By Edward Epstein, CQ Staff

Moving Sen. Arlen Specter from the Republican column to the Democratic column is so heartening to the majority party that its leaders had a hard time Wednesday keeping their glee in check.

Speaker Nancy Pelosi , D-Calif., talked about a “radical right-wing element” that exerts power within the GOP and complained that “Republicans in the House of Representatives are difficult to deal with.”

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid , D-Nev. piled on, too.

“I wish we could say that the Republicans agreed to work with us,” Reid said. “It would have been good for the country if they had. We still extend an open hand. across the aisle...and will continue to do that.”

In quitting the GOP, Specter acknowledged that he was unlikely to win a Pennsylvania in which conservative voters would predominate.

Reid said that he, Pelosi and President Obama have discussed what they see as the Republicans’ lack of cooperation with the Democratic Congress and president, who campaigned on transforming the hyper-partisan atmosphere in Washington.

“We have reached out to the Republicans every way we know how,” Reid said. “I have to believe that the message going out to the American people is that Republicans want to continue to be the party of ‘no,’” Reid said.

Rep. Tom Price , R-Ga., chairman of the Republican Study Committee, said Pelosi’s comments “demonstrate an absolute disconnect with the American people. The American people are not interested in the degree of borrowing, spending and taxing in the budget.”

Pelosi said she wants to see the GOP rebound from its current low, and that disaffected Republicans should speak up.

“By and large I say to Republicans across the country: Take back your party, the party of protecting the environment, the party of protecting individual rights,” Pelosi said. “Our country needs a strong, diverse Republican Party.”

“Not too strong,” Reid countered.