Monday, October 15, 2012

Arlen Specter

Some thoughts on the life of former Senator Arlen Specter, who died yesterday...

Specter was counsel to the Warren Commission, the group that investigated the JFK assassination.  The commission found Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone, and Specter was said to be the originator of the "magic bullet" theory.  Simply put, Specter believed the magic bullet struck both Kennedy and Gov. John Connally.  A lot of people didn't buy it then, and didn't buy it now.  I'm sure Specter was asked about it until the day he died.

I can believe Oswald acted alone.  I was never sure about Specter's magic bullet theory.

The man had an impressive resume-- Philadelphia district attorney, private practice, author, senator...  He lost elections for DA, governor and senate, and he kept coming back for more.  Specter was a fighter-- in politics, and against the cancer that eventually took his life.  The political and personal fights were admirable.  Facing a similar set of circumstances, many would have just given up.

Let me tell you something about the Arlen Specter experience.  He made frequent trips to our area, usually on Monday holidays.  Why?  Monday holidays are notoriously slow news days, and he knew that meant his visits would be page one and top of the newscast stories.  He would always work a room when he entered, walking around, exchanging pleasantries, shaking hands with everyone-- reporters, photographers, and anyone else who happened to be there.  I'm not sure if he was being a nice guy or a smart politician.  Probably both.

I will never forget the night in 1992 I yelled at Arlen Specter.  He had just won another election, and he had chosen the Glaziers' Union hall, far outside center city Philadelphia as the location for his victory speech.  I was working at a TV station down the street.  A photographer and I were assigned to get the victory speech, then get to center city, to meet up with another crew, covering Specter's opponent, and our satellite truck, to be live on the 11 PM news.  Typical Specter.  He was working the room after being declared the winner, shaking hands, basking in the glow.  I was looking at my watch.  Specter had yet to make his speech and it was getting dangerously late.  As he made his way to my side of the room, I yelled "It's getting late."  Motioning to the podium, I added "Would you get up there, already!"  He did.  I got my sound bite.  The photographer and I broke the sound barrier getting downtown, and we made our slot.

I interviewed Arlen Specter many times.  There were countless news conferences.  He never ducked a question.

Arlen Specter went against this party many times.  He was given the unenviable position of trying to impeach the credibility of Anita Hill, as she made accusations against Supreme Court nominee Clarence Thomas.

Specter, citing Scottish law, voted "not proven" during the Clinton impeachment.  It was among the silliest things I had ever heard, and Specter took a major credibility hit, at least in my book.

Things didn't end well.  Specter switched parties three years ago.  He started as a Democrat.  The bulk of his career was spent as a Republican.  Specter returned to his roots in an effort to win reelection.  He knew his goose was cooked in the Republican primary.  As it turns out, the Democrats didn't take kindly to a recent convert.  Arlen Specter's political obituary was written many times over the years.  He always proved the pundits wrong, but nothing is forever.

I had mixed feelings on the whole thing.  Conviction is important, and some would say Specter had none.  Others counter that Arlen Specter always had the same beliefs.  He was just expressing them under a different banner.

I read Specter was horrible to work for, but I also know people who stuck with him for a very long time.

Arlen Specter wanted cameras inside the U.S. Supreme Court, and a three lane Interstate 81 from Nanticoke to Clarks Summit.  We'll never see either.

Arlen Specter was Pennsylvania's longest serving senator, five terms.  I doubt we'll ever see anyone like him.  Arlen Specter was 82 years old.