The Snooper Report

From Politico:

Republican Sen. Arlen Specter is switching parties so he can run in the Pennsylvania Democratic Senate primary, abandoning his party because he does not want to be "judged by the Pennsylvania Republican primary electorate."

Specter, in a Tuesday afternoon statement, said he knows his supporters will be disappointed but says he is "willing to take all comers" in his Senate race. President Obama called Specter this morning when he heard the news and told the Pennsylvania senator that he's "thrilled" to have Specter on the Democratic side of the aisle.

Two sources said he made his decision after seeing a recent poll showing him badly trailing Toomey in the Republican primary, and concluded that he had no way of winning the GOP nomination.

Republican Senate leaders Mitch McConnell of Kentucky and Jon Kyl of Arizona are in an emergency meeting in the Capitol right now discussing the party switch, which would be a devastating blow to a party barely hanging on to a 41-vote minority in the Senate. Specter has long been a moderate Republican and a thorn in his party's side, but his move to switch parties is a surprising maneuver. Specter trails badly in GOP primary polls and he may have a better chance to win as a Democrat in his home state. [...]

Leaky Leahey is THRILLED!  No surprise there.  So is Obama.  Another non-surprise.

Pat Dollard: Obama ‘Thrilled To Have’ Specter

Flopping Aces: Breaking: Well, well, well….the RINO is finally coming out of the closet

Hot Air: Breaking: Specter becoming a Democrat; Update: Won’t change on Card Check; Update: Obama “thrilled”; Update: Specter disavowed switch last month

Chicago Ray: Arlen Specter, "RINO Traitor" SHOULD BE BLACKBALLED FROM WASHINGTON

JWF: Breaking News: Liberal Becomes a Democrat

lawhawk: Sen. Arlen Specter Switching Parties

Ace: Specter To Become A Democrat (Officially)

Michelle Malkin: Arlen Specter makes it official

Gateway Pundit: Specter Announces He Will Switch Parties & Become a Democrat

1. BREAKING: Sen Arlen Spector R-PA to seek re election as a Democrat… « Moderate in the Middle
2. BREAKING: Sen Arlen Specter R-PA to seek re election as a Democrat… « Moderate in the Middle
3. Arlen Specter Defects | NEOAVATARA
4. No Runny Eggs » Blog Archive » DLTDHYOTWO, Scottish Law
5. Watcher of Weasels » Weasel Alert: Benedict Arlen Specter to Give Dems Fillibuster Proof Senate
6. Egg on establishment GOP’s faces as Specter switches parties « Sister Toldjah
7. Arlen Specter Changing Parties « Goodtimepolitics
8. The Jawa Report
9. E!! The True Conservative Story™ » Blog Archive » About Time: Specter Switches Teams
10. Senator Arlen Specter Defects!
11. GINA COBB
12. Arlen Specter Defects | NEOAVATARA
13. NINESHEETS.com | » Arlen Specter becomes a Democrat | Like The New York Times, Except Not Bankrupt
14. Arlen Specter Finally Becomes a Democrat | The American Pundit
15. Arlen "Wind Chime" Specter

Let the brawling begin at Memeorandum:

Chris Cillizza / The Fix:

PoliticsPA:

Statement by Senator Arlen Specter  —  I have been a Republican since 1966.  I have been working extremely hard for the Party, for its candidates and for the ideals of a Republican Party whose tent is big enough to welcome diverse points of view.  While I have been comfortable being a Republican, my Party has not defined who I am.

Eric Zimmermann / The Hill's Blog Briefing Room:   BREAKING: Specter to switch parties

Doug Stanglin / On Deadline:   Sen. Specter to join Democratic party

Caitlin Taylor / Political Punch:   Biden, Casey, Rendell Lobbied Specter to Switch

Gregg Levine / Firedoglake:   Specter Declares He's a Democrat Because. . .

Chip Somodevilla / Time:   GOP Sen. Arlen Specter Will Become a Democrat

Todd J. Gillman / TRAIL BLAZERS:   Sen. Arlen Specter abandons GOP, adding to Sen. John Cornyn's …

ONTD: Politics:   SIXTY. MOTHERF**KING. VOTES.

Eric Kleefeld / TPMDC:   Arlen Specter Switches Parties

Greg Sargent / The Plum Line:   Specter: My Position On Employee Free Choice Will Not Change

The Poor Man Institute:   Breaking: MALIBU STACY HAS A NEW HAT!

Libby Spencer / The Impolitic:   Specter switches party

Economist.com l WASHINGTON / Democracy in America:   Who abandoned whom?  —  ARLEN SPECTER, the 29-year incumbent Republican …

Upyernoz / rubber hose:   switcheroo  —  specter switches parties.  or at least …

Paul Sherman / CapitalBeat:   Sen. Arlen Specter Switching to Democratic Party

Ben Smith / Ben Smith's Blog:

Specter switching parties  —  A source involved in the talks confirms that Senator Arlen Specter will switch to the Democratic Party, a dramatic move putting the Democrats within reach of two votes in the Senate.  —  The move stands to put the White House's agenda on a fast-track …

Mark Silva / The Swamp:   Specter switches: GOP ‘far to the right’

David Sirota / The Huffington Post:   Specter Switch: Great News, But He Now Needs a Dem Primary

Carter Wood / PointOfLaw Forum:   Senator Specter's Switch: What does it mean for Judiciary?

CNN:

Sen. Arlen Specter to become Democrat  —  WASHINGTON (CNN) — Veteran Pennsylvania Sen. Arlen Specter told colleagues Tuesday that he switched from the Republican to the Democratic Party, Sen. Harry Reid says.  —  The Specter party switch would give Democrats a filibuster-proof Senate majority …

JONATHAN TURLEY:   Spector Goes Blue — Democrats Now Have 59 With Potential …

Washington Wire:   Sen. Specter To Switch Parties, Democrats Near 60 Vote Majority

Jonathan Cohn / The New Republic:
What a Specter Shift Means—and Doesn't Mean

Steve Benen / Washington Monthly:   WHY SPECTER'S SWITCH MATTERS.... Following up on the last item …

David Espo / Associated Press:
Sources: Sen. Specter intends to switch parties

The New Republic:
Arlen Specter Switching Parties? [CONFIRMED]

MSNBC:
Veteran GOP Sen. Specter switches parties

Holly In Cincinnati / The Moderate Voice:   GOP Losing Its Last Jewish Senator, Moderate Arlen Specter of PA

Taegan Goddard's Political Wire:
Specter Will Switch Parties

Craig Crawford / Craig Crawford's Trail Mix:   Arlen ExSPECTorates  —  Dumping his Republican membership …

Scott at Flopping Aces has an interesting take and, I believe, is correct in his assessment:

Sen. Specter Switches to DNC; NO MORE EXCUSES DEMOCRATS

I always try to look for a silver lining on a cloud. I try to see both sides of the coin, and to be positive. That’s a lot harder today, BUT it is not impossible!

Senator Specter is switching from a Republican to a Democrat, and this gives the Democratic Party absolute power in Washington DC. They now have full control of the White House and both Houses of Congress as well as a filibuster-proof majority. That means they can pass and do anything they want, and no one can stop them except themselves.

Therein lies the silver lining.

It’s been 100 days for President Obama
It’s been well over 2 YEARS for the Democratic Congress

While tomorrow is day 100, Thursday is day1 in a completely new respect:
THERE CAN BE NO MORE EXCUSES [...]