Umm…Even real liberals can be Islamophobes, and in fact many are. Uncritical rights talk frames Islam as the enemy. When you are a politically convenient liberal, right-wing and liberal fears collapse into one great, big black hole of Specter.
Matt Duss notes a Washington Independent report that Arlen Specter will deliver the opening address to a right-wing anti-Muslim conference hosted by Daniel Pipes Middle East Forum:
A coalition of conservative legal groups will host a “Libel Lawfare: Silencing Criticism of Radical Islam,” a conference on how “Islamist lawfare” is imperiling free speech in America. Confirmed speakers include neoconservative foreign policy guru Frank Gaffney, lawyer Andrew C. McCarthy (who turned down an invitation to a White House counterterrorism conference to protest administration policy), Islam critic David Pipes, and… Sen. Arlen Specter (D-Pa.), who will give the opening speech.
Not to mention Big Al Dershowitz, king of Islamophobes, who’ll be there in all his glory. What in God’s name is Specter, a newly minted Democrat, doing in such wingnutty company?
Maybe it is like his comment about wanting Coleman to win in Minnesota – he still ocassionally forgets he has changed parties.