Democrat Specter Gets Put Into His Place: Dems Reduce His Seniority on Five Committees to Junior Status

Did Senator Specter really expect to keep his seniority when he switched from the Republican Party to the Democratic Party?

If he was, his hopes were dashed when the Senate demoted him on his committees from the top of the totem pole to the bottom on four of the committees on which he sits, and near the bottom on the fifth committee.

The Democrats did keep his seniority intact outside the committees and in the Senate, but that's all that's left.

I'm sure the Democrats are making him feel welcome, especially when he goes off the reservation like he did a few days ago when he said that the GOP might still win the open Minnesota seat currently being contested by Norm Coleman (R) and Al Franken (D). He discounted his statements as being due from switching parties and not shifting gears quickly enough.

The Democrats were said to be annoyed with the comments.

Democrats in Pennsylvania are lining up to challenge him. And his GOP rival had a 20 point lead on him when he quit the Republican Party. Specter's wish to hold onto power may be dashed by his new friends if he doesn't start parroting the new party line.

And no one seems to be sure if the Democrats are done with reducing Specter's power. But he has less to promise to his new constituents than he did when he was a Republican.