Specter Refuses To Debate Primary Challenger, Rep. Joe Sestak On Meet The Press

The Plum Line is reporting that Senator Arlen Specter has declined an offer by Meet The Press to debate primary challenger Rep. Joe Sestak. This just goes to show you how a political snake like Specter as manage to survive all these years in Washington D.C.

Producers for Meet the Press invited Specter and Sestak to debate on the air this Sunday, according to Sestak spokesman Jonathon Dworkin. But last night, the Sestak camp was informed by the show that Specter had declined to appear, Dworkin says.

“Arlen Specter’s sense of entitlement is typical of a 30-year Washington insider,” Dworkin emails. “His refusal to defend his views on the most influential national news program in the country says it all.” (Click Here To Read More)

This has been Specter's strategy for a longtime, Evade and Conquer. He did this to republican primary challengers all the time. Specter leads Sestak by double digits in the polls so he does not need to debate. Sestak knows that.

But will Specter's strategy work in the long run when a national movement like the Tea Party is agressively campaigning to return to our country to it's founding principles. A movement that wants open debate and new ideas. I think PA republicans and democrats can find common ground here. It is time for voters to show Specter the door! I urge all the Tea Party memberes to urge Specter to be held accountable and debate his challenger Joe Sestak.

Update From The Daily Kos: Sestak challenges GOP frontrunner Pat Toomey to a debate on Meet The Press to take Specter's place.

In a clever gambit, Team Sestak fired off a press release on Thursday inviting likely GOP nominee Patrick Toomey to debate Sestak in Specter's place, arguing that "Arlen Specter and Pat Toomey's policies are interchangeable. Debating Pat would be just like debating Arlen Specter."

More: Specter declines "Meet the Press" debate (Early Returns Blog)