Marathon Pundit: Money-bomb for Toomey on the anniversary of Specter's party switch

"I will not be an automatic 60th vote."
Arlen Specter, April 28, 2009.

"I came to this caucus to be your 60th vote."
Arlen Specter, December 14, 2009.

One year ago today, Sen. Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania, whom National Review once dubbed "The worst Republican Senator," switched parties, becoming a Democrat, and for nine months he was the Democrats' 60th vote in the Senate.

Make Specter remember--with a money-bomb. More on that in a bit.

But the Morning Call writes that Specter sometimes regrets the switch. (Don't get excited, however.)

For three decades, Specter prided himself on being a coalition builder, relishing a self-appointed role as a liaison striving to find the moderate solutions to liberal and conservative extremes.

Now as a Democrat, that role has vanished. For that reason alone, Specter has questioned his storied party switch.

''Well, I probably shouldn't say this,'' he said over lunch last month. ''But I have thought from time to time that I might have helped the country more if I'd stayed a Republican.''

Specter mused that perhaps if he'd remained in the caucus he could have persuaded one or two of his GOP colleagues to support health care reform. Not one Senate Republican voted in favor of it, but he swears he would have regardless of party affiliation.

What Specter leaves out is that the Obama White House is the most-partisan administration in decades. Show me one major issue--or even a minor one--where Obama compromised with Republicans.

Here's another omission: Survival, not ideology, prompted Specter's defection. He faced almost certain defeat in this spring's Republican Primary against Pat Toomey.

About Toomey: Today is a money-bomb day for him. Click here to donate to his campaign so he can send Specter packing in November, making him the Democrats Zero-th vote.

UPDATE 5:00pm CDT: Via Toomey's Twitter page, the campaign announced five hours ago that the money-bomb passed the $100,000 level.

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