Congressman Joe Sestak from a suburban Philadelphia district has entered the race for the Democratic nomination for the US Senate. Congressman Sestak is only in his second term but he has proven himself a national leader and an effective spokesman for the values of the Democratic party.
His opponent is the incumbent Democratic Senator Arlen Specter, of course earlier this spring Arlen Specter was the incumbent Republican Senator a title he has held since 1981, before that he had run for Governor and the Senate as a Republican and served as District Attorney of Philadelphia as a Republican. Before that he was a Kennedy Democrat with unbridled ambition. When the Democrats refused to support him he ran as a Republican. His first claim to fame before being elected to public office was that he developed the single bullet theory as counsel to the Warren Commission investigating the assassination of President John Kennedy.
Arlen has never let a core belief system get in the way of his naked ambitions, he has flipped and flopped more than almost any politician in my memory. This has served him well in general elections, he could claim the title of moderate in a very moderate state.
But, now the gig is up. The reactionary extremists who now control the Republican party have been gunning for him since he voted against Robert Bork and they have chosen this election to hold him accountable, they have their best chance to be rid of him. As did the all the people of Pennsylvania.
But, the Vice President had other ideas. He wanted to save his old friend and convinced him to become a Democrat. Since Arlen Specter only really believes in Arlen Specter he became a Democrat and has the support of the Democratic establishment. The thinking was that the GOP candidate would be easy beat in November because he is on the extreme right of the extremist Republican party. The establishment have shown their tin ear on this issue. The real, true and loyal Democrats here on Main Street do not really like Arlen Specter and we were looking forward to being rid of him for good.
Enter Admiral Sestak.
Six years ago Bush, Cheney and Little Ricky Santorum dragged Specter over the finish line and he barely won the primary. The rank and file Democrats have no such loyalty to Sen. Specter.
I am predicting 10 months before the primary that President Obama, VP Biden and Gov. Rendell are going to wake up that Wednesday morning with a little egg on their face, because the Democratic nominee for the US Senate will be Congressman Joe Sestak.
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