Specter says he might have helped the country more if he'd stayed a Republican

One year ago, Senator Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania switched parties to avoid this year's Republican primary, where he'd have surely lost. It was nothing but political opportunism that caused him to switch parties, yet on the one year anniversary of his party switch, he reminisced about being a Republican anyway. Here he is in his own words, via Pennsylvania's Morning Call

"Well, I probably shouldn't say this," he said over lunch last month. "But I have thought from time to time that I might have helped the country more if I'd stayed a Republican."

Specter mused that perhaps if he'd remained in the caucus he could have persuaded one or two of his GOP colleagues to support health care reform. Not one Senate Republican voted in favor of it, but he swears he would have regardless of party affiliation.