The Full Specter

Prologue: The Importance of Being Arlen

With his reelection in 2004, Specter became the longest-serving senator in Pennsylvania history. He is also, arguably, at the height of his power. Much of that comes from his position as chairman of the Judiciary Committee, but it also is drawn from the pivotal role he plays in the Senate. A moderate Republican in an often bitterly divided Congress, Specter has been a crucial voice and vote on almost every important issue.

Craig Snyder, lobbyist, former chief of staff: I think he's the most powerful Pennsylvanian who has ever lived. We had President Buchanan, but that was a disaster. Senator Specter used to repeat a lot to us something that Earl Warren said to him at the Warren Commission, which was that our client is the Constitution. I really believe he's tried to live by that. I think he lives up to the founding fathers' idea of what a senator is supposed to be.

Mark Klugheit, attorney, former Specter staffer: The high point of his career may well be what he is doing right now, as the chairman of the Judiciary Committee, and trying to be an effective voice on the war on terror while having respect for the Constitution and due process of law.

Jack Cafferty, CNN anchor, The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer, May 11, 2006: We better all hope nothing happens to Arlen Specter, the Republican head of the Senate Judiciary Committee, because he might be all that is standing between us and a full-blown dictatorship in this country.

Michael Smerconish, attorney, radio show host: In the very first days of his chairmanship of the Judiciary Committee, I traveled to Washington and watched him chair the hearings for both [John] Roberts and [Samuel] Alito. I've known him for many years, and I sat there and marveled at his position of such prominence. And I was thinking, this gets taken for granted at home.

Jack Cafferty, The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer, June 6, 2006: What an idiot I am. I actually thought at the time Senator Specter was going to exercise his responsibility to provide some Congressional oversight of the executive branch, you know, see if the White House is playing by the rules. Silly me. In the end, Senator Specter has turned out to be yet another gutless Republican worm cowering in the face of pressure from the administration and fellow Republicans. There are not going to be any hearings [on secret wiretapping]. Americans won't find out if their privacy is being illegally invaded. ... It's a disgrace.

Rick Santorum, junior senator from Pennsylvania: He's not somebody who will win Miss Popularity or Miss Congeniality, but at the same time, he will win the prize for earnestness and hard work and determination. There's part of Arlen who likes to be out there and on the edge sometimes, willing to bat heads.

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