Specter 'prepared' to take on TV anchor
(CNN) - As speculation continues to swirl about a possible Pennsylvania senate bid by MSNBC anchor Chris Matthews, Republican Sen. Arlen Specter said on Sunday that he’s not worried about it.
“I’m going to have an opponent, in fact I’m going to have two opponents - one in the primary, where I always have a tough race, and again in the general,” Specter told CNN’s Wolf Blitzer on "Late Edition." “I never look over my shoulder, I never look behind. Somebody may be gaining on me. I run with blinders. I’ll be prepared no matter who my opponents are.”
The Patriot-News of Harrisburg reported on Saturday that Matthews met with Pennsylvania Democratic Party leaders to discuss a possible senate run in 2010 against the incumbent Specter. The senior Republican is currently serving his 5th term, having first been elected in 1980.
Matthews, in a statement on the political Web site FiveThirtyEight.com, said reports of him staffing up for a run are "absolutely not true."
Specter said he’s only concerned with his own bid for re-election in 2010.
“I don’t know what anyone else is doing, but I know what one man is doing—Arlen Specter is running,” he said on "Late Edition."
A Quinnipiac poll released this week shows strong support for the incumbent Specter. Specter leads 45 percent to Matthews’ 33 percent among overall voters. Among Democratic voters, however, Matthews leads Specter 55 to 25 percent.
Robert Menendez, the recently elected Chairman of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, said he hadn’t talked to anyone who could confirm Matthews’ run.
“Wolf, we’ll see who decides to run. I haven’t seen any firm announcements by anyone, in terms of running,” the New Jersey senator said.
From CNN Politics
- A shady Russian spy tale that is splintering US democracy February 24, 2020 12:31 pm
- Sotomayor issues scathing dissent in Supreme Court order that could reshape legal immigration February 23, 2020 09:13 pm
- Sanders says 'it's unfair to simply say everything is bad' with Fidel Castro's Cuba February 24, 2020 03:39 am
- Judge Amy Berman Jackson says no to Roger Stone's attempt to remove her from his case February 24, 2020 03:20 am
- Trump lands in India ready to feel the love February 24, 2020 11:02 am
- Analysis: With Sanders, Democrats choose revolution over resistance February 24, 2020 09:17 am
I hope Chris Matthews runs! He is cool and interesting!
Hey Lama, you're not trying to bad-mouth my Eagles are ya? On everything else, I agree with you.
Chris Matthews in congress? Just another pitiful political joke. Probably puts a tingle down his leg 8D
Did Matthews ever get that "leg-tingling" checked by a doctor? It is one of the first signs of a stroke.
Matthews would be a great all purpose one man filibuster. He's can't keep his mouth shut. He's rude and self-important. Despite the fact that I agree with many of his views, I find him to be a blowhard who should neither be in the Senate or an anchor on TV.
Chris Matthews must be having another one of those funny feelings running up his legs again.
Specter has not done anything to lose his seat. Although I like Chris Matthews, Arlen Specter has been a voice of moderation during his long career and has been willing to cross the aisle, something very few senators are willing to do. Specter should keep his seat and I hope the good people of pennsylvania agree with me.
Chris Matthews would make a good Senator. I certainly wouldn't mind him being out there fighting on my behalf. However, I would miss him on MSNBC dearly.
Is this idiot a relative of Dubyaa or J MCsame, because the sounds are identical.
SHUT THE DOOR!
Good Lord, I hope this is a joke!!! This crazy man can't even control his saliva. Perhaps the demonic Keith Olberman will run too. Yea, that's it. Let's put all of the whacked MSNBC goons in the Senate. Perhaps Rachel Maddow will let her hair grow and put on a blouse like a big girl if elected to public office................................................
Spector should don his rain gear now... he's going to need it when Matthews' spittle starts flying.
oh my gosh. Matthews is a windbag and delusional.
Specter shouldn't have a problem against a lightweight liberal like Chris!
Why do Democrats and Republicans hate one another?
The world is much too small for that.
I could swear I feel a thrill running up my leg...
🙂
I'm from Pennsylvania myself. Allentown to be exact. I voted for Obama very very proudly recently. In 2006 I voted Casey [D]. In 2010 I will very very enthusiastically vote for Specter. Arlen Specter is one of, if not IMO, the greatest Senators currently serving. He has always stood up for the rights of Pennsylvanians and served our interests well. For any who try to claim he's a Bush clone or some such nonesense, you should know that he has been accused of being a RINO (Republican In Name Only). He's extremely moderate, typically favoring on the side of personal rights and personal responsibility; AGAINST the social conservatives like Bush. He's the one Senator I wish the Republican party would model their platform off of.
Hillary Supporters – let us unite to defeat blowhard Matthews – all the attacks and lies he has leveled against Bill and Hillary Clinton for the last 10 years will NOT go unnoticed by the voters of PA!
You go Chris. The old man needs to go!
Specter can forget about running with blinders on,he is going to need a divers mask and a sou'wester to stay dry when this human sprinkler
gets wound up.
I hope they debate. Then Matthews can ask Specter to explain to utterly ridiculous "magic bullet" theory to the rest of us!