Rick Santorum's ties to Arlen Specter described in book

[Torie]

There is not really that much here (and for all my long list of particulars against Rick, his emeshment with Specter really isn't one of them), but one thing I found interesting is that Rick was trying to throw Specter a lifeline as late as 2009, taking the initiative to warn Specter to vote against the stimulus plan, least it agitate a conservative primary challenge (i.e., Toomey of course) against him.

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I wonder if Rick has some rivalry with Toomey, and note that Toomey joined the Romney camp long ago. Is there some tension between the two guys?  Toomey says no, it is all ancient history, but that of course would be the diplomatic thing to say.

[Keystone Phil]

The Santorum-Toomey relationship was obviously very tense years ago but Toomey went out of the way to help Rick in 2006. I think they get along but aren't best buds. A lot of Toomey loyalists, though, despise Rick for various reasons and I think that's why this "Toomey hates Santorum" thought lives on.

Specter is being himself, trying to hurt Rick by playing this up. Unfortunately, Specter is correct in saying that without Santorum, he wouldn't have won the primary.

[argentarius]

Nobody cares about Arlen Specter.

[King]

Rick supported a longtime Republican Senator from his own state?  Shocking.

[Likely Voter]

The only place I think the Specter attack on Santorum could work is possibly in PA, where some in the GOP could see Arlen as a traitor. 

[Bacon King]

Santorum called Specter and told him to vote against the stimulus. How exactly could this be spun as a bad thing for the Republican base?