Didn't Giuliani switch from Democrat to Republican years ago? Didn't NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg recently change party affiliation?

Perhaps the choice was opportunistic; perhaps it was ideological.

Ronald Reagan switched his party affiliation from Democrat to Republican. It's unlikely he could have achieved national political prominence as a Democrat.

When asked about why he left the Democratic Party, Reagan always responded, "I didn't leave it; It left me."

Sounds like me, except with the GOP.

Will Specter vote differently now? Will he be more willing to go along with legislation that he is personally marginally against? Did his Republican handcuffs force his votes at all before? How much so? Liberal Republicans haven't been allowed fully in the party for decades. Republicans do not let party members disagree with each other and its stance on loyalty went to extremes under Bush (I had one friend abandon the party when they said he had to sign an oath of loyalty to go to one of their meetings a couple of years ago). Running for office without party support, especially in a statewide position, is VERY difficult, Specter saw the writing on the wall, you are out. This cult like craziness is killing the party.

Maybe the murder conviction against him in Los Angeles had something to do with it.

Interesting polling I read the other day, last year in 2008 35% of Americans described themselves as Republicans.

Now its 20%.

Look you all know my affiliation regarding the President, but why such a rapid free fall like that?

Look for Obama to appoint Sonia Sotomayer (Hispanic) to take Souter's place. She's been on the 2nd Court of Appeals since 1998.

I think it was worse being a Democrat in the 1980s. Most of the Democrats went by the name "Reagan Democrat." It was especially odd among the college campi where Republicans were their strongest. The pendulum has certainly swung...and it will eventually swing back.

Hopefully because she's rather qualified, and not because he's simply just trying to placate two check-box groups.

Well considering the party backing both Mondale and Hart, can you blame them?

Also, DailyKos came up with their suggestion for GOP's new mascot logo:

There once was a senator, named Specter
Who pandered to the PA electors
He finally broke free
From the poor GOP
Who'd rather pick Hannibal Lecter

Ha ha ha ha Very good Kly. And you're a poet as well. You get an A+.

TIS

Well, you know with rumblings that Tom Ridge might make a run in the GOP primary, he probably would have beaten Specter.

Except he's decided not to.

http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2009/05/07/1925437.aspx

Of course, DailyKos is running one of their (usually trippy-biased) polls where Toomey was leadin Ridge 41-33.

Pretty good Klyd.