Chris Matthews and Arlen Specter

So Chris Matthews, like Jeb Bush, is considering a Senate run in 2010. This time the state is Pennsylvania, and the seat that Matthews is seeking is the one held by long-time Republican senator Arlen Specter. How long has Specter been around? Well, he was one of the attorneys involved in the Warren Commission’s investigation of the 1963 Kennedy assassination. He has served long and well in the Senate as a moderate Republican. I have always felt that, in the midst of debates between the parties, Senator Specter was a fair, articulate defender of the truth. He always has been completely unfettered by ideology or party loyalty tests, instead using common sense as well as a desire to serve his people’s interests to guide his agendas and votes in the Senate. Specter recently served as the Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman when the last two Supreme Court appointees, John Roberts and Samuel Alito, were up for confirmation. He was very fair to all within the committee, regardless of their viewpoints, and produced two very productive and informative hearings. During the “nuclear option” period when then-Majority Leader Bill Frist threatened to bypass the Democrats’ judicial filibusters by radically changing the Senate rules, Specter was one of the handful of Republicans vehemently opposing this rash move. Yes, I strongly respect and esteem Arlen Specter as one of the best Republican senators in recent history.

But Senator Specter has been ill with cancer, twice undergoing chemotherapy for this disease within the past few years. Will he be able to continue being an effective senator while fighting cancer? I hope so, but many are wondering whether it may be time for another to replace him. And if someone does replace him, will it be a right-wing ideologue like Rick Santorum, a left-wing ideologue, or a more centrist Democratic candidate like Chris Matthews?

Chris Matthews is my current favorite cable news television personality. By far. Although he is by no means without faults, neither is anyone else in the business. Matthews is knowledgeable and passionate about whatever topic he has on his show. He deliberately gets guests who have a broad range of opinions and doesn’t shy away from confrontational debate. Matthews can provoke others to anger, but he also has a remarkably wicked sense of humor (my kind of host)! I can just imagine what he would be like on the Senate floor giving speeches (or even just presiding over the body with his gavel).

If Arlen Specter can endure his struggle with cancer and effectively carry on as a senator, then I support him staying on past 2010. But if his health continues to deteriorate, I think that Chris Matthews would be a great choice for the people of Pennsylvania to make if they want someone with a real personality who shares their essentially centrist-to-liberal political views.