Specter to Address PA Democratic Committee

When five term Pennsylvania U.S. Senator Arlen Specter announced in April that he was switching parties and would run in the Democratic Primary in 2010, he received the backing of President Barack Obama and Governor Ed Rendell. This week he will try to court Democratic officials at the local levels. Specter is to address the Pennsylvania Democratic State Committee Friday in Pittsburgh. Over the last two weeks, Specter has been participating in conference calls with groups of regional and local Democratic officials to discover their concerns. A spokesman says the senator and his aides have been working on Friday's speech for a week. Congressman Joe Sestak of suburban Philadelphia, who is expected to challenge Specter in the Democratic Primary, says he'll be on hand for Specter's speech.