Sen. Arlen Specter took a verbal beating at a town hall meeting Tuesday morning in Lebanon County, Pa.
"One day God's gonna stand before you and he's gonna judge you and the rest of your cronies!" shouted a frustrated citizen after he learned that he wouldn’t be allowed to take a turn on the microphone.
See video of the outburst here.
The outburst was hardly the only one during the town hall meeting about health care, many of which were critical of Specter, a phenomenon that has been common across the country this summer.
"OK, we've just had a demonstration of democracy," Specter said as he tried to get back some control over the crowded room. He was conciliatory, up to a point:
"When he says that I'm trampling on constitutional rights, I have to disagree with him," said Specter.
He could have shut up at that point, but instead took a turn down the "you're darn lucky I'm here" highway.
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"I could be somewhere else. I don't get in the extra pay. I don't have any requirements to be here," Specter told the crowd.
The booing had started early when it was announced that only 30 pre-selected people, based on a first-come, first-served basis, would be allowed to ask questions.
If today's reception is any indication of the Pennsylvania senior Senator's standing in the state, he could face a tough challenge in the 2010 Democratic primary from Congressman Joe Sestak.
