The fact that he totally betrayed his principles and his supporters have very little to do with it of course.
So instead of a phony pro life democrat we will be facing an actual pro abortion democrat in the fall. I’d rather face an honest foe than a phony friend.
Good riddance.
Update: What do you think the job payoff will be for him? I’ll wager Catholics United or some other pseudo Catholic group will put him on the payroll.
Update 2: I’ve always maintained the right thing is usually the smart thing, too bad Bart didn’t figure that out, we will have to pray for him of course.
Update 3: It has hit Memeorandum where Moe Lane agrees with me:
So… Stupak betrays the pro-life movement and his district, then quits rather than face the wrath of either. And don’t weep for him: he’ll segue right into the comfortable life of a DC lobbyist, which means that he’ll probably get a pay raise and will certainly enjoy the remainder of his term, free from the nagging terror beginning to fill the lives of his Democratic colleagues. Because you cannot trust a ‘conservative’ Democrat.
And his point about putting up a fight is well taken.
Update 4: Glenn asks the payoff question too, and Michael Graham’s line is so classic that I can’t make you wait to click the link:
“The Tea Party is the most pro-family org. ever! Everywhere they go, Dems decide to ’spend more time with family.’”
And of course he comments at his own site:
As I wrote in the Boston Herald today, the Left can keep insulting the 48 percent of the American people who think they have more in common with the Tea Party movement that the policies of Barack Obama. But eventually they’ll find themselves like Stupak, et. al.
“Spending more time with their families.”
Maybe more time in church and receiving the various sacraments would be good too.
Update 5: Captain Ed opines:
They fear losing the seat because of Stupak’s high-profile betrayal of his allies in the pro-life movement. If Democrats were really concerned about Stupak keeping his seat, they would have insisted on restoring Stupak’s language in the final reconciliation bill on banning federal funding for abortion. Instead, they gave Stupak a meaningless executive order to cover his (back)tracks — and it didn’t work.
This wasn’t fear, this was acceptable losses for them.
Update 6: The Lonely Conservative mentions it and Stacy has this to say
Stupak apparently figured out something that a lot of other people are going to figure out soon enough: The Blue Dogs will be an endangered species this fall.
Hey squishy republicans, that’s why you fight!
Meanwhile Michelle notes the following:
Yesterday, Stupak was still insisting he’d run again.
Today? Looks like the winds of change have prevailed. Politico reports the pro-life sellout isn’t going to wait for voters to retire him. His press conference is scheduled for 12:30pm Eastern. Stupid votes himself out
I guess saying one thing and doing another is habit forming.
Don Surber who I have linked to much less than I should be lately says:
This is how a representative democracy works: When a representative stops representing the people and instead represents the special interests in Washington, the people should dump him.
And that is what is happening in Michigan, where Democratic Congressman Bart Stupak will retire to a six-figure pension, floor privileges that ordinary lobbyists don’t enjoy, and a campaign war chest he can pretty much spend as he likes.
Update 7: Ruby Slippers notes a change in the narrative :
MSNBC’s Chuck Todd reported Democrats considered this a positive as they had anticipated losing 3 or 4 over the break to retirement. My head is still spinning from that one. I thought health care was going to save them after it passed, why would anyone retire?
Yeah that’s right, weren’t all the pundits saying that once the bill is passed the numbers would recover? I must have missed that bounce somehow.
I don’t want to sound like sour grapes or anything but I’ve been all over this from the start, what does a guy have to do to get a memeorandum link these days? Do they have something against hats?
Update 8: the answer to the above question is of course to link to Michelle Malkin: Welcome readers of Michelle, see how the movie The American President perfectly encompasses what’s wrong with liberalism, Find why Alexander Stephens accidentally foils the re-writing of history in more than one way. Meet Liz Carter running for congress in the Ga-4th district. And meet bloggers from all over in my field guide.
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