# Arlen Spector - "Gentleman" **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [May 18, 2006, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arlen-spector-gentleman/357286 "2006-05-18T17:56:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2006, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arlen-spector-gentleman/357286/1 "2006-05-18T17:56:22Z")
[Link.](http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,196041,00.html) “You are no more a protector of the Constitution than am I.” A telling quote from one of the biggest fucktards in Congress. “Good riddance” say he, of a departing Senator who felt like the rights of citizens ought to be respected by the Legislature. The lack of common decency is #12 on your list of “Signs of the Imminent Fall of Civilization.” ---
**Author:** ![Oy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bc8723/32.png) [@Oy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oy)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2006, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arlen-spector-gentleman/357286/2 "2006-05-18T18:20:42Z")
This surprises me. Specter is usually known for his moderation. 😕 ---
**Author:** ![Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8edcca/32.png) [@Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hentor_the_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2006, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arlen-spector-gentleman/357286/3 "2006-05-18T18:23:47Z")
I for one wish that he would stop posing as a guardian of individual liberties and ethical governmental practices and actually _do_ something resembling the behavior of such a guardian. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2006, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arlen-spector-gentleman/357286/4 "2006-05-18T18:32:19Z")
> [@Oy!](#): > > This surprises me. Specter is usually known for his moderation. 😕 Yeah, there must’ve been some testy words exchanged between them before they exited. But this looks like a purely political ploy by Spector and the Pubs. He says he’s opposed to the amendment, but wanted to let the full Senate vote on it. IOW, he wants to be able to say Senator So-and-so is in favor of SSM if that Senator votes against the amendment. Sleazy, to say the least. ---
**Author:** ![UncleBeer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/977dab/32.png) [@UncleBeer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleBeer)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2006, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arlen-spector-gentleman/357286/5 "2006-05-18T18:38:16Z")
Yeah well. The guy’s in his fifth term. Perhaps he’s outstayed his welcome, himself. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2006, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arlen-spector-gentleman/357286/6 "2006-05-18T18:38:08Z")
I’ll say this for Feingold - he found something more effective to do than just a “no” vote. CNN noted, and I’m not surprised that Fox didn’t :rolleyes:, that the bill is thought to have little chance of passing the Senate. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2006, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arlen-spector-gentleman/357286/7 "2006-05-18T18:49:58Z")
Sen. Specter is a good man. I’ll chalk it up to a bad day. We all get hot and say things sometimes. ---
**Author:** ![Baldwin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baldwin/32/7264_2.png) [@Baldwin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baldwin)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2006, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arlen-spector-gentleman/357286/8 "2006-05-18T18:53:52Z")
There’s plenty more election year bullshit to come. Frist has set aside a week of committee time to talk about flag burning. Apparently the U.S. Senate has no more important issues to deal with. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2006, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arlen-spector-gentleman/357286/9 "2006-05-18T18:55:06Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > CNN noted, and I’m not surprised that Fox didn’t :rolleyes:, that the bill is thought to have little chance of passing the Senate. Yeah, because we all know that is all part of FoxNews’ secret plan to… ? ---
**Author:** ![UncleBeer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/977dab/32.png) [@UncleBeer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleBeer)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2006, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arlen-spector-gentleman/357286/10 "2006-05-18T19:01:54Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > I’ll say this for Feingold - he found something more effective to do than just a “no” vote. CNN noted, and I’m not surprised that Fox didn’t :rolleyes:, that the bill is thought to have little chance of passing the Senate. Your scorn is misplaced. From the Fox link in the OP: > [@](#): > > Amid increasing partisan tension over President Bush’s judicial nominees and domestic wiretapping, the panel voted along party lines to send the constitutional amendment — which would prohibit states from recognizing same-sex marriages — **to the full Senate, where it stands little chance of passing**. ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2006, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arlen-spector-gentleman/357286/11 "2006-05-18T19:03:50Z")
> [@John Mace](#): > > Yeah, because we all know that is all part of FoxNews’ secret plan to… ? Take over white house press operations: > [@](#): > > **MR. SNOW:** > Well, as I pointed out – I mentioned this yesterday, and for – let me see if I can find my quote, because I pulled it out. Chuck Hagel, as you may recall, made a fair amount of news over the weekend when he first said that – let’s see – “Well, I want to listen to the details and I want to listen to the President,” said Senator Hagel – he said this on “This Week” on a competing network. But I would say this: I think we have to be very careful here. That’s not the role of our military, that’s not the role of our National Guard." That’s what Senator Hagel said on Sunday. [http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2006/05/20060517-4.html](http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2006/05/20060517-4.html) ---
**Author:** ![Taber](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ac91a4/32.png) [@Taber](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Taber)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2006, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arlen-spector-gentleman/357286/12 "2006-05-18T19:05:45Z")
> [@FoxNews](#): > > Amid increasing partisan tension over President Bush’s judicial nominees and domestic wiretapping, the panel voted along party lines to send the constitutional amendment — which would prohibit states from recognizing same-sex marriages —\*\* to the full Senate, where it stands little chance of passing.\*\* _cough_ Though I’m not really buying Spector getting so mad about the whole thing if there’s nothing more to it than being “totally opposed to it, but felt it deserved a debate in the Senate.” err which is to say I think there’s more than just being “totally opposed to it, but felt it deserved a debate in the Senate.,” not that his anger was made up. ---
**Author:** ![UncleBeer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/977dab/32.png) [@UncleBeer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleBeer)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2006, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arlen-spector-gentleman/357286/13 "2006-05-18T19:08:31Z")
In actual fact, the CNN website has the exact same paragraph in its story: > [@](#): > > Amid increasing partisan tension over President Bush’s judicial nominees and domestic wiretapping, the panel voted along party lines to send the constitutional amendment – which would prohibit states from recognizing same-sex marriages – to the full Senate, where it stands little chance of passing. The remainder of the article is word-for-word, too. The only difference being Fox’s (incorrect) use of the em dash where CNN employs a double hypen. Not surprisingly since they’re both taken from AP. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2006, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arlen-spector-gentleman/357286/14 "2006-05-18T19:17:13Z")
> [@Squink](#): > > Take over white house press operations:[http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2006/05/20060517-4.html](http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2006/05/20060517-4.html) 🙂 Slip of the tongue. But good fodder for the conspiracy theorists! I’m not sure how smart this is of the Pubbies, politically. I think there are plenty of Repulicans who will be on record as being “pro gay marriage” by voting against this in the full Senate. Senator Spector being one of those who’ll vote against it, and McCain, too. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2006, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arlen-spector-gentleman/357286/15 "2006-05-18T19:38:50Z")
> [@Taber](#): > > Though I’m not really buying Spector getting so mad about the whole thing if there’s nothing more to it than being “totally opposed to it, but felt it deserved a debate in the Senate.” He was probably pissed at Feingold’s implication that, by voting for it, Specter showed that he didn’t support civil rights or the Constitution. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2006, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arlen-spector-gentleman/357286/16 "2006-05-18T19:53:43Z")
> [@John Mace](#): > > 1 > I’m not sure how smart this is of the Pubbies, politically. I think there are plenty of Repulicans who will be on record as being “pro gay marriage” by voting against this in the full Senate. Senator Spector being one of those who’ll vote against it, and McCain, too. So? That will just let the White House direct the wrath of Focus on the Family to those guys. Do you really think this is anything but a political ploy? Usually when a group wants to pass something, they work quietly to round up the votes. Something failing time and time again on the floor is not considered helpful to the cause. I don’t doubt the Pubbies believe in the amendment, but if passing it were their primary concern this is not how to go about it. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2006, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arlen-spector-gentleman/357286/17 "2006-05-18T20:04:10Z")
> [@Voyager](#): > > So? That will just let the White House direct the wrath of Focus on the Family to those guys. > > Do you really think this is anything but a political ploy? Usually when a group wants to pass something, they work quietly to round up the votes. Something failing time and time again on the floor is not considered helpful to the cause. I don’t doubt the Pubbies believe in the amendment, but if passing it were their primary concern this is not how to go about it. Read post #4. I’m just saying it will hurt some Pubbies as well as some Democrats. ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2006, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arlen-spector-gentleman/357286/18 "2006-05-18T20:12:22Z")
> [@John Mace](#): > > But this looks like a purely political ploy by Spector and the Pubs. He says he’s opposed to the amendment, but wanted to let the full Senate vote on it. Which is bullshit. Spector should put his vote where his mouth is. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2006, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arlen-spector-gentleman/357286/19 "2006-05-18T22:32:54Z")
> [@Frank](#): > > Which is bullshit. Spector should put his vote where his mouth is. While I tend to agree with you in this particular case, I wouldn’t generalize. I can imagine instances when a Senator might not favor a particular measure, but still, in good conscience, vote for it in committee in order do allow the entire Senate to vote on it. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2006, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arlen-spector-gentleman/357286/20 "2006-05-18T22:35:16Z")
> [@John Mace](#): > > Yeah, because we all know that is all part of FoxNews’ secret plan to… ? I was suggesting Fox wouldn’t denigrate such an obvious conservative ploy. But you guys are right, it’s an AP story anyway and I missed the phrase in the Fox link. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arlen-spector-gentleman/357286.md?page=2)