Specter's 100th Day Gift to Obama, Defection to Democrats

President Obama went to St. Louis, Missouri today to mark his hundredth day in office. He reviewed his accomplishments and said it would take hard work to achieve the rest of his goals. Yesterday, he got a boost in that direction when Arlen Specter switched parties. Or did he? The Pennsylvania Senator drove a hard bargain, and skeptics say he’ll be no more reliable as a Democrat than he was as a Republican. But, while Specter might have been a Republican in name only, is he leaving a party that’s now so ideologically pure its nominees can’t win general elections?

White House photo: Pete Sauza