Specter wants Wilson censured

Sen. Arlen Specter (D-Penn.), who's looked at POTUS from both sides now, was just on the Bill Press radio show suggesting the South Carolina firebrand Joe Wilson be censured for his heckle heard round the world.

Said the Republican-turned-Dem:

"He apologized immediately afterward but I don't think that’s adequate... If an apology is the consequence of an outburst I think we can expect more – that’s not a sufficient penalty that’s not a sufficient price to pay.. I'm not saying the guy should be kicked out of the House… But there ought to be some rebuke, reprimand, censure -- something that will discourage that kind of conduct in the future. If you do that to the President, it's open season."

Earlier on his show, Press spoke with House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn (D-SC), who said Wilson should "man up" and apologize directly to Obama -- or that Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) should mea culpa the White House on his behalf.

Glenn Thrush is senior staff writer at Politico Magazine.