Republicans Play Blame Game Over Specter

Arlen Specter’s departure has set off a wave of finger pointing within the Republican Party, Politico reports. Some blame Specter for not having the ideological purity to stick with the party. But others single out various Republicans they claim helped push Specter out the door, from Michael Steele, who once said he’d support a primary challenge to Specter, to the Club for Growth, the group that championed that challenger.

The Club for Growth is a particularly juicy target. “I wish they’d spend their money going after Democrats,” lamented one Republican. “In blue states, we’re not going to get conservative Republicans.” But the Club’s vice president counters that a “big tent” is overrated, yielding the ideologically muddled Bush presidency. “People like Specter destroyed the Republican brand.” (More Arlen Specter stories.)