Nothing really surprises me anymore when it comes to politics. With that said, I did feel like something fell through a black hole in the universe today when I learned that Republican Sen. Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania announced he is running for re-election as a Democrat.
Specter has always been a moderate voice in the GOP and it is a matter of misfortune for the Republicans that he has decided to jump ship. Of course, Specter faces a tough re-election and politics is politics is politics. I’m sure the Republicans will bad-mouth him to high heaven and try to make him seem as if he the biggest turncoat since Benedict Arnold. Never mind that the GOP has its share of former Democrats, both nationally such as Ronald Reagan, and locally such as our good-haired Texas Gov. Rick Perry and any number of individuals down the ballot who found if they wanted to be elected had to go to the dark side.
I am happy with Specter’s defection. I always found him to be one of the most able national lawmakers and viewed him with a great amount of respect. What the future of the GOP will be seems even more certain than before with such an announcement. I guess tonight will be “Smear Specter Night” on Fox News.