Moveon.org backs Sestak in Pa. while OFA works for Specter
Washington (CNN) - Moveon.org on Friday announced that the group's members are backing Rep. Joe Sestak in Pennsylvania in the May 18 Democratic senate primary. That puts the liberal activist group at odds with Organizing for America, the grassroots group that's part of the Democratic National Committee and that largely supports President Obama and backs Sen. Arlen Specter in his quest to retain his seat.
In an email to Moveon.org members in Pennsylvania, the group said that 67 percent of its followers in the state back Sestak.
The message quotes one member saying that "Sestak not only has a better chance of winning in the fall, but he's a Democrat out of conviction, not desperation." The email quotes another Moveon.org member as saying, "Arlen Specter is an opportunist and cannot be trusted to side with the Democrats."
Specter switched from the Republican to the Democratic Party last year. Critics claim he did so to save his senate seat.
Meanwhile, Organizing for America is working hard to ensure Specter's re-election.
"OFA folks recognize he has been a strong ally to the president on issues," OFA National Press Secretary Lynda Tran said in a message to CNN. In the primary's closing days, members are "talking to people on the phones and at the doors, reaching out to their neighbors and engaging people," Tran said.
Obama has endorsed Specter in the race.
With polls showing a tight race between Specter and Sestak, get-out-the-vote efforts by groups like Moveon.org and OFA will be critical for both campaigns.
A fresh Muhlenberg College daily tracking poll shows the candidates in a statistical dead heat.
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Obama and OFA are stuck providing payback to Specter, but they better extract new commitments from Specter to work with them in the future if they are going to go all out for him when Sestak appears the better Democrat.
Liberals eating their own! Who has the popcorn?
It's nice that somebody in the liberal press is finally noting that the Left and Far Left in the Democrat Party are just as split as the Right and Far Right in the Republican Party.
Sestak is a democrat that was a career military man. Does this mean that Sarah Palin, who said she supported military candidates and encouraged her small group of followers to vote for those who served, will stump for Sestak?
For me, Specter crossed the line when he attacked Sestak's military record. Whatever he did, you just don't question or attack a military man/woman's honor. Not to mention that he was good enough to be elected asa congressman.
Hi. I think that U.S. Senator Arlen Specter is a better choice for Pennsylvania in 2010 than Joe Sestak!
Now isn't this a trip! Moving On is for Sestak, Obama group from his campaign and Organizing for America is for Spector. I wonder how true the stroy is about Obma's group offering Sestak a job in the Obama administration, to step aside for Spector.
Oh come on Pennsylvania! ANYBODY BUT SPECTER!!!!!!!!!!!!! Do you honestly want this weasel "representing" you?! He needs to GO and GO NOW!
The only thing this shows is that OFA is a tool of the DNC rather than its members. Moveon has this one right. I'll be pulling for Sestak.
Throw out all incumbents
I live in Oregon, but I contributed $50 to Sestak's campaign. It's time for Arlen to retire quietly.
It is interesting to now see how blame is assigned, fault found and criticism rationalized by the Tea Party, conservative groups, extreme right, blindly Republican individuals, all who defended and praised Bush-Cheney as they stubbornly and arrogantly gave Halliburton, the oil companies, Special Interests and the connected few everything they wanted. If people don't break out of their biased and prejudiced blindness and start recognizing the deception and the drastic costs in the current Republican mentality that renders them 'puppets' for Special Interests and the select few while they give the public just a lot of subterfuge to manipulate public opinion, then we may just end up being stuck with 'more of the same'. As we are painfully seeing, because of the irresponsible total focus on benefiting only the few now the 'piper has to be paid' and regrettably the majority is always who pays. To be deceived and manipulated by our self-interests into thinking there are easy ways out of the current problems, likely would result in just supporting 'more of the same' and the worsening of the problems/costs.
Go, Sestak! By the way, it's Democratic Party, not Democrat Party!
Sestak for me...Specter might change again down the road, depending on which way the wind blows.
Specter says he's for Women's Rights, Civil Rights, Worker's Rights, and supports the environment. So, how does he justify his Confirmation of LIFETIME Appointment of Justices Renquist, Scalia, and Thomas? He can't. Specter is a WEASEL OPPORTUNIST, woring BOTH sides of issues. Pay-Day is Tuesday, Arlen "Sphyncter"! .........Goooooo Joe Sestak!!!!
I will no longer donate to OFA.
This is old time politics at its worst. Sen Specter should realize that he has done outstanding duty for his country and state, and that now it's time for someone else to bring in fresh blood, fresh ideas, and minimal baggage.
Organizing for America should help him come to grips with outlining his few remaining retirement years with the family, not with the dogs in D.C.