WASHINGTON (CNN) – Pennsylvania Sen. Arlen Specter called his fellow Democrat, Rep. Joe Sestak, a "flagrant hypocrite" and accused his rival of registering as a Democrat "just in time to run for Congress."
Sestak has said that he will challenge Specter, who has the backing of President Obama and party leaders, for the Democratic Senate nomination next year. Specter, a longtime Republican, switched his party registration to Democrat this year.
On Thursday, Specter's campaign sought to bring into question Sestak's roots to the Democratic Party. Specter's campaign sent out a list of Sestak's voting history in Delaware County, which the senator's campaign said showed that Sestak registered as an Independent in 1971, didn't vote in any primary elections from 1971-2005 and that he officially registered as a Democrat in February of 2006. Sestak was elected as a Democrat to the House in 2006.
"Congressman Sestak is a flagrant hypocrite in challenging my being a real Democrat when he did not register as a Democrat until 2006 just in time to run for Congress," Specter said in the statement. "His lame excuse for avoiding party affiliation, because he was in the service, is undercut by his documented disinterest in the political process."
Update, 7:11 p.m.: In a statement given to CNN, Sestak defended his record, saying he was an Independent while he served in the Navy because he believed that "military officers should be nonpartisan." He said he voted numerous times by absentee ballot, but that it is "all too common" for military votes to go uncounted because they arrive late.
"We've learned today that Arlen Specter can abandon his party, but he just cant quit making Republican swift-boat attacks on the integrity of Democrats who served in our military," Sestak also said in the statement. He added, "My question to Arlen Specter is this: do you regret voting for George Bush and John McCain? Why should Democrats support someone like you who actively campaigned as recently as last year for politicians with values like George W. Bush?"
From CNN Politics
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A statement from a black kettle smoking pot.
Spector is the last person who should be casting that stone. Spector already admitted the reason he changed to Democrat "just in time to run for [re-election]" and only because he can't win a Republican primary. Spector has been carrying water for the Republicans up until a couple months ago; Sestak has not.
Will the real "flagrant hypocrite" please stand up?
On a side note, Is Spector saying that all of the millions of independents who have recently come off the fence and joined the Democratic Party are hypocrites? That's not a way to win friends and influence people.
Takes one to know one.
For a former republican, Sen Spector was not bad. i am glad he came over to our party and look forward to his work as a centrist. However, the Senator would be wise to recognize his long service doesnt translate into an automatic entitlement to serve, and should welcome the opportunity to debate Rep. Sestak. Any person worth his salt is not afraid of competition; Sen Spector has decades of experience on his side, and he should conduct himself in the manner his Office deserves. On that matter, the tone he struck today leaves something to be desired.
Specter's desperate. He knows he can't win against Sestak; he's grossly overestimated the amount of support he's going to win in the Democratic Primary. These personal, ad-hoc attacks might have worked in the other party, but Democratic voters aren't going to buy into them.
Poor Arlen..he really was not looking at having any competition, maybe he ought to look for a nice retirement home to move to when he leaves office.
I cursed my union for endorsing Specter simply because he is from philadelphia. I told them he would screw them when they needed him the most and he did, twice. As for Sestak, I have learned not to trust Military brass as far as I could launch them from a missile silo.I believe every member in congress and of the Supreme Court should be replaced with regular everyday working men and women, people who actually sweat for a living wage.
So surprised. Specter is the hypocrite, so he tries to accuse Sestak. Classic misdirection. Comon PA voter,s see through it.
Specter is on some fragile ground her
calling a member of the service a hypocrit for not registering as a demo or repub
afraid of competition specter?
Spector, you are calling the kettle black. All of us know that you only changed parties to avoid having your hat handed to you in the GOP primary.
Do the state a favor and bow with grace.
i hope and pray Speter loses big ! BIG!!!!
Did you really just accuse someone else of not really being a Democrat? Really, Arlen?
From what I see in the budget numbers coming from the beltway, this will be considered mild language by the end of the next session.
Is Spector as stupid as he looks?
Arlen Specter did his homework, and won this round! Sestak is truly a hypocrite. (By the way, Specter served in the USAF, so Sestak's statement of response is doubly fallacious).
He ought to know a hypocrite when he sees one. But Specter is worse than a hypocrite. He's a two faced, self-serving hack who needs to sit down and shut up.
Coming from Arlen, the comment just doesn't hold much water.
wait to go Joe! Specter has no right to be questioning's someone's loyalty to the democratic party, and the more he tries to do so, the more ridiculous he looks. You have my vote Joe.
Specter's been played like an old banjo.
Sestak is the future of that district. Everybody, including Obama, knows it. Sestak represents the changing face of that district. Young, moderate and connected. Specter will be forced to make an aggressive but token play for the seat. The Party will back Sestak.
Specter is yesterday's news. He's fulfilled his purpose and now the Democrats will put him to political sleep.
Specters the flaming hypocrite. At least Sestak isn't on his second party switch and counting. SPECTER, LIEBERMAN AND BEN NELSON need to call it quits so real democrats can get in there.
Spector is a flagrant hypocrite for campaigning against Obama then running as a Democrat just in time to run for re-election. Spector knows that members of the Armed Forces cannot openly campaign for candidates.
I agree with Sestak completely. I think career military officers should remain neutral, at least publicly, for their ultimate boss is a civilian. They should not have to place themselves in the awkward position of declaring their political leanings.
Specter should understand and respect this situation. I have no doubt that Rep. Sestak is an honorable individual, and I would vote for him if I were from PA. I'm a lifelong Democrat, but I doubt if I would vote for Specter. He may call Sestk a hypocrit, but I would call Specter a political opportunist.
Sestak seems more trustworthy, Specter not so much........ Sestak Vs Specter is like Obama Vs McCain, out with the old grumpy guy and in with the new fresh ideas. Rep. Sestak, go get him he is just feeling the heat...
Its dishonest for Sestak to accuse Spector of swift-boat attacks. Sestak is using his military service as a political to challenge Spector in election. Sestak should redirect the statement and question to President Obama and dem party leaders: Why are you supporting someone like Spector who actively campaigned as recently as last year for politicians with values like GW Bush, for the dem senate nomination next year? BREAKING NEWS – Independents leary of Obamas policies, agenda and governing as the POTUS. Those of us warning fellow Americans about Obama are being proven right much sooner than we thought.
Sestak has still been a Democrat longer than you have, Arlen.
I have two brothers who serve in the Navy. They both tell me there is no such rule or regulation that tells people to be non-partisan. They said that there is no way of telling what a person's affiliation is any way, it's not that it's broadcast up on a Billboard or anything like that, so that allegation is completely absurd. I would also state that declaring yourself an Independent is no less partisan, in and of itself, is it not?
"saying he was an Independent while he served in the Navy because he believed that "military officers should be nonpartisan." He said he voted numerous times by absentee ballot, but that it is "all too common" for military votes to go uncounted because they arrive late.
Saying that absentee ballots frequently arrive late, while it is in fact true, seems completely irrelevant and is thrown in there as a distractor.
"We've learned today that Arlen Specter ... just cant quit making Republican swift-boat attacks on the integrity of Democrats who served in our military,"
He has never made ANY attacks on members of the military whatsoever. Name one. Have mr. Sestak provide just ONE example of what he's talking about. CNN, can YOU provide just one example of mr. Specter EVER making any attacks, "Swift Boat" or otherwise, against any member of the military to support your claim? I'll bet you can't. But you printed in your article that he "just can't stop" doing it...what's the deal?
Arlen Specter only switched to a Democrat on paper in an attempt to keep his job. But his voting record speaks for itself.
Sestak stood on the side lines and too the cop out path as an 'independent', in an attempt to avoid taking responsibility for what Democrats or Republicans did. And not standing for anything.
Of the two, at least Specter took responsibility and actually voted his conscious in previous elections. That's one thing that can't be said for Sestak.
This just proves how delusional this guy really is. I thought I was misreading this article at first. Is Specter, the man who recently changed his party affiliation because he had no chance to win as a republican, criticizing someone who changed their party affiliation 3 years ago. Specter did some good things in his time, but he is officially toast in my mind. It is past due for him to go regardless of being a republican or democrat. I think this just proves how much of his mind he has really lost
"Sestak graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1974 with a Bachelor of Science degree in American political systems.[3] Between tours at sea, Sestak earned a Master of Public Administration and a Ph.D. in political economy and government from the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard in 1980 and 1984,"
Hardly the resume of someone "disinterested in the political process"
Arlen is getting worried. We need people in the Senate with Joe's qualifications and intellect.
isn't this coming from the man who admitted to becoming a Democrat because he knew he would lose as a Republican?
Please, go home Specter. It's time to bow out of the Senate admirably.
Unlike Burris, the Democratic politburo doesn't want Spector to assume his position under the bus until they have used his vote in the Senate a few more times.
THIS IS FLAT OUT UNBELIEVABLE.
Arlen Specter is everything wrong with our political system. I am all for the protection of free speech, but in this case, it's appalling. Specter is the Obama of this PA campaign... he has all the backing and support of his (ha ha ha "his") party, and he will smear and libel the crap out of his opponent. Reminds me of the McCain hates women, McCain will tax your heath care, McCain won't bring the troops home lies.
So much for those promises.
Let me get this straight. Specter is accusing Sestak of hypocracy?? And Sestak doesn't have roots in the democratic party??
Man I love my party's ideas but sometomes their tactics are like a circular firing squad. Arlen Specter has done the party and the country a world of good by switching. He has made the GOP look petty and mean. Every Democrat in PA should give whatever time and money they can spare to help their Senator get re-elected and not be wasting any time or effort bad -mouthing the guy.
I can not believe specter is calling out his opponent for "not being a real democrat." Specter was a republican just a few months ago. He is calling his opponent a hipocrite, but he is the hipocrite here.
the unmitigated gall of spector of all people calling anybody a hypocrit is the funniest thing i've read in all blogdom! that should be the lead joke on every late nite show on tv and every radio talk show tomorrow! i think it proves beyond a doubt that spector has lost his mind and really needs to go to the home for washed up idiots =========
Well, I guess there is the first mud slinging of the primary. I just hope that who ever gets the nomination can win in November.
Pot calling the kettle black? Should be an interesting race.
spector has a lot of room to throw names around.After his treason to his constituents.