This Arlen Hasn’t Changed

Nothing about Arlen Specter’s announcement yesterday should surprise anyone in this town. The man is not an “independent-minded champion for Pennsylvania” who “dances to no one’s beat but his own,” as Democrats are now heralding him. He’s a self-absorbed misfit infatuated with one thing — keeping his Senate seat.

I could easily replace “Senate” in that last sentence with “country club,” because that’s all the office is to him. The observation that Specter is an “independent” comes from the countless examples throughout his career when no one could understand the positions he took because they were seemingly grounded in shifting sands. Hence, Specter didn’t “fit” with either party.

I would wager that Arlen doubted his enlistment in the Republican Party the day he declared his candidacy. He’s never seemed comfortable espousing the fundamental tenets of the GOP, so why are we expecting anything different now?

If anything, his announcement yesterday is a sad commentary on Specter’s character. Too personal? I don’t think so. When you live and work in this town and form friendships and alliances with a party apparatus that elevated you to the highest echelons of elected office, a price is exacted. Arlen Specter yesterday simply stated he wanted a free ride; and, in typical fashion, Democrats lined up to give it to him.

His move said absolutely nothing about what’s right and good about Democrats. It simply cried out that Arlen cares about his country club membership and the perks that come with it, all else be damned!

As an aside, the Republican National Committee’s handling of this episode is yet another indictment of its chairman. When other luminaries in the party were leveling high-minded lamentations of Specter’s departure, Steele’s on-the-record response was Specter had “flipped the bird” at the GOP … ’nuff said.

Democrats aren’t necessarily getting a sure thing here. If past is prologue, Specter’s vote is as good as his allegiance to … er, uh, well, hopefully they can count on him on some issues. Just look at his profile in courage with card-check. OK, bad example — never mind.

It’s clear the senator’s days are numbered as a member of the distinguished chamber. I’m disappointed he felt this a fitting final chapter of an otherwise forgettable legacy.

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