When life hands you lemons in the form of a rock-bottom 22 percent party-ID rating, make lemonade by smearing the party label all over the guy who just defected. I love the tactic, but it’s borderline surreal to watch the GOP hammer America’s most famous ex-RINO for being too darned conservative. And if you think this is clever, feast your eyes on the clips they’ve put up at their “Meet Arlen” attack page. I hope for Specter’s sake that The One’s serious about campaigning for him, because by the time the NRSC’s done, the Democratic base will have to be dragged kicking and screaming to the polls to vote for him.

You know what would be really awesome? Having Cheney endorse him a week before election day. Comedy gold.