Snarlin’ Arlen Does What He Does

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by Smitty

Specter is no spectator on Santorum’s claims at the AZ debate:

“I said will you support the president’s nominees? We had a 51-to-49 majority in the Senate. He said, ‘I’ll support the president’s nominees as chairman,'” Santorum said.
But Specter said on The Michael Smerconish Program on Thursday morning that that wasn’t the case.
“He is not correct. I made no commitment to him about supporting judges,” Specter said. “I made no deal.”
Specter also scoffed at the notion that Santorum’s backing helped him turn aside the primary challenge from then-Rep. Pat Toomey (R-Pa.). (Toomey again ran for and this time won Specter’s seat in 2010, when Specter switched parties but lost the Democratic nomination.)

Twice under the Pennsylvania Dutch bus; once for the judicial endorsements, and once for Toomey? That calls for a song:

via Althouse

Meanwhile, Richard McEnroe points out that Rick Santorum is rockin’ the buggies in Pennsylvania from his vantage under the double Dutch bus:

Mr. Santorum gaining steam in Pennsylvania and now leading former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney 45%-16%. The other two candidates are in single digits: Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich comes it a 9% and Ron Paul at 7%.

That goes a long way to walking back Santorum’s 2006 under-bus excursion, when he got punted out of the Senate.

15 comments

  2. I imagine the people of Pennsylvania have a pretty good idea between Specter and Santorum which one is more likely to tell the truth and which is likely to prevaricate. Fact is Santorum was reluctant to endorse Specter. I have little doubt that Santorum talked to Specter and got some assurance that Specter would be a team player. Whether either remembers the conversation exactly is highly unlikely.

  5. If I had to put a bet on who is lying here:  Rick Santorum or Arlen Spector…I would pick Arlen every time.  What a mendouchous jerk.  Why would Arlen lie?  Mainly ego.  That and spite.  

  6. How dare you all make mockery of Arlen Specter! Uh, or is that Phil Spector — the one with the poofy hair! Oh deary me. My mind is really slipping. Now I know how Rick Perry feels.

  7.  I’m betting you are right, and I think it is possible Specter agreed to support the nominees which were pending at the time, not to give blind approval to future appointments. 

    Santorum was lobbied hard by the RNC and the White House to endorse Specter in the primary, and it is certainly reasonable to believe the men met about it and came away with differing impressions of the meeting.

  8.  Hmmm . . . but he just makes an assertion it was an issue and links to the Memeo thread that’s current.  Was there no internet in 2004?

    I can find plenty of people arguing now that it was an issue, but I have no specific memory of it.  But should there not have been some mention of it at the time?

  9. Not quite sure how a lead in a poll in the primary in 2012  “goes a long way to walking back Santorum’s 2006 under-bus excursion, when he got punted out of the Senate.”

    A poll lead – or even a primary win – cancels an epic loss of an incumbent seat?  Not at any table where I ever took a seat, it doesn’t.

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