From the "It takes one to know one" file.

Arlen Specter…

"The CIA has a very bad record when it comes ... to honesty. It goes back a long time."

Yes it does, and Arlen should know.

From the "What he said." file.

What he said.

From the "False choices" file.

Cheri Jacobus quotes Rick Santorum claiming to quote Arlen Specter exposing himself as an unprincipled hack, which is fine as far as it goes, but then she lays down a challenge...

So, unless Democrats want to go so far as calling Santorum a liar, this is pretty much an open-and-shut case.

OK, I'll bite. Rick Santorum is a liar. It's required of Republicans, after all. He may or may not be lying this time, but he's a liar. Doesn't really seem like much of a stretch.

That doesn't mean, of course, that Specter's not an unprincipled hack (personally, I figure he's a partially principled hack, like the great majority of his colleagues regardless of party), but that's not really the problem for Ms. Jacobus or Mr. Santorum. Their problem is that now Arlen's our unprincipled hack.

Speaking of Specter…

…his rep as a "moderate" Republican was based in a large part on his pro-choice views, but jeebus, with friends like these...

Senator Specter supported the interests of the NARAL Pro-Choice America 50 percent in 2006.
Senator Specter supported the interests of the NARAL Pro-Choice America 20 percent in 2005.
Senator Specter supported the interests of the NARAL Pro-Choice America 0 percent in 2004.
Senator Specter supported the interests of the NARAL Pro-Choice America 21 percent in 2003.
Senator Specter supported the interests of the NARAL Pro-Choice America 0 percent in 2001.

OK, to be fair, he scored 100 in 2007, but his pointedly anti-choice colleague Bob Casey pulled a 65 from NARAL that year, higher than any of Arlen's scores in the previous five years.

And Arlen, the anti-EFCA friend of labor? Don't get me started.

But, hey, welcome!

Welcome Senator Specter (D-PA)…

…or, rather, welcome back...

...before 1966 he was a registered Democrat, but decided in 1965 to run as a Republican candidate for Philadelphia District Attorney when he realized he wasn't getting the support of the local Democratic Party for the post and Philly's Republican leader approached him about running.

Any port in a storm, it seems.

But welcome just the same. And tell your old pals the tent's still plenty roomy.

From the "Since you asked…" file.

John Aravosis wonders…

...why doesn't Arlen Specter stop pretending he's a moderate?

Since you asked, it's because that would mean telling the truth, and, well, he's a Republican after all.

They just lie.

It's all they've got.

OK, then…

Specter Says He Will Back Holder

…can we stop with the silly and get this thing done.

“That requires an explanation...”

Specter said.

No it doesn't. Comparing the NFL's disposal of property after an investigation involving their private rules with the C.I.A. destroying public records they were under specific order to retain? What a ridiculous trivialization of the crimes of the executive branch agency.

The NFL is a private business concern, not a public agency.

Evidence gathered during NFL investigations is private property, not public records.

The NFL rules are a private agreement, not a federal law.

Our soldiers are at war. The economy is tanking and taking the middle class with it. Our nation is diminished to the status of beggar in the international arena - begging the Saudis for energy relief, NATO for more troops to conduct wars we've started and can't sustain.

Meanwhile, Arlen Specter is wondering if maybe his Iggles didn't get ripped off by Bill Belichick's rogue cameraman or some such silliness.

Silly is fun. I like silly. The US Senate, though, at this time? That's no place for silly.

I love me some NFL, but this is ridiculous.

Duh News Of The Day.

Specter says he will back AG nominee

Duh.

Really, was there ever any doubt?