"Specter On GOP Caucus: 'The Pressure Was Tremendous On Everybody Not To Participate"

[Clio the Leo]

Specter On GOP Caucus: 'The Pressure Was Tremendous On Everybody Not To Participate

Sen. Arlen Specter (D-PA) just hosted a conference call with liberal bloggers, and we used the opportunity to further question him about an allegation he made a few weeks ago against his former compatriots in the Republican Party -- that the GOP caucus decided early on to entirely obstruct President Obama, rather than work in a bipartisan manner.

"Well, the pressure was tremendous on everybody not to participate, and the pressure was on me not to participate, and you know what I did," said Specter, who switched to the Democratic Party last April, in the face of a right-wing primary challenge. "We had six Republicans who were negotiating. Besides Collins and Snowe, we also had Mel Martinez, we had Voinovich involved, we had Lisa Murkowski. And one by one, those three dropped off. There was a concerted plan in the Republican caucus to stonewall the stimulus package. And when I voted for it, and it took me to get the necessary votes, all hell broke loose politically, which I've commented on extensively."

I asked Specter whether there were explicit discussions in this former party caucus about blocking Obama entirely for political considerations, independent of policy concerns, as seemed to be implied in his remarks a few weeks ago. Specter declined to discuss specific conversations in a closed-door caucus. He referred back to Sen. Jim DeMint's (R-SC) comments that the health care debate could be President Obama's "Waterloo." "Well, nobody said it as bluntly as DeMint did. But that was the clear implication of the stonewalling," said Specter.

"There was no effort made to find any answer to the economic problems of the country, and it was just a no, no, no, and no discussion. I'm not gonna quote what happened inside closed doors. I cite DeMint because it's in the public domain. But I feel free to tell you that I felt under tremendous pressure. I know that, and my conclusion is there was a decision from the start to stonewall."

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/01/specter-on-gop-caucus-the-pressure-was-tremendous-on-everybody-not-to-participate.php?ref=fpblg

[drm604]

1. Good for Specter.

He's far from perfect but he deserves applause for this. Let's hope that he makes the media rounds telling this story.

[thereismore]

2. Very stupid of them. They pushed Specter over the edge, and lost filibuster powers. nt

[Ozymanithrax]

3. Before Obama took the oath of office, the Republican Party decided...

that their only route back to power was to be a complete opposition party. If not for Specter, they coud have effectivly shut down the government without saying that was what they intended to do.

If you think it is bad now, wait and see what happens if thy take back a seat or two in November. IF they have fillibuster power, that is what they will do.

[bvar22]

4. Support a REAL "Democrat" for Specter's seat.

We already have enough Republicans in the Democratic Party.
Lets help to elect a DEMOCRAT to the Senate!

I'm donating to Sestak.
If you are a "Democrat", you should too.

http://joesestak.com/Home/Home.html

[old mark]

6. I do - hope he does well in the primary. nt

[applegrove]

5. Glad this is coming out.

[depakid]

7. It's been obvious since day one

Too bad Democrats lack the fortitude to play the same game.

[applegrove]

11. It just seems somehow real now that it has been publically admitted to.

[ccharles000]

8. k/r

[jasi2006]

9. So, the GOP is really the party AGAINST the country!

That's what the Dems should be telling everyone. All their talk is always against segments of our population, against our own elected government, against the President, against benevolence, against help for anyone who doesn't look like them, act like them, and think like them...eventhough most of "them" don't even realize that they are not included among the "them." They are just brainwashed by the like of Limbaugh to believe they are included along with the 400-million/year Rush in the nation's ture deserving patriots.

[Jennicut]

10. Not surprising in the least but Specter pretty much confirms it.

Rethugs care only for power. We all know that.