Specter’s was due to the perception of opportunism and Crist’s is due to the reality of same

Lessons from Arlen Specter and Charlie Crist

By Yomin Postelnik
Saturday, May 22, 2010

One thing that people on both sides of the political debate can agree on is the need for sincerity in public service. The staunchest advocate of one philosophy respects the integrity and forthrightness of those who sincerely advocate for a contrasting point of view, if only they do so without a side agenda.

In today’s climate, the most able politician is politically inept if he or she does not possess a sincere and well thought out viewpoint. That is a good thing and a new reality that is long overdue in coming.

The cases of Arlen Specter and Charlie Crist prove this point. Both saw their political careers wane for two separate reasons. Specter’s was due to the perception of opportunism and Crist’s is due to the reality of same.

Specifically, Arlen Specter has always presented himself as a liberal Republican. He wasn’t arrogant about it and while he voted according to his own viewpoint, one that often seemed not to be clearly thought out and that was based on emotion or acquiescence to conventional “wisdom,â€