Arlen Specter Gives Two Pieces Of "Ass" Advice

Arlen Specter, the Senate's newest Democrat, sat down for an interview with Details magazine, and dished about the emotional aftermath of switching parties, working with Rahm Emmanuel and his friendship -- or lack thereof -- with former President George Bush.

Asked about his bumpy first few weeks as a Democrat, Specter admitted that "the reaction stings a little." But it wasn't all gloomy. The Senator told the magazine that stories about Emanuel's brash attitude are often exaggerated, and in the process offered two pieces of advice that happen to involve the ass.

Q: You've worked closely with brash types like Rahm Emanuel--Obama joked that when Emanuel lost half of his middle finger it "rendered him practically mute." Is flipping the bird your style?

A: No. The same Philadelphia lawyer taught me "Never let your face show how hard your ass is being kicked," and use of the middle finger would violate that precept. He also gave me one more: "The higher the monkey climbs the flagpole, the more his ass is visible."

Read the full interview here. Read more about Specter's sense of humor here.