Top Items:
Chris Cillizza / The Fix:
Specter To Switch Parties — UPDATED, 2:10 p.m. Continue following the story here. — Original Post — Pennsylvania Sen. Arlen Specter will switch his party affiliation from Republican to Democrat and announced today that he will run in 2010 as a Democrat, according to a statement he released this morning.
Discussion:
MSNBC, FiveThirtyEight, Ben Smith's Blog, The New Ledger, Politics Daily, Washington Monthly, www.washingtonexaminer.com, Taegan Goddard's …, Townhall.com, Balloon Juice, The Moderate Voice, Crooks and Liars, The Atlantic Politics Channel, D-Day, Commentary, Election Law, ONTD: Politics, Real Clear Politics, Fox News, Sister Toldjah, The Other McCain, Grist, The Anonymous Liberal, Raw Story, Hot Air, The Reaction, Whiskey Fire, Flopping Aces, Daily Kos, Guardian, PERRspectives, BitsBlog, QandO, Outside The Beltway, The Sideshow, Weekly Standard, MyDD, Wonk Room, TVNewser, Clusterstock and Senate Guru
RELATED:
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.
Discussion:
The Moderate Voice, NPR Blogs, The Hill's Blog Briefing Room, MSNBC, The Atlantic Politics Channel, Washington Monthly, The Daily Dish, Ben Smith's Blog, Time, TPMDC, Newsweek Blogs, Political Punch, Open Left, RHRealityCheck.org, Firedoglake, Reason, Brendan Calling, TRAIL BLAZERS, D-Day and AmSpecBlog
CNN:
Specter: ‘The disappointment runs in both directions’ — WASHINGTON (CNN) — Veteran Pennsylvania Sen. Arlen Specter said Tuesday that he switched from the Republican to the Democratic Party. — “I know I'm disappointing many of my colleagues,” he said at a news conference.
Alexander Bolton / The Hill:
Specter move caught GOP leaders by surprise — Senate Republican leaders said they had received no heads-up from Sen. Arlen Specter (Pa.) about his decision to leave the Republican Party and run for reelection as a Democrat. — Specter told Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) …
Discussion:
The Politico
Carl Hulse / The Caucus:
Specter To Switch Parties — Senator Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania said on Tuesday he would switch to the Democratic party, presenting Democrats with a possible 60th vote and the power to break Senate filibusters as they try to advance the Obama administration's new agenda.
Discussion:
The Politico, Eunomia, Environmental Capital, The Edge of the American West, The Lede, The Campaign Spot and The Reaction
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 …
Michelle Malkin:
Arlen Specter makes it official; Flashback: Specter's denial — Well, it appears that the head of the Turncoat Caucus is finally making it official. Arlen Specter, we have just 10 words for you: — Don't let the door hit you on the way out. … The readers at Human Events give Specter a nice send-off.
The Politico:
Specter: I'm not an automatic 60th vote — Republican Sen. Arlen Specter has decided to switch parties and become a Democrat, stunning his GOP colleagues in the Senate while pushing Democrats and President Barack Obama one step closer to unfettered power in Washington.
Alexander Bolton / The Hill:
Specter courts conservatives in Pa. rematch — Sen. Arlen Specter (R-Pa.) has been laying the groundwork for a grudge rematch against former Rep. Pat Toomey since 2004, when Specter almost lost his seat to the conservative firebrand. — Conservative leaders say that Specter's relationship …
Jonathan Cohn / The New Republic:
What a Specter Shift Means—and Doesn't Mean — A little while ago, my colleague Mike Crowley heard from sources that Arlen Specter is leaving the Republican Party. And I see now that the Washington Post is reporting it, as well. But the headline currently on the Post home page …
David Weigel / The Washington Independent:
Club for Growth Speechless on Specter Switch — I just called the Club for Growth for a reaction to Sen. Arlen Specter's (?-Pa.) announcement that he is switching to the Democratic Party and found Nachama Soloveichik, who is about to leave the Club to work for Republican 2010 Pennsylvania primary candidate …
Josh Marshall / Talking Points Memo:Specter and EFCA — Grover Norquist tells the Washington Independent …
Jennifer Parker / George's Bottom Line:Specter Switches Sides; Tells Obama: 'I'm a Loyal Democrat'
Discussion:
Washington Monthly, The Atlantic Politics Channel, Taylor Marsh, TQIA, The Hill's Blog Briefing Room and Eschaton
Donald G. McNeil Jr / New York Times:
With Swine Flu Cases Rising, Borders Are Tightened — Countries around the world began tightening their border and immigration controls Tuesday as the number of confirmed cases of swine flu continued to rise. — The number of deaths believed attributable to swine flu climbed to as many as 152 …
Discussion:
Washington Post, Associated Press, David Rothkopf, Group News Blog, The Hill, The Caucus and The Lede
RELATED:
Iain Martin / Telegraph:
Britain is going to need far more people like Sir Michael Caine — The son of a charlady from Rotherhithe is an example of social mobility at its best - but try telling that to Labour, says Iain Martin. — His name, as they say, is Michael Caine. And he's not a happy bunny.
Joseph Abrams / Fox News:
Despite Reports, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed Was Not Waterboarded 183 Times — The number of times Khalid Sheikh Mohammed was waterboarded was the focus of major media attention — and highly misleading. — FOXNews.com — The New York Times reported last week that Khalid Sheikh Mohammed …
Jack Cafferty / CNN:
Cafferty: Time for Cheney to go hunting — Editor's note: Jack Cafferty is the author of a new book, “Now or Never: Getting Down to the Business of Saving Our American Dream.” He provides commentary on CNN's “The Situation Room” daily from 4 to 7 p.m. ET. You can also visit Jack's Cafferty File blog.
RELATED:
Wall Street Journal:
Fed Pushes Citi, BofA to Increase Capital — Regulators have told Bank of America Corp. and Citigroup Inc. that the banks may need to raise more capital based on early results of the government's so-called stress tests of lenders, according to people familiar with the situation.
Deputy Ed. - Gen. Assignment Desk, DC — 
EU Technology Reporter, Brussels — 
Breaking News Reporter, NY — 
Harrisburg Reporter, PA — 
Senior Editor - Styles, NY — 
Part-time Editor, Remote — 
Home & Travel Reporter, Ireland — 
Assistant Digital Editor, MA — 
Senior Editor - Visuals (Temporary), DC — 
Copy Editor, Remote US — 
Markets Reporter, NY/CA — 
Staff Writer, MI — 
Food Reporter, CA — 
Staff Writer, NV — 
Pharma Editor, Remote — 
Higher Ed. Reporter, Remote CA — 
Politics Reporter, Brussels — 
Investigations & Enterprise Ed., WI — 
Social Strategy Editor, NY — 
Senior Narrative Editor, CA — 
Editor-in-Chief, NY (flexible) — 
Housing Reporter, OK — 
Writer/AI Content Reviewer, CA — 
Writer/Editor, Remote — 
Multi Media Reporter, NC — 
Afternoon/Night Editor, NH — 
Education Lab Editor, WA — 
Senior Editor, Remote US — 
State Worker Reporter, CA — 
Executive Editor, NM — 
News Assistant, NY — 
Local Editor, NJ (Remote) — 
News Writer, CA — 
News Editor/Reporter, KS — 
