gets a reprieve from political death by being allowed to call himself a Democrat while continuing to vote like a Republican. We've been encouraging our old friend, Rep. Joe Sestak, a retired admiral with progressive values, finely honed leadership abilities and impeccable ethics-- all traits severely lacking in Specter-- to jump into the race. I had a long conversation with Joe and he assured me that if Specter doesn't prove himself a Democrat in deed as well as word in the next few weeks, he will enter into a primary battle against him. It isn't an easy decision for most men-- although Joe seems to be coming along pretty well-- because it means going against party leaders he respects, President Obama, Governor Rendell (+ Reid and Biden).

Senate Democrats have been hearing enough anger from the grassroots-- a grassroots that frowns on the concept of backroom deals, kings and kingmakers, and a grassroots that thinks the Democrats are afflicted with too many reactionary shills for Big Business already-- and yesterday they did a little kabuki dance ostensibly stripping Specter of his seniority, seniority he didn't have and was never due to get until after the midterm elections. On top of that, the 80 year old Specter is now claiming "confusion" as the reason he accidentally told the NY Times that he wanted Norm Coleman to win the Minnesota Senate contest.

Many activists online are backing the PCCC's straw poll idea. We want to know what our readers think about this. It's being covered Inside the Beltway by Politico today and in Pennsylvania by the Philadelphia Inquirer.

[T]he effort is aimed at determining the depth of Netroots support for Rep. Joseph Sestak, the two-term Democrat who hasn't ruled out running against Specter.

The poll, which will remain open for five days, asks whether a "Draft Sestak" movement should be created to take on Specter. The possibility of a Sestak run has been lighting up left-leaning blogs and provoking debate among Pennsylvania Democrats ever since Specter changed his party affiliation last week.

Please go to the straw poll and vote today. We'll report back on the results next week.

Comments

[aspertame]

I think the larger implications here are that if Specter gets elected as a Democrat-in-Name only, maybe can even finagle back some of his seniority, that he'll have a long line behind him as the less-than-­ultra-hard­-right clears out of their own party, secure in the knowledge that they'll still have a gig. Some may choose Libertarian, but I doubt the hard line anti-regulation anti-government sentiment sells well just now, and you know that seasoned politicians are practical.

The Republican party in this scenario would become a shadow of its former self and no longer a major player, and together with the "blue dogs", the newly minted Democrat "converts" would have progressives scrambling to form a new party not dominated by those well right of center.

Don't know if this is the end game, or maybe some alternate sceanrio (The Republican party itself having a Protestant­-movement-­like schism, in the wake of Specter's *failure* to retain seniority or be re-elected, maybe?), but what I'm suggesting here has historical precedent. Elect a Whig, lately?

[KarenM]

I live in Sestak's district and I'm not in favor of running him against Specter, if the idea is to elect a Democrat, rather than a Republican.

Many of Sestak's votes have been disappointing... none more so than his vote in favor of that odious FISA bill.

Surely, we could do better? Remember! It's supposed to be more and BETTER Democrats.

[CitizenT]

I agree. I will NOT vote for Specter if he doesn't deliver on EFCA and healthcare (and might not even if he does), but Sestack's record isn't really any better IMO. I might just vote Rep if my only choices are an open Rep or one of two in disguise.

[texastrixie]

What is so Democratic about Sestak? Looking at his Congressional website, there is little evidence that he is pro-choice, or pro-union. HIs biggest constituency appears to be (small) business. Does he even believe in the minimum wage?

Specter needed his hand slapped for thinking he could be a Democrat but still vote mainly Republican. But I will be willing to come to PA and work for whichever Democratic Senate prospect acts the most like a REAL DEMOCRAT.

Neither of these guys seems to be doing an especially good job so far.

[rshrink]

I think we need to get rid of all of the conservadems and Specter. No repub or conserv politician can have any kind of integrity. What they stand for is nothing they can speak about. It is disaster politics which will destroy this country and possibly the world. There are too many problems to solve and no time to waste. We must get rid of all of the dead wood.

[TakeNoNeoConPrisoners]

Agreed. Spector is also too old and easily forgets which team he is on. Or maybe that's his excuse for continuing to vote R with a D alongside his name. He's like a wolf in sheep's clothing except we can easily see his sharp teeth protruding. Spector needs to be gone. If he had stayed an R, he probably would have been gone. So let the D's finish the job and vote him out.

[listen2elvis]

"No repub or conserv politician can have any kind of integrity." That is a stupid remark with the laziest spelling imaginable. You are too partisan-m­inded...th­e partisan mentality is "dead wood."

[WhiteDelyte]

absoeffinlutely YES!....and while we are at it, lets get a democratic primary in CO too.
Michael Bennet booo, you are a bad bad democrat.

[DrFitz]

HELL yes!! Why on earth would Dems in PA hesitate to back Sestak over Specter? There's absolutely no reason to settle, and Sestak seems like the best alternative to have a chance against Ridge if he decides to run.

[CitizenT]

Why hesitate to back Sestak? Because Sestak's voting record is decidedly not progressive or even particularly Democratic perhaps?

[RickyPoo]

By definition, you don't have to draft someone who's already running.

He doesn't have 3 mil in the bank for a rinky-dink Congressional race! LOL!

[Siobhan11]

I am thinking that POTUS was happy with this move to help with the publicity of the hundred days and the Republicans floundering. It was great timing. Hopefully Spector will wise up and support more of President Obama's initiatives. If not,absolutely have a primary.

[stell]

Anyone but Sestak. I don't trust him.

[listen2elvis]

ME EITHER! He's my non-representing "Representative." Very slick, but he is just a corporate shill. He doesn't care about the Constitution, doesn't listen to his constituents. He won't even get on board with HR 1207 to audit the Federal Reserve! What kind of creep doesn't think we are entitled to some transparency after all these ludicrous bailouts?

[usna73]

You could not find a finer leader.

[freshnotbitter]

Yes, it may sound extreme to some but I have always felt that you can't take anything Biden does as serious. And Reid reverses himself all the time. Why are we always shooting ourselves in the foot with bonehead moves like supporting Joe Lieberman when we had an excellent candidate in Lamont for the Conn Senate race? Joe Lieberman thanked us all by showing up at the republican convention to support McCain.

Of course we should run Sestak - and he will win. If Specter beats Sestak in the primaries we should support Specter even if it means holding our nose.

More important than worrying about personalities, we should be worrying about gaining momentum on the big issues of the day like the war and the economy (GM, Banks) because Obama is getting very involved on these issues and there is the danger that those issues will fester.

Specter did not vote for our budget and says he does not support a public option on health care. In view of the latter stance I cannot support him.

[hapaglloyd]

i am only one state away from Pennslyvania ,I am willing to travel there to campaign against Spector--lets put a real Democratic­--Progessi­ve in there.

[OtayPanky]

I already sent Joe Sestak a personal email encouraging him to run, and you can too:

http://sestak.house.gov/IMA/issue_subscribe.shtml

[Caymus77]

Specter has shown in a few short days that he is not dependable,is opposed to core beliefs in the Democratic Party,is a schill for the health insurance industry, and despite his denials is still a frigging Republican who supports Norm Coleman.

We don't need to settle for Specter!

Put a REAL Democrat in Specter's seat.

[robbep]

lets drive arlen out while we can. he is not interested in helping the democrats or obama he just wants to keep his title.