The American Spectator

Arlen Specter was front and center at a low key Capitol Hill fundraiser for his Pennsylvania partner, Sen. Rick Santorum last Thursday morning. Specter spoke briefly at a breakfast fundraiser for Santorum at the French power and dinner spot, La Colline. Specter has been the most consistent supporter of Santorum, not so much because they like each other, but because Santorum sold out his conservative base last election cycle to help Specter get re-elected. /p>

Now, Specter is returning the favor by fundraising for Santorum, but it isn’t helping the junior Senator that much. Last week’s fundraiser met its goal, but just three days before the event, they were more than $2,000 short and desperate for rear ends to fill the seats.

“Lots of arm-twisting to had to be done to meet their goal,” says a Capitol Hill lobbyist, whose company chose not to give to the event. “The problem is, Rick and his people keep bugging us, and we’ve already given. But they expect more. If Rick actually did something for us, it would be another matter, but he keeps screwing us on tax policy and other issues.”

Santorum recently annoyed the banking and financial communities with his refusal to fully support several pending tax-cut issues before the Senate Finance Committee. Only after his campaign fundraisers let him know he was irking some high profile backers did Santorum tack on his position and assert full support for the measures.

“Rick is in a tough spot,” says a Senate leadership aide, “and people have to give him a break. He’s got the national Democratic Party out for his head, watching his every move. But he’s got a very good staff, and a very good campaign. People have to give him some breathing room, and he’ll be just fine.”

p> EXTREMIST VANGUARD br> Senate Democrats have moved from looking to the research of their staff on the Senate Judiciary Committee to outside sources in their fight to block the confirmation of Supreme Court nominee Judge Samuel Alito . /p>