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Arlen Specter Quotes

Arlen Specter was an American lawyer, author, and politician who served as United States Senator for Pennsylvania. Specter was a Democrat from 1951 to 1965, then a Republican from 1965 until 2009, when he switched back to the Democratic Party. First elected in 1980, he represented Pennsylvania in the U.S. Senate for 30 years.

Specter was born in Wichita, Kansas, to emigrant Russian Jewish parents. He graduated from the University of Pennsylvania and served with the United States Air Force during the Korean War. Specter later graduated from Yale Law School and opened a law firm with Marvin Katz, who would later become a federal judge. Specter served as assistant counsel for the Warren Commission investigating the assassination of John F. Kennedy and helped devise the "single-bullet theory". In 1965, Specter was elected District Attorney of Philadelphia, a position that he held until 1973.

During his 30-year Senate career, Specter staked out a spot in the political center. In 2006, he was selected by Time as one of America's Ten Best Senators. Specter lost his 2010 re-election bid in the Democratic primary to former U.S. Navy vice admiral Joe Sestak, who then lost to Republican Pat Toomey in the general election. Toomey succeeded Specter on January 3, 2011.

Diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma in early 2005, he continued his work in the Senate while undergoing chemotherapy. He later died of complications of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma on October 14, 2012. Wikipedia  

✵ 12. February 1930 – 14. October 2012
Arlen Specter photo
Arlen Specter: 7 quotes0 likes

Famous Arlen Specter Quotes

“I would suggest respectfully to the president that he is not the sole decider. The decider is a shared and joint responsibility.”

Arlen Specter

In a hearing on Congress's War Powers (January 30, 2007).

“I didn't want to get into a political debate with him, but my patience was running thin…My shorts were getting a little tight.”

Arlen Specter

About disagreeing with President Bush on Iraq (January 30, 2007) http://web.archive.org/web/20070224235858/http://www.philly.com/mld/inquirer/news/nation/16587417.htm?source=rss&channel=inquirer_nation.

“There ought to be a million-person march on the Mall… that can be heard in the living quarters of the White House.”

Arlen Specter

On President Bush's potential veto of a new bill on stem-cell research; reported in Stem cell bill backers hopeful of success http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16545499/", NBC News (January 9, 2007).

“We will submit legislation to the United States Senate which will…authorize the Congress to undertake judicial review of those signing statements with the view to having the president’s acts declared unconstitutional.”

Arlen Specter

Preparing a bill to allow Congress to sue the president in federal court; reported in "[ Sen. Specter preparing bill to sue Bush http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/14020234/", NBC News (July 24, 2006).

“There is just no sensible, logical reason why we would not make use of stem cell research.”

Arlen Specter

Promoting a proposed new bill; reported in " Senate poised to pass stem cell bill http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/13903040/", NBC News (July 17, 2006).

“Resolutions are flying like snowflakes around here.”

Arlen Specter

In a hearing on Congress's War Powers (January 30, 2007).

“We're all looking for a plan that will work. The current plan is not working, and 21,500 additional troops -- it's a snowball in July. It's not going to work.”

Arlen Specter

In a hearing on Congress's War Powers; reported in " Senate Republicans divided in dissent on Iraq http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16877327/", NBC News (January 30, 2007)/

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