Rick Santorum confronts Arlen’s specter

[ellisonz]

By ALEX ISENSTADT and CHARLES MAHTESIAN | 1/15/12 7:13 AM EST

Rick Santorum can point to a conservative legislative record and sterling credentials on social and cultural issues. The left hates his guts.

Even so, he’s got a long way to go before he can consolidate conservative support ahead of the Jan. 21 South Carolina primary.

One reason why: Arlen Specter.

Nearly eight years after Santorum endorsed his Pennsylvania Republican Senate partner against a conservative primary challenger, that single act continues to haunt him, an almost unforgivable heresy that lingers uncomfortably in the minds of many conservatives.

Read more: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0112/71455.html#ixzz1jgtdQjnD

That and he's a turd. *splat*

[Hampton Jones]

1. I honestly don't think that will be such a big deal to the base.

After all, his main challengers have done much more liberal things. If campaigning for a Republican incumbent is too liberal, running "to the left of Ted Kennedy" must be way moreso. If campaigning for a Republican incumbent isn't conservative enough for the base, then joining forces with a liberal Democrat ex-president to make an environmental ad must be a total disqualification.