Former Sen. Specter to host television show

    Arlen Specter is out of office, but Pennsylvania’s longest-serving U.S. senator isn’t done trying to make an impact on public debate.

    The pilot episode of a political-affairs show he’s hosting will air Friday night on Maryland Public Television. A station spokeswoman says additional episodes will depend on fundraising to pay the approximately $100,000 cost to produce each show.

    With showmanship like this, though, it shouldn’t be a problem.

    The first episode will focus on campaign finance. An executive producer, Craig Snyder, says he hopes the series will be distributed nationally to public TV stations by the summer.

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    Specter’s 30-year run in office ended a year ago.

    The 81-year-old was defeated in the Democratic primary after switching parties to avoid Republican primary voters angered by his vote for President Barack Obama’s economic stimulus package.

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