Smacking Sestak
Last week, I bashed Arlen Specter around quite a bit.
This week it’s Joe Sestak’s turn.
I’d like to add a few more words here. I think it’s great that Sestak’s defying the Pennsylvania Democratic machine. There is something truly disgusting when the party apparatus lines up to support a long-time Republican the day he becomes a Democrat. It smells like the old incumbency protection racket we’ve seen so many times before, like when powerful Democrats refused to support Ned Lamont, went to bat for William “Freezer Full of Benjamins” Jefferson, and went all-out to save Bush-supporting Al Wynn.
On the other hand, you have to ask WHY would the machine line up so quickly for a Republican turncoat? Is it entirely out of self-interested calculation, or is there something more there? Sestak’s temper is a matter of record. Perhaps he’s pissed off the wrong people? Perhaps he’s pissed them off for the wrong reasons?
I don’t know. And I’m certainly not saying Specter’s the better choice (although in terms of obtaining money for the state, he certainly might be). What I’m saying is that in our rush to declare Specter unacceptable, we risk ignoring Sestak’s considerable flaws. When one considers that the media has a bad habit of writing shallow narratives that often border of hagiography, I’m trying to throw in a dose of realism.
These people are not our friends: they need to be assessed on their actions, not whether this or that one is the underdog.
