LIVE: From Labor Conference

UNIVERSITY CLUB, Washington, D.C.

Two hours ago, Grover Norquist broke the news to a labor-relations conference here that Sen. Arlen Specter (R-INO) will oppose EFCA ("Card Check") in the Senate, which almost certainly dooms that vicious legislation to defeat.

I was scooped on this story by Dave Weigel and Phil Klein, because I had to go pay the water bill this morning. And now I have to go move my car from the $1 an hour spot before it gets towed. This conference is sponsored by Capital Research Center, and I could have been here earlier but . . .

HTTJYUB, as Gunnery Sgt. Hartman explains.

UPDATE: One of the speakers here today was Rep. Ernest Istook (R-OK) representing Save Our Secret Ballot. Just got a press release from SOS Ballot:

"Of course we are pleased that Sen. Specter listened to his constituents and has decided to not support cloture or card check. Card check may be dead in this Congress, but we still must push ahead at the state level to effectively kill the idea permanently. Other Senators should take note that Sen. Specter specifically addressed the issue of the cloture vote. Senators who say they're voting for cloture but not necessarily supporting the bill are playing a cynical game to fool voters."
-- Tim Mooney, national coordinator,
Save Our Secret Ballot

Specter is perhaps the most notorious congressional crapweasel ever to put an "R" beside his name -- and that's saying a lot.

UPDATE II: (phone report via Smitty) Having laid waste to the buffet, the McCain tsunami rolled forth in search of intermediate conquest. The ultimate goal, as always, being the karaoke bar, and the demolition of all things tasteful.

UPDATE III:
Cynthia seems surprised by the entire concept:

Did I miss a meeting? I know I’m brand new as a fiscal conservative, but I really thought the secret ballot was one of the few things that almost everyone in the U.S. supported. When did the secret ballot pass from being the cornerstone of our democratic republic to being anathema to our future because it stops labor union thugs from forcing people to join labor unions? DIS-EMPOWERING THUGS IS WHAT THE SECRET BALLOT IS SUPPOSED TO DO!!!

C'mon, lady: why settle for a Faustian bargain when there's a Cthulhuian one to be had?