Standing under a banner celebrating the Steelers' 2009 Super Bowl win, Vice President Joe Biden was inspired to describe a Fantasy Political League draft.

Mr. Biden asked a crowd of Democratic contributors to consider their top draft choices, "for grit and gumption."

"Who would you pick -- even if you don't like the S.O.B?" he asked as Mr. Specter looked on approvingly. "Who would you pick? Arlen Specter."

In the latest in a string of administration appearances on Mr. Specter's behalf, the vice president reiterated his support for the political convert. He called Mr. Specter, "my best buddy," as he lauded the embattled incumbent's vote for the Obama administration stimulus package.

Mr. Specter was similarly effusive about his featured guest at the $500-a-ticket reception at Heinz Field.

The pals were joined on the stage by Gov. Ed Rendell. A few moments later, they would repeat their display of mutual admiration on the opposite side of Heinz Field before a larger crowd at the Allegheny County Democratic Party's annual Kennedy Lawrence Dinner.

Of the primary in his new party, Mr. Specter noted, "We have a battle on our hands; make no mistake about it being a tough election."

One of his Democratic challengers, state Rep. Bill Kortz, D-Dravosburg, was working the crowd at the Democratic dinner.

Another, Rep. Joe Sestak, D-Delaware County, was in Philadelphia, collecting an endorsement from Ned Lamont, who unsuccessfully challenged Connecticut's Sen. Joe Lieberman in 2006.

Another 2010 Democratic race was also on display at the Kennedy Lawrence event. Among the speakers were two of the contenders for governor next year -- County Executive Dan Onorato and state Auditor General Jack Wagner.

Last night's dinner was the end of a busy day for Mr. Specter, who hosted a U.S. Senate hearing on clean energy and "green jobs."

Mr. Specter acknowledged tensions between "competing interests" in Pennsylvania coal, natural gas and alternative energy industries as the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee began work on legislation titled "Clean Energy Jobs and American Power Act," introduced earlier this month.

Jason Walsh, representing Green For All, a national organization supportive of "green" economic growth, and Holly Childs, executive director of the Green Building Alliance of Western Pennsylvania, said up to 13,000 new blue-collar jobs could be created in the Pittsburgh region by the draft legislation under consideration.

But greenhouse gas emissions reductions of 20 percent by 2020 are unrealistic, said Daniel Kane, United Mine Workers secretary-treasurer, because that doesn't allow enough time to install carbon capture technology.

"We don't want to see climate legislation transformed into a mechanism for transferring jobs overseas," he said.

Washington correspondent Daniel Malloy writes the "Pittsburgh On The Potomac" blog exclusively at PG+, a members-only web site of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Our introduction to PG+ gives you all the details.