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FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2009
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NEWS ABOUT: Arlen Specter

Arlen Specter stories: 80 news summaries

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Obama 'Thrilled' to See Specter Join Dems

'You have my full support,' president tells Pa. senator in call

Apr 28, 09 1:06 PM CDT
(Newser) - Within minutes after Sen. Arlen Specter announced he was switching from the Republican to the Democratic Party, President Obama called Specter from the Oval Office, welcoming him into the fold, Politico reports. We are “thrilled to have you,” Obama said, adding, “You have my full support.”... More »

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Barack Obama • Joe Biden • Senate Democrats • Arlen Specter • Democratic Party

 Specter Defects to Democrats 


Apr 28, 09 11:38 AM CDT
(Newser) - Arlen Specter is jumping to the Democrats, leaving the party excruciatingly close to a filibuster-proof Senate majority, reports Politico. Sources say VP Joe Biden was key to the effort to recruit the Pennsylvania senator. “Since my election in 1980, as part of the Reagan Big Tent, the Republican Party... More »

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Joe Biden • Senate • Senate Democrats • Arlen Specter • Senate Republicans • Ed Rendell • Republican Party • filibuster • Democratic Party • President Obama • Minnesota recount

(Newser) - Riding a wave of dissatisfaction with Arlen Specter's vote on the federal stimulus, conservative Pat Toomey will again campaign to be the GOP's Senate nominee in Pennsylvania, the Philadelphia Inquirer reports. Although Toomey didn't announce until today, the two have been arguing publicly in the last few weeks. Specter,... More »

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Congress • politics • Senate • GOP • Arlen Specter • Pennsylvania • Republican nomination • Election 2010 • Pat Toomey

ANALYSIS

Specter's Choice Saves Obama Labor Headache

GOP senator's threat to kill bill means Dems won't have to pick sides

Mar 25, 09 10:20 AM CDT
(Newser) - Republican Sen. Arlen Specter’s choice to oppose a bill to ease unionization will let President Obama and congressional Democrats avoid a tough choice between labor and business interests, Politico notes. Obama had promised to sign the Employee Free Choice Act, but would have infuriated businesses whose support he needs.... More »

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Arlen Specter • AFL CIO • labor unions • Blue Dog Democrats • organized labor • Employee Free Choice Act • US Chamber of Commerce

 Specter's Shift 
 May Doom Bill on 
 Union Organizing 

It's a major blow
to EFCA hopes

Mar 24, 09 4:26 PM CDT
(Newser) - Sen. Arlen Specter said today he won't support the Employee Free Choice Act, delivering a serious setback to the much-watched labor initiative, the Wall Street Journal reports. The bill would allow unions to organize more easily, using card signatures instead of secret ballots. The Republican's support of the measure was... More »

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Congress • Democrats • Senate • Arlen Specter • labor unions • bill • organized labor • Republicans • card check

GOP's Specter Eyes Independent Run in 2010

Embattled GOP moderate rules out joining Dems but not doing a Leiberman

Mar 18, 09 8:00 AM CDT
(Newser) - Sen. Arlen Specter isn't going to switch sides and join the Democrats but he won't rule out running as an independent in 2010, the Pennsylvania Republican tells the Hill. Specter, under pressure from the GOP base since becoming one of just three Republican senators to support the stimulus package, says... More »

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Senate Democrats • Arlen Specter • Pennsylvania • Senate Republicans • moderate • independent bid

Pa. Gov Says He, Biden Have Tried to Lure GOP's Specter

Pa. moderate remains loyal to GOP

Mar 16, 09 4:01 PM CDT
(Newser) - The Democrats are still looking for ways to boost their majority in the Senate, Talking Points Memo reports today. Gov. Ed Rendell told a regional TV network he’d tried to get Pennsylvania Sen. Arlen Specter to switch sides, and so had VP Joe Biden and Sen. Bob Casey. “... More »

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Joe Biden • Arlen Specter • Ed Rendell • Bob Casey

Leahy Calls
For 'Truth Commission' on Bush Abuses

Republicans say
it's a waste of time

Mar 4, 09 4:25 PM CST
(Newser) - Sen. Patrick Leahy called today for a "truth commission" to investigate alleged abuses by the Bush administration in the name of the war on terror, CNN reports. Detention and interrogation practices at Gitmo and Abu Ghraib “have seriously eroded fundamental American principles of the rule of law,"... More »

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War on Terror • Congress • torture • Abu Ghraib • Senate Judiciary Committee • Arlen Specter • Patrick Leahy • Guantanamo Bay • John Cornyn • inquiry

 Senate Centrists Hold 
 House Dems Hostage 

Stick up to Reid, Dems urge Pelosi

Feb 17, 09 3:24 PM CST
(Newser) - The Senate requires 60 votes to avoid filibuster, so the 58-strong Democrats are at the mercy of centrist Republicans Arlen Specter, Olympia Snowe, and Susan Collins. Politico reports that House Dems, who have no trouble passing bills on their own, are unhappy that their legislation has to run this gauntlet.... More »

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Nancy Pelosi • Congress • Senate • Harry Reid • Arlen Specter • Steny Hoyer • Olympia Snowe • filibuster • Susan Collins • House Democrats • economic stimulus package

analysis

 Obama Needs Maine Senators 

Snowe, Collins are backbone of administration's bipartisan coalition

Feb 12, 09 3:05 PM CST
(Newser) - Maine’s moderate Republican senators find themselves unexpectedly empowered in the Obama era. Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins, along with Pennsylvania’s Arlen Specter, form the bipartisan wedge President Obama can use to get bills—like the stimulus package—past a Senate filibuster. After years of being taken for granted... More »

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GOP • Arlen Specter • Senate Republicans • Maine • Olympia Snowe • Susan Collins • Obama administration • President Obama

Conservative PAC Puts GOP Stimulus Backers 'On Notice'

Three senators face conservative wrath

Feb 11, 09 8:37 AM CST
(Newser) - So much for bipartisanship. A conservative political action committee is pledging to support primary challenges to the three Republican senators who backed the compromise economic stimulus package, CNN reports. It's the right wing’s latest public show of dissatisfaction with Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins of Maine and Arlen Specter... More »

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Arlen Specter • Olympia Snowe • Susan Collins • economic stimulus package • bipartisanship • Obama administration • Republican Trust PAC

 Senate Passes Stimulus Bill 


Feb 10, 09 12:02 PM CST
(Newser) - The Senate passed its version of the $838 billion stimulus bill today, in a 61-37 vote, the Wall Street Journal reports. Three moderate Republicans—Susan Collins, Arlen Specter, and Olympia Snowe—jumped across the aisle to prevent a filibuster. Now the House and Senate must reconcile the differences between... More »

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Barack Obama • Senate • Arlen Specter • Olympia Snowe • Susan Collins • economic stimulus package • Obama administration • financial crisis

(Newser) - Arlen Specter got into an on-air tiff with Laura Ingraham yesterday, when the conservative talk show host said the Republican senator must have been “wined and dined at the White House,” because he supported the stimulus package. “Oh, get off it, Laura,” a piqued Specter replied.... More »

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conservative • Arlen Specter • pundits • economic stimulus package • Laura Ingraham

GOP Questions Put Brakes on Holder Vote

Committee will wait
week on AG nominee, infuriating chair Leahy

Jan 21, 09 3:04 PM CST
(Newser) - The Senate Judiciary Committee delayed today’s scheduled vote on Eric Holder’s confirmation by another week, CNN reports. Republican members engineered the move, saying they have questions about the attorney-general nominee’s stance on interrogation techniques. Chairman Patrick Leahy, who said he was “extremely disappointed,” banged down... More »

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Department of Justice • Senate Judiciary Committee • Arlen Specter • Patrick Leahy • Senate confirmation hearings • confirmation hearings • attorney general • Eric Holder • US Senate • Obama administration • President Obama • Obama Cabinet

OPINION

Real Reason for Rich Pardon: Israeli Pressure

It's a taboo topic in
DC, as evidenced
by Holder's hearing

Jan 16, 09 8:59 AM CST
(Newser) - For the sake of a quiet confirmation, attorney general nominee Eric Holder is letting us forget the real reason for Bill Clinton’s controversial Marc Rich pardon. Clinton didn’t let Rich off the hook because of his generous wife, writes Joe Conason in Salon. He did so because of... More »

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Israel • Bill Clinton • Arlen Specter • Ehud Barak • pardon • attorney general • Eric Holder • Marc Rich

 Holder:
 Waterboarding Is Torture 

But supports FISA, Patriot Act

Jan 15, 09 10:40 AM CST
(Newser) - Eric Holder minced no words when asked about waterboarding in his confirmation hearing today. “Waterboarding is torture,” the AG-designate said, a declaration neither Michael Mukasey nor Alberto Gonzales was willing to make. He said that, even in emergencies, the president couldn’t override the constitution. Republicans also leapt... More »

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Barack Obama • Alberto Gonzales • Attorney General • Arlen Specter • Senate confirmation hearings • Michael Mukasey • confirmation hearings • Eric Holder • Obama administration • President Obama • Obama Cabinet

Republicans
Picking a Fight
Over Holder

Dems need one GOP vote to move AG pick out of committee

Jan 9, 09 10:45 AM CST
(Newser) - Senate Republicans seem to have settled on attorney-general-designate Eric Holder as their main target for a tough confirmation hearing. Thanks to his liberal leanings and his role in the Clinton administration—especially the controversial 11th-hour Marc Rich pardon—Holder will get a grilling in the Judiciary Committee. Ranking Republican Arlen... More »

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Department of Justice • Attorney General • Senate Judiciary Committee • Arlen Specter • Patrick Leahy • confirmation hearings • Eric Holder

ANALYSIS

 In Franken's Run, 
 Cautionary Tale for Matthews 

MSNBC host's celebrity isn't all that, and Franken didn't exactly win, either

Dec 1, 08 1:46 PM CST
(Newser) - Chris Matthews seems determined to run for a Senate seat in Pennsylvania in 2010, but beating Republican Arlen Specter isn’t his only problem, Steve Kornacki writes in the New York Observer. The MSNBC host is a cipher to 60% of the electorate, and there are other qualified, ambitious Democrats... More »

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Hillary Clinton • Congress • Senate • Bill Clinton • Arlen Specter • Pennsylvania • Chris Matthews • Minnesota • Al Franken • Election 2010

TALK SHOW ROUNDUP

Ga.'s Chambliss on Runoff: 'We'll Win Again'

Fellow GOP senators praise Obama picks, pledge bipartisanship

Nov 30, 08 12:48 PM CST
(Newser) - Despite failing to muster 50% of the vote Nov. 4, Sen. Saxby Chambliss said he would prevail in Tuesday’s runoff against Democrat Jim Martin. “We’ll win again,” the Georgia Republican declared on Fox News Sunday. But Chambliss declined to say he would benefit from the lower... More »

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national security • Barack Obama • Hillary Clinton • United Auto Workers • Robert Gates • Laura Bush • Arlen Specter • Richard Lugar • bipartisanship • Saxby Chambliss

Matthews Rounds Up Staff
for Senate Run

MSNBC host denies deals with Obama aides for 2010

Nov 28, 08 5:42 PM CST
(Newser) - Chris Matthews is lining up a top-notch staff to manage his campaign for the Pennsylvania Senate seat held by Arlen Specter, FiveThirtyEight reports. Multiple sources say the MSNBC host has made deals with seasoned Obama aides to run the 2010 campaign. Polls already show that Matthews, running as a Democrat,... More »

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Senate • Arlen Specter • Pennsylvania • Chris Matthews • campaign staff • Obama campaign • Election 2010

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