Specter 'Driven Out' of GOP by 'Right Wing' and 'Fringe of Party'--4/29/2009

1. Specter 'Driven Out' of GOP by 'Right Wing' and 'Fringe of Party'
The evening newscasts on Tuesday night attributed Senator Arlen Specter's motivation for changing parties to how he realized he wouldn't win the Republican primary in Pennsylvania, but they also, just as they did with Senator Jim Jeffords in 2001, eagerly relayed -- without any challenge -- Specter's spin that, in the words of the TV journalists, he "had been driven out by the right-wing of the Republican Party," the GOP's "increasingly conservative tilt" and "the fringe of the party." CBS framed its story around that convenient target as the Evening News showcased Specter's charge in its tease: "The party has shifted very far to the, to the right." Katie Couric noted that Specter "acknowledged he cannot win the Republican primary, so he's becoming a Democrat. But as Chip Reid reports, Specter says there were other reasons behind the switch." Setting up the same Specter soundbite as in the tease, Reid reported the "moderate" Specter "says he's leaving the Republican party because the Republican party left him." Reid bolstered Specter's concern by asserting "200,000 Pennsylvania Republicans have registered as Democrats in just the past year. Specter blames the party's increasingly conservative tilt." Specter exclaimed: "There ought to be a rebellion. There ought to be an uprising."

2. CNN on Specter: GOP 'Far to the Right;' Democrats in 'Center'
During the first hour and a half following Senator Arlen Specter's announcement that he was switching from the Republican to the Democratic Party, CNN pushed the "big message" behind the defection, that "the Republican Party has moved so far to the right, that it is making itself uncompetitive in significant parts of the country, like the Northeast," as the network's senior political analyst Bill Schneider put it. He continued that the "Democrats, under President Obama, are really moving to claim the center of American politics." Anchor Kyra Phillips even used the "center" label as an apparent synonym for Democrat.

3. Flashback: When Jeffords Switched, Media: GOP Too Conservative
A look back to May of 2001 when Republican Senator Jim Jeffords switched from Republican to caucus with Democrats, offers a preview of the themes the press corps will advance again in covering Senator Arlen Specter's defection from the Republican Party. From the Thursday May 24, 2001 MRC CyberAlert: Jeffords Defection Theme #1: Bush should move left to the center; Jeffords Defection Theme #2: Label him a "moderate," or a "maverick," but never what he really is, a liberal; Jeffords Defection Theme #3: Blame conservatives for making the Republican Party too conservative; Jeffords Defection Theme #4: Scold the Bush White House for punishing him for working to eviscerate their bills.

4. MSNBC's Brewer: GOP Obstructionism Slowing Response to Swine Flu?
MSNBC anchor Contessa Brewer on Tuesday morning speculated as to whether supposed obstructionism by congressional Republicans may end up hampering the response to the swine flu outbreak. Talking to Republican strategist Tucker Bounds and Democratic strategist Peter Mirijanian in the 10 AM EDT hour, she asserted: "Let me ask you, Health and Human Services Secretary has not been confirmed. You have a missing director of the CDC. The surgeon general is not there." Specifically addressing Bounds, Brewer quizzed: "Do you, Tucker, think that Republicans are in any way to blame for standing in the way of those important positions -- when you're facing swine flu -- from being filled?"

Specter 'Driven Out' of GOP by 'Right
Wing' and 'Fringe of Party'

The evening newscasts on Tuesday night attributed Senator Arlen Specter's motivation for changing parties to how he realized he wouldn't win the Republican primary in Pennsylvania, but they also, just as they did with Senator Jim Jeffords in 2001 (see item #3 below), eagerly relayed -- without any challenge -- Specter's spin that, in the words of the TV journalists, he "had been driven out by the right-wing of the Republican Party," the GOP's "increasingly conservative tilt" and "the fringe of the party."

CBS framed its story around that convenient target as the Evening News showcased Specter's charge in its tease: "The party has shifted very far to the, to the right." Katie Couric noted that Specter "acknowledged he cannot win the Republican primary, so he's becoming a Democrat. But as Chip Reid reports, Specter says there were other reasons behind the switch." Setting up the same Specter soundbite as in the tease, Reid reported the "moderate" Specter "says he's leaving the Republican party because the Republican party left him." Reid bolstered Specter's concern by asserting "200,000 Pennsylvania Republicans have registered as Democrats in just the past year. Specter blames the party's increasingly conservative tilt." Specter exclaimed: "There ought to be a rebellion. There ought to be an uprising."

On NBC, Kelly O'Donnell described how "he would be facing a much more conservative challenger" in the primary and "couldn't risk" losing, before she related Specter's rationalization "that voters who tend to turn out in the primaries tend to be on the fringe of the party, not a moderate Republican like he is." ABC's Jonathan Karl highlighted how "Specter said he had been driven out by the right-wing of the Republican Party."Then viewers were treated to Specter scolding conservatives: "They don't make any bones about their willingness to lose the general election if they can purify the party. There ought to be a rebellion. There ought to be an uprising."

[This item, by the MRC's Brent Baker, was posted late Tuesday night on the MRC's blog, NewsBusters.org: newsbusters.org ]

The MRC's Brad Wilmouth corrected the closed captioning against the video to provide these transcripts of the CBS and NBC stories from Tuesday night, April 28:

# CBS Evening News:

KATIE COURIC, IN OPENING TEASER: Also tonight, a sudden power surge for Senate Democrats, as a prominent Republican abruptly switches sides.
SENATOR ARLEN SPECTER (D-PA): The party has shifted very far to the, to the right.

...

COURIC: Turning to politics now, and an announcement today that really shook things up in Washington and left Senate Democrats just one vote away from a filibuster-proof super-majority. Five-term Senator Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania acknowledged he cannot win the Republican primary, so he's becoming a Democrat. But as Chip Reid reports, Specter says there were other reasons behind the switch.
SPECTER: This is a painful decision.
CHIP REID: Moderate Senator Arlen Specter says he's leaving the Republican party because the Republican party left him.
SPECTER CLIP #1: I have found myself increasingly at odds with the Republican philosophy.
SPECTER CLIP #2: The party has shifted very far to the, to the right.
REID: The Pennsylvania Republican party is still furious over Specter's key vote in favor of the President's massive stimulus bill, and Specter admits his chances of winning the Republican primary against conservative Pat Toomey next year are bleak. 200,000 Pennsylvania Republicans have registered as Democrats in just the past year. Specter blames the party's increasingly conservative tilt.
SPECTER: There ought to be a rebellion. There ought to be an uprising.
REID: President Obama called Specter today, telling him he's thrilled, even promising to campaign for him. White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said he's pleased.
MARK KNOLLER, CBS NEWS RADIO: You said you were pleased about Specter. Aren't you euphoric, ebullient?
ROBERT GIBBS: I'll go with ebullient.
REID: Why so much joy at the White House? Look at the numbers: Democrats now have 58 votes in the Senate. If Democrat Al Franken wins the marathon recount in Minnesota, with Specter that would give the Democrats the magical 60th vote, the number needed to block Republican filibusters and push the Obama agenda through Congress. Specter insists he won't be an automatic 60th vote.
SPECTER: I'm going to vote the way I see it.
REID: But shell-shocked Senate Republicans said Specter's decision was the crassest kind of politics.
SENATOR JOHN CORNYN (R-TX): Nothing more, nothing less than political self-preservation.
REID: Democrats have been trying to convince Specter to shift parties for more than five years, but it took fear of losing an election to finally get him to do it.

# NBC Nightly News:

BRIAN WILLIAMS: We change topics now to politics and the shot heard 'round Washington and elsewhere today. One analyst today said it was the biggest gift President Obama could possibly receive on the eve of his 100th day in office. The veteran Republican Senator Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania is tonight a Democrat. He switched parties today. That may give the Democrats a crucial edge in the Senate. Kelly O'Donnell covers the Hill for us and is with us from there with more on this tonight. Kelly, good evening.

KELLY O'DONNELL: Brian, it really did feel like a seismic shift here today. Arlen Specter has been the Republican Senator from Pennsylvania since Ronald Reagan took office back in 1981. And with his party switch, sure, it's about his own political survival. But it also means something more -- more power for the President and the Democratic Party. So the background goes like this: Specter told us today he thought that he could not win re-election in a primary in his home state. He would be facing a much more conservative challenger, Congressman Pat Toomey, who almost beat him last time around. Now, Specter said he couldn't risk that, and said that voters who tend to turn out in the primaries tend to be on the fringe of the party, not a moderate Republican like he is.
SENATOR ARLEN SPECTER (D-PA): I'm not prepared to have my 29-year record in the United States Senate decided by the Pennsylvania Republican primary electorate, not prepared to have that record decided by that jury, Pennsylvania Republican primary electorate.
O'DONNELL: So, Brian, the bigger picture here is that this could get Democrats to 60, the magic number needed to stop a Republican filibuster. Sixty assumes Specter, and that Al Franken would win in Minnesota in that contested race. Now, Democrats are promising Specter a lot. They will endorse him, they'll raise money for him, and the President plans to campaign for him. One more interesting nugget here today, Brian: We heard from Majority Leader Harry Reid, who has courted Specter, that he's talking to other Republicans urging them to cross the aisle, but Reid wouldn't name names.

CNN on Specter: GOP 'Far to the Right;'
Democrats in 'Center'

During the first hour and a half following Senator Arlen Specter's announcement that he was switching from the Republican to the Democratic Party, CNN pushed the "big message" behind the defection, that "the Republican Party has moved so far to the right, that it is making itself uncompetitive in significant parts of the country, like the Northeast," as the network's senior political analyst Bill Schneider put it. He continued that the "Democrats, under President Obama, are really moving to claim the center of American politics." Anchor Kyra Phillips even used the "center" label as an apparent synonym for Democrat.

Phillips' fellow anchor Tony Harris turned to Schneider three times over the course of fifteen minutes during the 12 pm Eastern hour of the Newsroom program on CNN. During the first appearance 22 minutes into the hour, Harris asked the senior political analyst, "Could we see more of these defections and switches?" Schneider answered, "Tony, this has been going on for years. Republicans in the Northeast have been defeated....They've been losing general elections. The Republican Party -- there's a big message here, which is that the Republican Party has moved so far to the right, that it is making itself uncompetitive in significant parts of the country, like the Northeast. This is really a cannon shot at them, saying this party is no longer competitive in lots of the country."

[This item, by the MRC's Matthew Balan, was posted Tuesday evening on the MRC's blog, NewsBusters.org: newsbusters.org ]

Eleven minutes later, the anchor again prompted Schneider for his take on Specter's move. The analyst expanded on his earlier remarks, making his use of the "center" label:

SCHNEIDER: Well, first of all, like many Republicans in the Northeast, he was facing a conservative primary opponent. He was clearly worried about his own survival. But there is a much bigger message here. Is there a -- an Obama realignment beginning? Is been going on for some time, that Republicans have become more and more desperate in the Northeast. But President Obama's election -- the conversion of Arlen Specter means that there's an indication President Obama is reaching out to the middle of the electorate, which the Republicans have increasingly abandoned with their move to the right. Particularly in the Northeast and on the West Coast, there are a lot of voters who do not feel comfortable with the Republican Party. The reverse happened when Ronald Reagan was president. He brought -- reached out to a lot of conservative Democrats and brought them into the Republican Party, particularly in the South. Well, there may now be an Obama realignment that is parallel to the Reagan realignment, where northeastern and western Republicans are moving more and more to the Democratic Party, and Republicans in those parts of the country are really becoming a trace element.

Later in the same segment, Harris asked about the Pennsylvania Senator's statement, and Schneider got more explicit about Democrats's "claim [on] the center:"

HARRIS: One of the comments -- we played a portion of the comments from Senator Patrick Leahy. But apparently, he went on to say that in his conversation with Senator Specter, Senator Specter said to him, the party left him -- referring to the Republican Party -- the party left him, he didn't leave the party. Shed some more light on what you think may be behind that statement.
SCHNEIDER: The statement -- what's behind that statement is the view of Senator Specter that the Republican Party has moved too far to the right under George Bush and since then. Since then, they lost the 2006 election -- they lost the 2008 election, but the Republicans show no sign of trying to recapture the center. In fact, they've hardened their -- their line on the right. They have adamantly opposed everything President Obama -- not everything, but most of the economic policies that President Obama is trying to implement. And his view is, the party has moved so far to the right, it's abandoned the center where he is, and therefore, he feels that he'd be more comfortable as a Democrat. It's a signal that the Democrats, under President Obama, are really moving to claim the center of American politics.

Schneider did not appear during the 1 pm Eastern hour of the Newsroom program, but the "center" label he had used apparently had a significant effect on anchor Kyra Phillips, who made a bit of a Freudian slip 13 minutes into that hour:

KYRA PHILLIPS: Well, it's been our top story of the day. Since 1966, Arlen Specter, Pennsylvania Senator, has been a Republican, but today he has switched parties.
Dana Bash, joining us on the phone now. She's the one that broke this story. Dana, can you hear me okay? [pause] Okay. We lost Dana Bash. We'll try to bring her back.
Of course, we're following that top story today, along with the flu -- the swine flu, and that is the fact that Pennsylvania Senator Arlen Specter has switched parties from Republican -- Republican to center -- obviously, creating a shell-shocked feeling, as Dana Bash had told us, within the Republican Party.

Flashback: When Jeffords Switched, Media:
GOP Too Conservative

A look back to May of 2001 when Republican Senator Jim Jeffords switched from Republican to caucus with Democrats, offers a preview of the themes the press corps will advance again in covering Senator Arlen Specter's defection from the Republican Party. From the Thursday May 24, 2001 MRC CyberAlert:

# Jeffords Defection Theme #1: Bush should move left to the center. CBS's John Roberts relayed how a Democratic pollster hoped, "he may be forced to govern from the middle." NBC's Campbell Brown pushed Bush to the left: "The President's options? Political analysts say bi-partisan compromise."

# Jeffords Defection Theme #2: Label him a "moderate," or a "maverick," but never what he really is, a liberal. Looking at ideological ratings, Jeffords' record makes him 24 points less conservative and 25 points more liberal than a true moderate like Republican Senator Olympia Snowe of Maine.

# Jeffords Defection Theme #3: Blame conservatives for making the Republican Party too conservative. ABC's Linda Douglass referred to his "frustration with his increasingly conservative party." NBC's Lisa Myers worried about how he "was treated as a pariah in his own party." On MSNBC, Newsweek's Jonathan Alter suggested the Republican Party left him.

# Jeffords Defection Theme #4: Scold the Bush White House for punishing him for working to eviscerate their bills. NBC's Lisa Myers credited his departure to how "he is deeply offended by lack of respect from the White House and from key Senate Republicans."

More in the May 24, 2001 CyberAlert: www.mrc.org

[This item, by the MRC's Brent Baker, was posted Tuesday afternoon on the MRC's blog, NewsBusters.org: newsbusters.org ]

Two more items from the Friday, May 25, 2001 MRC CyberAlert:

# Republican Party too conservative. ABC and CBS conveyed Jim Jeffords' warning that Bush must listen to "moderates" or he'll be a one-termer. CBS relayed the recommendation of one operative to reach out to "others who feel Jim Jeffords's pain." NBC's Lisa Myers put the burden on Bush: "This new reality will test the President's promise to be uniter and not a divider."

# The networks assumed Jeffords had only noble intentions as they focused on approval by Vermonters. Bob Schieffer: "He was treated like a rock star." Jim Axelrod claimed Vermont "values principle over party." Tom Brokaw admired how he "embraced a flinty kind of New England independence." Andrea Mitchell called him "perfectly suited" for the state since "Vermonters say they're not liberal or conservative, just socially conscious."

Details: www.mrc.org

And from December of 2001:

Liberal Senator Jim Jeffords was warmly embraced by Katie Couric, who dubbed him "a maverick" and raved that he "is the personification of one man, one vote, and his story a classic of American politics." Couric gushed on the Today show: "Jeffords is a man at peace with himself, enjoying work on his Vermont farm, splitting logs, saving a few pennies with some inventive repair work on a wheelbarrow."

RealMedia video: media.eyeblast.org

MSNBC's Brewer: GOP Obstructionism Slowing
Response to Swine Flu?

MSNBC anchor Contessa Brewer on Tuesday morning speculated as to whether supposed obstructionism by congressional Republicans may end up hampering the response to the swine flu outbreak. Talking to Republican strategist Tucker Bounds and Democratic strategist Peter Mirijanian in the 10 AM EDT hour, she asserted: "Let me ask you, Health and Human Services Secretary has not been confirmed. You have a missing director of the CDC. The surgeon general is not there."

Specifically addressing Bounds, Brewer quizzed: "Do you, Tucker, think that Republicans are in any way to blame for standing in the way of those important positions -- when you're facing swine flu -- from being filled?" Bounds, of course pointed out that Democrats control both the Senate and the House. As for the CDC, Obama has not even nominated a candidate. Regarding the position of Surgeon General, Dr. Sanjay Gupta was considered, but took his name out of contention. No one has picked to fill the spot. See Politico: www.politico.com

So, how, exactly, would Republicans be to blame? Brewer didn't say.

In an odd non sequitur, Brewer began the question on Republican culpability by musing, "A viewer just e-mailed me here and he said he just saw this bumper sticker called- that says 'Republicans No Everything.' And no was N-O."

[This item, by the MRC's Scott Whitlock, was posted Tuesday afternoon on the MRC's blog, NewsBusters.org: newsbusters.org ]

The MSNBC host also announced that "Rush Limbaugh is blaming President Obama for swine flu." She then proceeded to play the following clip, which obviously seems like a joke and not an actual accusation by the popular talk show host: "Everywhere Obama is spreading Obamaism, there is a deadly disease taking place either in the T.A.R.P. community or in the newspaper business. Obama goes to Mexico, they have an earthquake. Obama goes to Mexico, pig flu."

Brewer then taunted, "Wow! Tucker, would you like to respond on behalf of conservatives everywhere?"

To be fair, Brewer did discuss Democratic criticism of GOP Senator Susan Collins for removing $800 billion from the stimulus bill that would have gone to fight a flu pandemic. Brewer noted, "Peter, do you think it's fair to point the finger at Susan Collins? After all, Senator Schumer also called the flu pandemic money porky?"

A transcript of the April 28 segment, which aired at 10:14 EDT, follows:

CONTESSA BREWER: Yeah, some of that finger pointing, Tamron, is directed at Republican Senator Susan Collins, the moderate Republican from Maine led the effort to remove more than $800 billion to fight a flu pandemic- fought to remove it from the stimulus bill. John Nichols at The Nation today calls Collins a "no nothing" and accuses her of irresponsibly playing politics. Republican strategist Tucker Bounds and Democratic strategist Peter Mirijanian are here with me now. Peter, do you think it's fair to point the finger at Susan Collins? After all, Senator Schumer also called the flu pandemic money porky?
PETER MIRIJANIAN (Democratic strategist): Yeah. I mean, to give Senator Collins the benefit of the doubt, I'm sure she regrets that now. You know, there was no way to foretell this was out there. But, I just think that there has to be an abundance of caution when it comes to this. I mean, you know, we live in a world where everybody, you know, flies all over the place and these diseases are transmitted. So, this is serious stuff. So, to look at it just as a budget item that could be cut and it's unnecessary I think she probably regrets that decision today.
CONTESSA BREWER: You know, it's interesting the people who are finger pointing today- Rush Limbaugh is blaming President Obama for swine flu. Let me play it.
MIRIJANIAN: I'm surprised.
RUSH LIMBAUGH: Everywhere Obama is spreading Obamaism, there is a deadly disease taking place either in the T.A.R.P. community or in the newspaper business. Obama goes to Mexico, they have an earthquake. Obama goes to Mexico, pig flu.
BREWER: Wow! Tucker, would you like to respond on behalf of conservatives everywhere?
TUCKER BOUNDS (Republican strategist): Uh, no, you know, I really wouldn't. I think that's a radio host weighing in. What I think here is that we have serious issues that surround the response to this. And I think that the politics of it, they're really not mature yet. I think that the politics and the political debate that surround the response to this swine flu really will stem from the management of how we're able to respond nationwide once we get a better handle on what the actual response is going to be from the Obama administration. Right now, they've been trying to perpetuate a calmness. I think that's smart. But I think we're going to have to wait and see how the politics play on this, save Rush Limbaugh. I mean, his radio show is every day. He's forced to wade into these waters regardless. I don't think that represents Republican politics.
BREWER: You know, a viewer- A viewer just- A viewer just e-mailed me here and he said he just saw this bumper sticker called- that says "Republicans No Everything." And no was N-O. Let me ask you, Health and Human Services secretary has not been confirmed. You have a missing director of the CDC. The surgeon general is not there. Do you, Tucker, think that Republicans are in any way to blame for standing in the way of those important positions- when you're facing swine flu- from being filled?
BOUNDS: Well, look, Governor Sebelius is going to be confirmed today. I think that the Obama administration could be doing more to get their nominees confirmed. They control both houses of
Congress, the House and the Senate. So, I don't think it's a good time to lay blame on anyone's hands. But, I think what we're going to see, and I'll say it again, is that the politics and the political debate that surround this issue are going to get more divisive as the issues of management become more mature. At this point, we're in such an infant stage of where this issue really is, it's hard to weigh in on a political perspective.
BREWER: Peter, given this could- has the potential, we're not there yet and certainly we could avoid a pandemic. This has the potential of being a very serious for the Obama administration, how much is riding on how effectively he and his team address it?
MIRIJANIAN: Well, certainly the American public wants to see the administration taking action and taking all the kind of precautions, not signaling there should be any reason to panic, but that we should take precautions and safeguard against it. Look, let me go back to what Tucker said. I mean, the fact of the matter is, as Tucker knows, in the Senate any one senator, if they really choose to do so can hold up a nomination. The fact that Sebelius' nomination is now troubled because of her views on abortion, you know, shocks me because you know, I think the average American, again, looks at this and says why should the head of the largest health agency, the most important health agency in the country, should their nomination be held up over one's personal views on abortion rights? So, I mean, yeah, Republicans run the risk they become obstructionist on areas of widespread public health concern. That's the problem. And that's why, although we can give Senator Collins the benefit of the doubt, you know, if you're a partisan Democrat, you can make hay over this.

-- Brent Baker