Specter Forgets He's Supposed To Be For Franken Now

Newly-minted Democrat Arlen Specter gave a brief interview to Sunday's New York Times Magazine. The Q&A ran the gamut, with questions about Michael Steele ("On Chairman Steele's record, I don't think any reply is necessary"), his mother ("an angel") and his health ("I'm full of vim, vigor and vitality"). Specter gave a too-much-information answer when asked what Bob Dole, with whom he shares a hometown, was like as a young man: "From reliable sources, he did not need Viagra then." Ewwww.

Deborah Solomon also asked Specter about the lack of Jewish members of the GOP:

With your departure from the Republican Party, there are no more Jewish Republicans in the Senate. Do you care about that?

I sure do. There's still time for the Minnesota courts to do justice and declare Norm Coleman the winner.

It's a fair answer, since Coleman is indeed Jewish. Except for one small thing: Coleman is a Republican. Specter is, of course, supposed to be endorsing Franken, the Democrat (who's also Jewish).

Sure enough, the Times has since printed a clarification from Specter's camp. Turns out the senator "conclusively misspoke," as he told CQ. "In the swirl of moving from one caucus to another, I have to get used to my new teammates." Better study up on the Dem playbook, senator. These are the kinds of things that might bite you back come election time.