Two peas in a pod? The Center Daily Times tells us that Pennsylvania Republican Senators Rick Santorum and Arlen Specter toured Centre County’s Grange Fair together Tuesday, but Howard Mortman of New Media Strategies notices in the piece that Senator Specter is still the same man governed by Scottish Law, and he and Senator Rick are still worlds apart.

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Mortman quotes the CDT piece:

Santorum’s campaign RV pulled into the West Kurtz Street gate right behind Specter’s limousine … Santorum wore cowboy boots to the fair and a blue denim shirt, while Specter dressed less casually. … Specter did not criticize Casey and said the Santorum-Casey debate Sunday on NBC’s “Meet the Press” with Tim Russert will be crucial. “I think the ‘Meet the Press’ debate is going to be very important,” Specter said. I would not say anything bad about Mr. Casey, but I would say very positive things about Rick. I’ve learned to say positive things.”

He blogs:

Everything about that is stunning:

  • How they pulled up, RV vs. limo
  • Dress, cowboy boots and blue denim shirt vs. suit
  • What Specter said

After Santorum saved his ass two years ago, this is the gratitude Specter could muster in return, “I’ve learned to say positive things” about Santorum?

That’s our Arlen.

Howard questions why Specter would say that the Casey-Santorum “debate” on Russert’s show will be “very important”? After all, he asks, how many Pennsylvanians watch MTP. (Well, there’s me, of course, and Alex Charyna will be liveblogging it over at Santorumblog. But that’s probably about it.)

The three dynamics he sees: Casey’s doing his level bless to lose, Rick’s “a proven closer”; and Specter’s “is giving everyone more reasons to hate him.”

Arlen’s being Arlen. There’s plenty of precedent for such behavior from even, even super-duper precedent.

Santorum angered quite a few Pennsylvania conservatives when he joined the President in campaigning for Arlen Specter against conservative Rep. Pat Toomey in the 2004 GOP primary. (It was Rovian thought that Specter stood a better chance against the Democrat dud, Joe Hoeffel, that November. Rubbish, but most have forgiven Rick.) Specter shows his gratitude by explaining that he has “learned to say positive things” about Santorum in public.

The race is far from over; in fact, polls show that Rick is still trailing Casey Junior. It can’t help that Specter is trudging around the Grange Fair in suit and tie, alienating himself from the world around him. But in the end, it doesn’t hurt either.