Specter making a spectacle of himself

Rico says he didn't much like Arlen Specter when he was a Republican and, now that he's a Democrat, it's no better. But Erik Eckholm has an article in The New York Times about Specter reaching out to Da Comoonity (spelled like it sounds) in Philadelphia:

Arlen Specter stopped by black churches on Sunday, paying homage to a vital bloc in his suddenly desperate race for the Democratic nomination for the Senate seat he has held for thirty years. Mr. Specter told a welcoming crowd at Mount Ephraim Baptist Church in north Philadelphia about how, with a single phone call to the agriculture secretary, he had saved a school-lunch program that mainly helped black children. “He listened to me because I provide his appropriations,” the senator said to nods and applause.
On Saturday, the example was different, but the point was the same. Before union members in Philadelphia’s port, he recounted his 28-year quest to bring jobs to the state with a federal project to deepen the harbor. “I need another six years to bring these 125,000 jobs,” he said. And, at an Irish pub in the middle-class town of Ambler, he prodded the mayor to tell the story of how Mr. Specter had intervened with a health insurance company, getting it to cover a costly PET scan for the mayor’s ill daughter.
There has been nothing subtle about Mr. Specter’s message in his Delivering for Pennsylvania tour, leading up to Tuesday’s primary: Forget about that Republican past, I am the well-connected statesman who has delivered for Pennsylvania (whatever my party) and I’ll keep doing so.
Only a month ago, Mr. Specter, 80, was considered a shoo-in for the Democratic nomination. He only switched to the Democratic Party a year ago, but he has the backing of President Obama, Governor Edward G. Rendell, local union leaders, and much of the black clergy. But he has been wounded by an upstart challenger’s blitz of television advertisements calling Mr. Specter an opportunist and questioning the depth of his newfound liberalism. Pollsters say the race is too close to call, and may depend on turnout: a larger number of African-American and other primary voters is likely to favor Mr. Specter.
On Sunday, his challenger, Joe Sestak, a 58-year-old retired Navy admiral and a two-term congressman, strode into Specter territory, visiting some of the same black churches to ask for an opportunity to serve and stressing his own allegiance to Mr. Obama, who has deep support there.
While Mr. Sestak received a respectful reception at Mount Ephraim, many worshipers said that they felt Mr. Specter had shown concern for the black community over the years, and that they did not know Mr. Sestak well enough. “I think most of us will be voting for Specter,” said Bob Adams, a retired corrections officer, “because he’s been around a while.”
Mr. Sestak’s campaign announced that other black clergymen will be endorsing Mr. Sestak on Monday afternoon. In relentless advertisements and at rallies, Mr. Sestak tried in recent days to keep the focus on Mr. Specter’s long record— his support for the Bush tax cuts, the war in Iraq, and conservative Supreme Court appointees— and on his shift in allegiance.
“Arlen Specter switched parties to save one job: his, not yours,” Mr. Sestak says in the commercials, accompanied by clips of President George W. Bush lavishing praise on the then-Republican senator. Trying to turn Mr. Specter’s experience against him and to ride an anti-incumbent wave, Mr. Sestak emphasizes the need for newcomers in Washington. Mr. Specter counters by saying that, by voting for the stimulus bill, which destroyed his Republican prospects, he helped save millions of jobs. He was not speaking over the weekend about high policy issues like bailouts or war, instead taking every chance to burnish his image as the experienced senator who get things done.
Conversations in Ambler, a former factory town that is trying to renew itself, illustrated both the senator’s strengths and his vulnerabilities. “I’m leaning to Specter,” said Alan Bassman, an accountant. “He’s a known quantity, and he’s got the clout on the Hill.” But the election had not generated much office talk, Mr. Bassman said, suggesting that there may be no rush to the polls. Ann Brnich, a dental hygienist, said: “I have a bad feeling about Specter. He’s been there too long, and he just wants to stay there.” But Mr. Specter stayed on message at the pub. As he was departing, an aide called out to the crowd of seventy people: “Senator Specter just bought the next round, so hit the bar.”

Rico says Specter could buy him drinks from now until the primary, but the former admiral will get his vote.