Arlen Specter and his Utah Ties
With all the heat Pennsylvania Sen. Arlen Specter is getting from the Republican Party for his recent defection to the Democrats — many calling him an opportunist and questioning his integrity — there is a Utah-based story about Specter that shows his humanity.
Specter was on a congressional fact-finding trip in Europe in the summer of 2007 when Kent Shearer, a longtime figure in Utah political circles and the state's one-time Republican chairman, passed away.
Specter cut the trip short and flew to Utah so he could attend Shearer's funeral.
He then gave a passionate tribute to Shearer on the floor of the Senate.
It turns out that Specter and Shearer were high school classmates in Russell, Kan., in the 1940s. In fact, they were debate partners and came in second in the state debate tournament, despite coming from a school with only 400 students.
Specter and Shearer, whose late wife Alice was also a significant figure in the Utah Republican Party, graduated from Russell High School in 1948, seven years after another nationally prominent Republican politician graduated from that school.
His name was Bob Dole.
Cheers,
Paul Rolly
Specter was on a congressional fact-finding trip in Europe in the summer of 2007 when Kent Shearer, a longtime figure in Utah political circles and the state's one-time Republican chairman, passed away.
Specter cut the trip short and flew to Utah so he could attend Shearer's funeral.
He then gave a passionate tribute to Shearer on the floor of the Senate.
It turns out that Specter and Shearer were high school classmates in Russell, Kan., in the 1940s. In fact, they were debate partners and came in second in the state debate tournament, despite coming from a school with only 400 students.
Specter and Shearer, whose late wife Alice was also a significant figure in the Utah Republican Party, graduated from Russell High School in 1948, seven years after another nationally prominent Republican politician graduated from that school.
His name was Bob Dole.
Cheers,
Paul Rolly
3:05 PM
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