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Born at the Crest of the Empire

Thursday, December 04, 2008

Discussion

It's looking more and more real that Chris Matthews might challenge Arlen Specter for his Pennsylvania Senate seat, so I'm asking, "how do you feel about that?"

Rasmussen polls Specter 46-43.

posted by mikevotes at 10:49 AM

8 Comments:

  • When I think of "senatorial temperament," Chris Matthews is not the first name that pops into my mind.

    By Blogger -epm, at 11:57 AM  

  • I'll call it the Franken scenario. Do you really want these celebrity senators to be the face of the Dem party?

    Also, he'd come in with such a sense of self-importance. Hard to imagine he'd quietly sit back and take the seniority systemm.


    On the other hand, he was a top aide for Tip Oneill, so he does know his way around the game.

    By Blogger mikevotes, at 12:43 PM  

  • I guess I see Franken differently than Matthews. I like Al Franken. Yes, he can be prickly, even acerbic, at times. Yes, he's a celebrity. But he's also, politically passionate in a (Paul) Wellstonian way.

    I'd have no problem with a Senator Franken being the face of the Democratic party. Certainly much less of a problem than a Senator Matthews, whom I see as more interested in political games than policies. (And don't get me started with Fred Thompson! Talk about schtick!)

    I know Matthews worked for O'Neill, but I have no idea where Matthews stands on policy matters. I don't know why Matthews would want to run for the senate. What does he want to do as senator?

    By Blogger -epm, at 1:26 PM  

  • And, Franken definitely knows his issues.

    My point is, that if the Republicans want to villify, Franken's a very easy and already visible target. His celebrity, coupled with his long public record of political (and comedic) statements makes it much easier.

    It has little to do with Franken as a Senator, but much more to do with Franken as a target.

    By Blogger mikevotes, at 1:32 PM  

  • Gotcha. Still, I don't think the GOP needs an excuse to hurl invective. Franken might be a target for a little while, but it'll got old real fast. Red meat for the Know Nothings. Kinda like if someone sat on a board with, I don't know, a former member of a radical '60s fringe group.

    Franken is much more pragmatic than the GOP demagogs would have the public believe. As with Obama, once folks actually hear Franken I think some of the boogey man stuff goes away. (No. I'm not saying Franken is in the same league as Mr. Cool, er, President-elect Obama).

    I know what you're talking about, though. I just see it as inevitable and something that should be attacked head on (GOP fear and smear machine).

    By Blogger -epm, at 2:09 PM  

  • Unless they're huge, Senators get no national definition on their own.

    He could be Mr. Smith goes to Washington, and 2010 would still be liberal Dems like Pelosi and Franken.

    By Blogger mikevotes, at 3:27 PM  

  • time for Specter to pull another "magic bullet"...

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 5:25 PM  

  • He's also likely to face a strong Repub primary challenger from what I was reading.

    By Blogger mikevotes, at 5:52 PM  

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