[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2009/POLITICS/05/03/specter.gop/art.specter.walk.afp.gi.jpg caption="The Pennsylvania senator said he 'misspoke' in an interview with the New York Times Tuesday when he voiced his support for GOP Sen. Norm Coleman."]WASHINGTON (CNN) – Sen. Arlen Specter's recent switch from Republican to Democrat appears to have caused him some confusion over party loyalty.
The Pennsylvania senator said he "misspoke" in an interview with the New York Times Tuesday when he voiced his support for GOP Sen. Norm Coleman, who is locked in a recount battle with Democratic challenger Al Franken in Minnesota.
"In the swirl of moving from one caucus to another, I have to get used to my new teammates," Specter told CQ Politics. "I'm ordinarily pretty correct in what I say. I've made a career of being precise. I conclusively misspoke."
Questioned about who he's supporting in elections Specter responded, "I'm looking for Democratic members. Nothing personal."
Specter's comments came after an interview with the Times in which the Pennsylvania senator declared he is rooting for a Coleman win in the hotly-contested Senate race. "There is still time for the Minnesota court to do justice and declare Norm Coleman the winner," he told the magazine.
Take that GOP.
This is exactly why I switched from Democrat to Indpendent! Party loyalty above country! I've got no use for Democrats, but then I've got no use for Republicans either!
lol.... cya Specter.
I'm glad I went Independent. This partisan crap is ridiculous.
Specter is just like the former IL Governor who tried to sell Obama's senate seat. In Specter's case, he is paying the democratic party in order to win reelection - If this is the heart and soul of the Democratic Party and Obama's and their idea of change, bring back the GOP
No big deal that now you are a Dem. the medias newest sweetheart lover...
And when you were told that you would not face another democrat in a primary – THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY MISSPOKE AS WELL * SADDLE UP THE RACE IS ON.
Another party of one.
Now as a dem, he would rather than justice not prevail in Minnesota.
This guy has been in the system to long.
He doesn't even know what he supports as long as he's re-elected.
He is one of the long term cronies we need to purge from our government.
Democrats are in for a huge surprise. If Specter wins reelection as a Democrat, as this will be his last term in the Senate, he will feel very comfortable reswitching parties again back to the GOP. This is a masterful plan on the part of Arlen - and the Congress and Obama are buying into it hook, line, and stinker.
Oh, Arlen, where's the hole in floor when you need it?
Either you're an outright liar, Arlen Spector, or you forgot to take your meds. Which one?
Misspoke, is that the politicians new excuse when they are caught in a lie? Seemed to work for Hillary and Biden, why not Specter too. Time for this self serving politician to call it a career and retire. He doesn't know who or what he supports, other than himself.
He supports Coleman. Any sane person would. Who wants Stuart Smalley making policy decisions for you?
Somebody get this traitorous clown out of the Senate. Toomey, Ridge, Stesak...anybody but Specter in 2010!
lol. Embarassing.
Hey we all make mistakes especially since he has been a Republican for such a long time....and you know how the GOP brainwash their members as those cult meetings. Give him time to get it together.
And you Dems thought John McCain was old and senile. Compared to Specter John is a young buck. Thanks for taking him off our hands. Don't fret though, Tom Ridge will take Arlen out during the next election and end his misery.
So which is it Arlen;
I'm lying to you now.
– or –
I lied to you before.
I think he misspoke when he claimed he misspoke. He was truthful when he said he's rooting for Coleman. Nothing wrong with choosing a horse in that race, but between this party switch and the "misstatement" he's starting to look very unprincipled and erratic.
The senator should announce that he will retire at the end of his term, and quit pretending to be someone he's not.
Look, Specter has a long record of public service, and for the most part, it shows him to be a man of principle. He has served the people who elected him in exactly the way he told them he would. He has not been involved in any scandals or serious lapses of judgment or character..
Give him a break.
We have a political system in Washington that insists that everyone be labeled. You have to take sides. You can't just be out there serving your people, you have to get into the power game and screw whatever team is out there trying to screw you team. If you don't, you will get screwed by your team.
There is nothing easy about what he is trying to do.
Must be toguh trying to remember who's hineys he needs to kiss now. What a complete sellout.
This Benedict Arnold also has Alzheimer's. The change we can all believe in, yeah.
Why anybody would support that idiot Al Franken is completely beyond me, but then again this is the state that elected Jesse Ventura! I think I like being Independent. Washington was right when he talked about the danger of the two-party system. We need a strong third party real bad!