Arlen Specter (R-Sad Sack) is one of those Senate Republicans who likes to put up at least a facade of independence. Which, despite the total lack of results ever, is fun when it leads to stories like the one in the Times today about how Dick Cheney told the rest of the committee to block testimony from TelComs, but didn't tell Arlen about it beforehand. Which leads to that strongest of Washington weapons, the angry mildly peeved letter:

"I was surprised, to say the least, that you sought to influence, really determine, the action of the committee without calling me first, or at least calling me at some point," Mr. Specter wrote. "This was especially perplexing since we both attended the Republican senators caucus lunch yesterday and I walked directly in front of you on at least two occasions en route from the buffet to my table."

Awww...

(We will never get tired of that joke. Thanks, anonymous craigslist smartass!)

Specter's Uneasy Relationship With White House Is Revealed in a Letter to Cheney [NYT]

I passed you en route to the buffet table TWICE [craigslist]