An editorial piece by the Richmond Times-Dispatch published July 20 in The News Virginian (“Plumber’s point pertinent”) reminds me of a liberal tactic that is being repeated today. 

When Arlen Specter announced that he was leaving the Republican Party, it seemed first and foremost like an attempt at self-preservation. He didn’t think he could win the Republican primary in Pennsylvania because his party had moved too far to the right to elect him, so he became a Democrat. Simple. Or maybe not so simple.