Specter’s dramatic change in course today is, I’m betting, neither towards Senate Democrats or the Democratic Party in general. Rather, it’s a leap onto the long and growing coat-tails of Barack Obama.

Did Specter’s shift surprise the White House?

Obama called Specter shortly after learning the news during his daily economic briefing in the Oval Office on Tuesday morning, according to a senior administration official.

"You have my full support, and we’re thrilled to have you," Obama told Specter.

Maybe Obama did indeed first learn about Specter’s move by a passed note at a White House meeting. But, if Specter’s claim is true–that Obama pledged to campaign with him for the 2010 senate election, then not only have Specter’s prospects brightened considerably–but the White House was likely an active participant in negotiations before the switch. Hell, the whole thing could have been a WH covert operation.

After all, Obama has already shown in the past campaign that he will strongly support even very conservative Blue Dogs.

Obama’s brand is all about diminishing party ideology and achieving legislative victories on key upcoming votes–particularly healthcare reform. Specter, on the other hand, desparately wants to retain his senate seat, and he really doesn’t care much how he does it. It’s a match made in D.C. Heaven–a marraige of limited scope and duration, utterly devoid of either democratic or republican principles or ideology, and without any underlying significance aside from the narrow expectations of the two parties involved. Obama expects specific votes, while Specter anticipates another six years happily spouting Authentic Senatorial Jibberish .

Oh, and it also has that most-characteristic of all Obama fingerprints. It ignores all that unpleasantness of the past, while focusing on a hope-filled future.