Tom Ridge Jumping In Against Snarlin' Arlen In Pennsylvania?

And regardless of who wins, it won't be a Democrat in any real sense of the word

Washington Democrats are outraged that Harry Reid and Joe Biden have given Arlen Specter such a sweet and undeserved deal for "becoming"-- which apparently is next to meaningless-- a Democrat. Specter is still voting with reactionary obstructionist buddies across the aisle on Obama's change program, although, supposedly he's agreed to vote for some watered down version of health care reform in return for Democrats taking him in, financing his campaign, clearing the field of primary opponents, having Obama and Biden show up in Pennsylvania to campaign for him and not forcing him to vote for any distasteful legislation that benefits working families. Considering Max Baucus and Ben Nelson plan to work with the Republican caucus to gut it on behalf of their campaign donors in Big Insurance, God only knows which kind of a crappy bill will come out of the intolerably corrupt Senate anyway. (On top of that, Obama doesn't need Specter to get health care passed since it will be voted on under a budget reconciliation resolution, which means no filibuster is allowed-- i.e., they only need 51 votes, something even Harry Reid could probably possibly deliver.)

Thursday we reported that there was already apocalyptic hysteria on the far right because Orrin Hatch, the vice-chair of the NRSC said that right-wing extremist, Pat Toomey, the darling on the lunatic fringe of the GOP, is not a suitable candidate for the Pennsylvania Senate seat. "I don’t think there is anybody in the world who believes he can get elected senator there," said Hatch, honestly, adding that the party needs to find “someone who can win there."

The "someone," of course, is moderate ex-Governor Tom Ridge, a pro-choice moderate who is far more popular in Pennsylvania than Arlen Specter. Ridge, the first Vietnam War combat vet to be elected to Congress served 7 terms representing the Erie area, and he's never lost any election. He was a popular two-term governor, a moderate by Republican standards, but by no means a liberal, until resigning in 2001 to become Bush's Director of Homeland Security. Both time she ran for governor, right-wing sociopath Peg Luksik ran against him and, ironically, she's also in the GOP Senate primary next year!

So while Pennsylvania Democrats scramble to find the best candidate to oppose Specter who they now feel saddled with, the rumors about Ridge jumping in are becoming more real by the minute. Roll Call reported today that he's definitely considering a run:

Former Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Ridge is considering running for the Republican Senate nomination in his home state, according to a senior Republican aide with knowledge of the situation.

National and Keystone State Republicans have been publicly and privately urging Ridge to consider a Senate bid since Sen. Arlen Specter (Pa.) announced earlier this week that he was switching parties and would run for re-election as a Democrat in 2010.

Specter said he switched parties because he could not win a primary against conservative former Rep. Pat Toomey (R-Pa.), who is popular with the party’s base but whom many national Republicans believe cannot win the general election-- especially against a 29-year incumbent who is viewed favorably and gets high marks from Democrats. Ridge’s moderate politics and national profile would make him a more viable candidate in the general election.

So here's Pennsylvania, a solid blue state with 1.2 million more Democrats than Republicans and because of more incompetence from Reid and Biden it looks like there may not even be a Democrat running for a Senate seat that was looked at as a sure win for the Dems in 2010! What the hell is wrong with these people!