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Marc Ambinder

Marc Ambinder - Marc Ambinder is the White House correspondent for National Journal and a contributing editor at The Atlantic. More

Marc Ambinder is the White House correspondent for National Journal. He previously served as the politics editor, and is now a contributing editor, for The Atlantic, where he curated the influential Politics channel on TheAtlantic.com and contributed to the magazine. He was also a chief political consultant to CBS News. Earlier, at NJ's Hotline, Ambinder was the founding editor of "Hotline On Call," a pathbreaking political news blog. He also worked as a producer and reporter for the ABC News Political Unit and was one of the founders of ABC's "The Note." Born in New York City, raised in Central Florida, Ambinder is a 2001 graduate of Harvard and lives in Washington, D.C.
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Behind The Headlines: Specter Of A New Political Landscape

By Marc Ambinder

Apr 28 2009, 2:00 PM ET Comment

Easy Explanation:  A long-time senior political consultant to Specter - a consultant who was already working on the 2010 campaign and was in touch with Specter several times weekly - said that Specter changed parties "because he couldn't win a GOP primary."


Thanks a lot, Hillary!  The contested primary between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama captured the attention of Pennsylvania moderates and resulted in a significant registration shift among moderates in Republican areas to Democratic.


Labor's Mixed Reaction. On the one hand, labor folks have some time to convince Specter than an EFCA vote won't be as bad. On the other hand, they don't have their own pro-EFCA Democrat to do it with. "Card check" legislation really hasn't advanced. Specter will risk being seen as wishy-washy (even more so!) if he changes his mind after saying he wouldn't. ON THE OTHER HAND -- Specter could be the compromise-broker.


Time flies. Two weeks ago, Specter said he'd be a Republican forever. 


Santorum's Turn?  Here's a chance to get his name back from Dan Savage. Rick Santorum, more visible of late than usual, may decide he wants to run for Senate, sted Governor. We'll see.


Schumer's Take:  The GOP is  "inhospitable to moderates."


What's Easier for Obama Right Now:  Nothing. 


What's Easier For Obama Soon: Getting to 60 on health care this year is inevitable now. Giving labor more room to maneuver during the legislative negotiations is also more likely. Getting some judges through, although Specter will want to retain his independence.


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