There’s a piece on conservatives firing at Rick Santorum in the [Pittsburgh] Post-Gazette today in the effort to keep Specter from becoming judiciary chair. Basically, some conservatives blame Santorum for the fact that Specter is in the Senate.
I’ve said this before, but I’ll say it again. I think that’s not a helpful tactic. It’s misdirected anger and misspent energy. Yeah, NR was for Toomey in the primary. I was for Toomey. I cringe every bloody time I see file photos of Bush or Santorum on the trail for Specter. I think it was a miscalculation for the White House to have decided early on that Toomey couldn’t win, and the president, especially, could have avoided campaigning with Specter. But, folks, that’s over and done with. Moveon, as they say. Fact is, Santorum’s a good guy, who’s made the case for conservatives on some key issues in the Senate. He’s a guy I certainly want there, flaws and all, because on balance, he’s a plus and a good guy, of the genuine sort (with a dear, dear family).
And, right now the winnable and practical goal is keeping Specter from the judiciary chairmanship because he does not have the temperament to be chairman of that key committee at this key moment in history.
I obviously wish Toomey was in the Senate rather than Specter, but here we are. The thing to do, is PRESSURE REPUBLICAN MEMBERS OF THE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE to come down hard on Specter (easy contacts here). Mid to late yesterday, in chatting with an in-the-know senior Republican staffer, I was still hearing “could go either way” (from that source and others). Senators and staff are still working the issue, hard. (That said, I’ve said where I would probably put my money.) If Specter becomes chairman, there are enough people in the right places on the Hill who want it to be with some real conditions. I was also told: Specter will obviously be an enemy if he is denied chairmanship, but if it is clear that he will be an enemy to conservatives as chairman before becoming chairman (which I certainly think he’s already strongly hinted, but let him keep talking….), there are people on the Senate Judiciary Committee who are willing to say “screw him” and deny chairmanship. That might be wishful thinking, or rhetoric to pressure him. But the point is that some people in the right places are hearing you and taking action. Message to you: Keep up the pressure on the Republicans members of the Judiciary Committee. (Did I mention that?) And the message from me, and from Senate sources: Santorum’s not the right guy to be leading the fight against Specter, so e-mailing him or decrying him in the press isn’t what’s going to get results (the ones you want, anyway)–one or more of the GOPers on the Judiciary Committee need to be leading the anti-Specter-as-Judiciary-Committee-chairman fight. I’ve seen some groups focus on Santorum and not the Judiciary Committee, and I really think they’re wasting their resources.
And I’d humbly encourage conservatives to be wary of going on the attack on Santorum. He’s a leader in the Senate, and a conservative one. As people are complaining that we’re undercutting the GOP majority in the Senate by the Specter fight (I think it helps, overall, but you know where I am), I fear conservatives are really a bit too eat-their-own about Santorum. I’d like to see him reelected in 2006. Don’t get me wrong, criticize when criticism is due, but I don’t see the primary-grudge stuff being helpful now, or later.