Say It Aint So Joe: Sestak Drinking Beer with his New Pal Pat Toomey?

[PADEMJES12]

On the eve of the Franklin & Marshall College poll released showing Senator Arlen Specter with a resounding 37-11 lead over him, Congressman Joe Sestak was sitting in a bar drinking beers with his new buddy, Club for Growth right winger Pat Toomey. A couple things that these two new pals have in common is that they desperately staged the joint event to try and stay relevant during the whole health care debate. Both challengers have substantial work to do even to get their name out there. However, for all of the PR Sestak has done, he dims in comparison to Senator Specter outside his district. Second, new pals Congressman Sestak and Pat Toomey share in common the fact that they do not believe single payer should be a feasible option. This is terribly against many progressives and union positions... isn't it? It leads me to question... Is Sestak merely in support of a public option as a front? At least Specter has said single payer should be on the table as an option, which Sestak won't budge on. Finally, I heard that Sestak does not pay a lot of his campaign people. Is this true? If so, as Labor Day approaches, I hope these sweat shop-type tactics would end. Of course, his new pal Pat Toomey likely would be in favor of such tactics, a no-brainer if you heard him bash labor at the PA Press Club event earlier this year.

http://www.mcall.com/news/all-qt2.7007819sep03,0,2391132.stor

Toomey even talked about the importance and use of a filibuster to block Sotomayor's confirmation. And now... here's Sestak propping up Toomey as a "false" moderate in an attempt to get some attention himself.

Of course, Sestak's desperation to hold the event may have sent the wrong message to some Pennsylvania Democrats. The fact that Congressman Sestak would be willing to prop up Pat Toomey, of the Club for Growth anti-middle class gang, to moderates could come across as an unnecessary political liability and/or risk to the entire Democratic tickets prospects in 2010. In fact, one could surmise that Sestak's efforts... if they do not work for him personally, could backfire and hurt the PA Democratic Party and it's candidates up and down the ticket because of his willingness to give a right winger like Toomey attention. Sestak trails Toomey 26-22 in the Sept 4th Franklin & Marshall poll. It becomes quite clear, that if Joe and Pat run around like this drinking beer, hugging, and staggering around together, it could prove harmful to our Democratic prospects for victory in 2010. Toomey had much more to gain from this than anyone. As for drinkin' beer and propping up Toomey, it appears that Sestak is willing to help a pirate make his own crew members walk the plank if he isn't declared the Captain of the ship.

[blue neen]

1. The link you posted does not work.

That's too bad because I'd like to read the part where it actually says that Joe and Pat "run around like this drinking beer, hugging, and staggering around."

Now that you mention it, I think I'll have a cold one right now.

[Number9Dream]

2. Beat me to it, Blue Neen...

1. Your link doesn't work.

2. Cite sources for: "run around like this drinking beer, hugging, and staggering around." If not will consider this a lie.

3. "I heard that Sestak does not pay a lot of his campaign people." I heard... that's really credible. Also, volunteers are, by definition, people who are not paid. So, any politician who has volunteers is employing "sweat shop-type tactics". Guess Specter has no volunteers?

4. If two politicians debate each other, according to you, that makes them "pals". By this logic, Specter automatically becomes "pals" with anybody he debates.

5. F&M poll showed almost half undecided. Sample was 562 voters out of 8.75 million registered PA voters.

[JPZenger]

3. This is getting tiresome

Everyone present and who watched it on the web was impressed how two peole who disagreed on so much were able to have such a civil and informative debate. This is how the political system is supposed to work. People who disagree should have a beer together - that is what makes life interesting.

The single payer option has many strong points, but it was completely unrealistic to think it would ever have a chance in our political system. The insurance companies are too strong and employ too many people. To talk about single payer now would have created a monstrous diversion from the real need of universal insurance.

[JPZenger]

4. Phil Inquirer Coverage of Health Care Debate

http://www.philly.com/inquirer/front_page/20090903_Though_far_apart__a_cordial_Sestak-Toomey_town_hall.html

"For 90 minutes last night, two candidates for U.S. Senate, Democrat Joe Sestak and Republican Pat Toomey, laid out the liberal and conservative positions on health-care reform in detail during a town-hall meeting. There were no snide sound-bite putdowns from the politicians, and members of the audience of 400 asked their questions without yelling or abuse.

Both men said that was the point: to have a civil debate on an emotional issue, a contrast to August's public unrest over proposals by President Obama and his allies in Congress to overhaul the health-care system.

Their common political foe, Sen. Arlen Specter (D., Pa.), was not mentioned once during the forum. "We came here to have a substantive discussion about policy, and we did. It's kind of hard to have that with Arlen Specter, because he systematically tries to be on both sides of every issue, so it's much harder to," Toomey, a former congressman from Allentown, told reporters afterward. "

[PADEMJES12]

5. I know ive written a good article

when some sestak cheerleaders provide sorry excuses and give me negative ratings. Exactly JP... Sestak's unwillingness to have single payer on the table shows his lack of sincerity. You could provide the same argument you do above for the public option. You dont see Senator Specter giving in like you do Sestak on single payer. Good thing Specter is our Senator. Number9D... im citing myself on the drinking beer and staggering around. (im a much more credible source to cite than your previous Wikipedia cite). (hahaha). Happy Labor Day!

Here's your link of Toomey and Sestak drinking beer together.

http://community.post-gazette.com/blogs/earlyreturns/archive/2009/09/03/all-town-halls-would-improve-with-beer.aspx

[Number9Dream]

6. Unsubstantiated lies = "good article"???

So, when other DUers destroy the credibility of the OP, that's a "good article". Then followed a very feeble attempt to defend the "hugging and staggering around" lies, and the "I heard..." lies. PADEMJES's credibility is circling the drain.

BTW, if you attempt to personally malign someone, you should try to get the correct person with the specific smear. It was "Blue Neen" you had the Wikipedia go round with way back in July, NOT ME.

[PADEMJES12]

7. not fitting Joe's agenda = a "lie"

or at least Number9D would have us all believe so. Come to think of it... there were a couple of good points, particularly about single payer. Not much to say on that one. Sestak and Toomey have more in common than I thought other than trying to stay relevant. I suspect he will struggle with this from time to time.

[PADEMJES12]

8. and yes, I did mix BlueNeen up with Number9D....

... the "staggering around drinking" stuff was just an attempted analogy to criticize someone in the Sestak camp making the decision to hang out with Toomey, which seems kinda ultra awkward to say the least (and hence hold any future joint appearances). Sestak and Toomey weren't staggering by the end of the night from too many beers at their strategy session.... (or atleast I don't think so). Nonetheless, continuing joint events with Toomey Tunes could drive many Democrats to drinking trying to figure out why he's being propped up by Joe for moderates.

[PADEMJES12]

9. Here is another good pic of pals Toomey and Sestak

looking all giddy.

http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/opinion/papoliticsblog/