DARLIN' ARLEN

Our esteemed Constitutional scholar, Senator Arlen Specter, who was a Democrat before he was a Republican before he was a Democrat, has sent out an email crowing about the suitability of Ms. Sotomayor to join the Supremes. At least, that's the email I got. Up in the conservative coal regions of our Commonwealth, who knows what position he took? There has rarely been a more vicious or two-faced politician than our Darlin'. Anita Hill can testify to what it was like to be demeaned by this nasty "gentleman."

Arlen, who is now 79 years old, is famous here in Pennsylvania for standing on all eight sides of every issue. As far back as the Warren Commission, it was Arlen (who served as their special counsel) and his single bullet theory who managed to explain away the gunfire from the grassy knoll, the Cuban conspiracy possibility and the Mafia gunmen theory all at once.

Now that he is a Democrat again, a real Democrat is preparing to run against him for the party nomination for his Senate seat. Joseph Sestak bears watching. He is a retired Admiral who spoke out forcefully against the invasions of Iraq, a stand that got him elected to Congress from a Suburban Philadelphia county.

Representative Sestak, who is conducting a State-wide "listening tour" now is very likely to end Darlin' Arlen's remarkably slimy service in the Senate.

Remember, folks, you read it here first.