Want to really tick off U.S. Rep. Joe Sestak? Ask him about his position in the polls.

That’s what I did, the first question I tossed at him during his visit with the Daily Times editorial board on Tuesday.

I asked him about the most recent poll that put him down by double digits in his bid to snare the Democratic U.S. Senate nomination from newly minted Dem Sen. Arlen Specter.

Sestak bristled. He pointed out I didn’t ask him about the other polls that show the race closer, nor the fact that he’s already cut into Specter’s lead, or even the fact that he was in much worse shape when he challenged incumbent Congressman Curt Weldon four years ago.

Then he hammered away at some of Specter’s numbers – including an electability number that Sestak says does not bode well for the senior senator.

Sestak paid us a visit to give us an update on his uphill climb to topple Specter. He did not mince words. He blamed Specter for going along with the fiscal policies of the Bush Administration – including the deregulation of the financial markets – that put this country in the worst economic morass since the Great Depression.

“How could you not run?” he said.

Well, for one thing, I asked him, there is the small matter of that 7th District Congressional seat. It took Democrats 20 years to wrest that seat away from Weldon.

And it took Sestak just slightly more than one term to cast his eyes on higher office.

“I was asked,” he maintains.

Sestak explained how he got into the race.

He was first approached by Democratic New Jersey Sen. Robert Menendez about running. Sestak told him he wasn’t interested.

When he was asked again, Sestak admits he was starting to be intrigued.
He huddled with his family and decided to do it, although a formal announcement was still well down the road.

Then came the political thunderbolt.

After backing President Obama with a key vote for his economic stimulus plan, Specter found himself on the outs with his own party. That is not an especially unusual position for the senator. But this time it was different. Specter’s own polling numbers told him he was not going to survive a primary battle with former congressman Pat Toomey.

So he did what any politician does, he changed his stripes. Voila!
Democratic Sen. Arlen Specter.

President Obama rejoiced. So did Specter’s old Senate and Amtrak pal, Vice President Joe Biden. Gov. Ed Rendell welcomed Specter with open arms.

Only one person seemed less than enthused. And nobody bothered to check with Sestak. In fact, he says he was asked to gracefully back out of the race. Talk about having the carpet pulled out from under you. Sestak refused. He’s in this for keeps.

The whole process seems to have left a bad taste in Sestak’s mouth, and he’s more than willing to tell you that’s not the way he believes politics should work, but too often does.

Outside of this region, he remains largely unknown. He’s not going to let that stop him.

He literally ran out of our office as he headed for a meeting with a TV station, followed by an evening chat with a group in Bucks County.

No doubt it was uphill all the way.