If one didn’t know better, one would think the Washington Post editors have a fair measure of contempt for Sen. Arlen Specter’s defection decision. With backhanded praise (“From the standpoint of personal ambition, it seems a brilliant move”), they obeserve:

Yet it’s troubling that Pennsylvanians voted for one thing — a Republican senator — but now find themselves with something else: a Democrat who, if and when Minnesotan Al Franken is seated, will represent the 60th vote in the caucus.

In this case, though, Pennsylvanians will get a chance reasonably soon to embrace or reject the rebranded Mr. Specter.

Ouch. But that is the bottom line: Voters can decide if  he was motivated by some newly discovered affinity for the beliefs of the Democratic Party or by sheer opportunism, or if they even care.

However, one part of the story doesn’t quite hang together. His “there’s no place for me” mantra sounds like it was borrowed from an old Sen. Jeffords speech. In Specter’s case, no Republican was lavished with more support from Republicans (e.g. Rick Santorum, John Cornyn) who held their noses and supported him despite flak from their conservative base. And who can forget the forbearance which Republicans exercised when they refrained from kicking him out of the Senate Judiciary Chairmanship after he suggested that Bush-appointed judges who did not support abortion wouldn’t be confirmed? (In those long ago days, dear readers, Republicans controlled the White House and Senate.) Really, he was more than “tolerated”; he was indulged.

When Olympia Snowe bemoans that “it didn’t have to come to this,” she implies that there was some Washington cabal forcing Specter out. In fact his approval rating is in the dumpster, so if she has a bone to pick it is with the people of Pennsylvania. And if her formulation for Republicanism is taken to heart — “our belief in restraining government spending, pro-growth policies, tax reduction, sound national defense, and maximum individual liberty” — Specter hardly passes the test. He incurred the ire of the Pennsylvania electorate not for voting for abortion but for voting for the pork-laden, entirely irresponsible stimulus plan. (But wait. So did Snowe.) Even by her definition Republicans at home had a right to be furious.

But that’s all behind us now. Voters will decide if Specter is who they want, whatever party label he chooses to affix to his name. But he might not want to use that Post op-ed in his ads.