Scott Brown Passes on Tea Party Rally With Palin

Scott Brown is distancing himself from the Tea Party advocates that got him elected, having turned down an invitation to speak with Sarah Palin at the grassroots group's first big Boston rally. Brown is tacking to the center since being elected on a wave of populist fury, and has told conservative groups that he's too busy in Washington to attend any events.

Most organizers understood: "I’d happily forgo having him if he’s truly doing the job of the people," the head of a local Tea Party group tells the Boston Herald. "He has half a century of Kennedy damage to compensate for, after all.” (More Scott Brown stories.)