POLITICS - True Moderate Arlen Specter Dies at 82

A politician that was a true moderate that believed in governance, and was driven out of the (now extreme) Republican Party.

"Former Sen. Arlen Specter, 82, Prioritized Law, Policy Over Party Affiliation" PBS Newshour 10/15/2012

Excerpt

SUMMARY: Arlen Specter served in the U.S. Senate for nearly 30 years, during which he served as a Democrat and Republican. As a moderate, he frequently ignored party lines, speaking his mind on issues from judicial appointments to health care reform and stimulus spending. Kwame Holman remembers Specter who died from cancer at age 82.

KWAME HOLMAN (Newshour): For three decades, Arlen Specter was a leading moderate in the U.S. Senate. His name never was on major legislation, but he made his mark as a maverick.

In 1987, as a Republican, he opposed the nomination of conservative Robert Bork to the U.S. Supreme Court, joining Democrats in challenging Bork during confirmation hearings.