Election 2010: Sestak Ad Links Specter To Bush & Palin

U.S. Rep. Joe Sestak is up with a new campaign ad, linking U.S. Sen. Arlen Specter to former President George W. Bush, former U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum and former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin.  Sestak starts the commercial with this message:  "I'm Joe Sestak, the Democrat. I authorized this message."

We're guessing someone in the Sestak campaign has been eager to use a clip of Specter, who left the Republican Party in April 2009 because he didn't want his five terms in the Senate to be judged by that party's primary voters.  The clip, used twice in this ad, has Specter saying, "My change in party will enable me to be re-elected."  Specter voices a very special emphasis on the word "re-elected."

The ad features a rally from the 2004 Republican primary election, when Bush called Specter a "firm ally" while Santorum looks on approvingly.  The ad wraps up with a picture of Specter after he endorsed Palin in 2008 for vice president on a ticket led by U.S. Sen. John McCain. The ad's kicker -- "Arlen Specter changed parties to save one job -- his, not yours."