Bad Bet of the Year

How desperate was Mitch McConnell to keep Arlen Specter in the Republican Party? And how much does McConnell hate his fellow Kentucky repug Senator Jim Bunning?

So much that in March McConnell gave $10,000 to the re-election campaign of a man who just six weeks later became a Democrat, and not one thin dime to a repug on the verge of losing his seat to a Democrat.

Herald-Leader star John Cheves has the story:

Kentucky Sen. Mitch McConnell may be fuming at Sen. Arlen Specter now, but a month ago, he was cutting him a $10,000 check.

McConnell, the Senate Republican leader, gave $10,000 to Specter’s 2010 re-election campaign on March 11 through his leadership political action committee, the Bluegrass Committee.

SNIP

“Well, obviously we are not happy,” McConnell told reporters Tuesday.

By the end of 2009’s first fund-raising quarter, there was no sign of McConnell giving to the campaign of fellow Republican and Kentucky Sen. Jim Bunning, who also is running for re-election next year.

Hey, Mitch: here's a piece of advice, free, gratis and for nothing: Don't place any bets on the Derby Saturday.

Cross-posted at They Gave Us A Republic ....

A Rude Theory on Specter

I think the Rude Pundit is giving Arlen Specter too much credit in this one, but it's still not to be missed.

Warning: X-rated.

Don't Count McConnell Out Yet

McClatchy's saying Arlen Specter's switch to the Democratic Party "will likely rob Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell of his strongest tool — the filibuster."

I wouldn't bet the farm on it.

Specter makes the Magic Filibuster-breaking Sixty only if:

• Minnesota's Al Franken is seated before the 2010 elections, which Specter's defection makes significantly less likely;
• Traitor Joe Lieberman fails to realize what a huge opportunity this is for him to peddle his ass back to the repugs, AND
• Specter actually votes with the Democratic caucus on closure votes, instead of trying to have it both ways by supporting repug filibusters.
  

A technical 60-vote Democratic caucus also assumes that Harry Reid can hold Evan Bayh's Cocksucking Caucus in line, a feat of which he has proven singularly incapable to date.

Specter's defection gives the Blue Dogs the balance of power in the Senate. That is extremely bad news for Democrats and President Obama.

Cross-posted at They Gave Us A Republic ....