One question that has surging candidate Rick Santorum squirming is why he backed incumbent Senator Arlen Specter against his Republican primary challenger, then-Congressman Pat Toomey, in 2004. Toomey was clearly the more conservative candidate, and he lost by only 51%-49%, so anything working in Specter’s favor—including Santorum’s endorsement—can reasonably be said to have made the difference.

Santorum says he is proud of backing Specter because in 2005 and 2006 Specter, as Chairman of the Judiciary Committee, shepherded the confirmations of Judge John Roberts and Samuel Alito to the Supreme Court. That’s a fair enough defense, and Specter in fact did a fine job on those hearings. Remember how he interjected, “Senator Kennedy, let the judge answer the question.” When Arlen Specter is on your side, he can be very effective.