PHILADELPHIA -- Whatever else you want to say about him -- and there are plenty of people ready with a few choice adjectives -- U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum makes a good speech.

"This is an enemy more dangerous than any we have faced in the 20th century," he said, standing in a park gazebo before a small crowd. "This is the fight of our time."

One of them anyway. Santorum may be thinking the same thing about his own fight for survival -- an uphill struggle to sell his controversial conservative record in a middle-of-the-road state where his opponent, moderate Democrat Bob Casey Jr., remains stubbornly ahead in the polls.

"(Santorum) is the incumbent in the deepest trouble in the entire country," said Larry Sabato, a political science professor at the University of Virginia.

Between now and November, the Senate's No. 3 Republican will engage in the fight of his life. He's spending millions on television ads, trying to revamp his record with a booklet called "50 Things You May Not Know About Rick Santorum" and attacking Casey like a pit bull.

Robert O'Connor, who taught Santorum in four political-science classes at Pennsylvania State University, recalled that young Rick was always interested in winning.

His tall, paunchy frame clad in brown pants and a polo shirt, Santorum shook hands, cradled babies and smiled for photos at a Sunday-morning breakfast in Lewisburg. He showed off his well-honed political charm, easily bantering with the crowd.

"Make some phone calls for us," Santorum said genially to one man. A nearby table held stacks of cards detailing how supporters could help the campaign.

Most of the crowd said they liked Santorum's conservative politics -- he's against abortion, gun control and amnesty for illegal immigrants, and supports the war in Iraq -- and viewed the devout Catholic as a man of principle.

Santorum admitted that Bush's approval ratings are "not helping us." But, he added, "this is going to be a race between two candidates and what we believe in."

Despite Bush's unpopularity, Santorum plans to have Bush come back to fundraise for him this fall. In a recent debate, he even called him a "terrific president"

In particular, he has been battered for living in Virginia rather than Pennsylvania, and for taking $70,000 from Pennsylvania for his children's home-school education. After his book of conservative values, "It Takes a Family," was released last year, Santorum was criticized for passages that appeared to demean working mothers.

Santorum has repeatedly drawn heat as the voice of the extreme right on controversial social issues such as abortion and gay marriage -- during an interview he infamously compared gay sex to "man-on-dog" sex -- and championing Terri Schiavo's right to remain on life support.

"He's made himself into a very sharply edged and polarizing figure," said political analyst Mike Young, of Michael Young Strategic Research. "The question is whether he has time to undo all the damage he has done. He has made himself very controversial."

Santorum is now making an 11th-hour effort to repackage his record, proclaiming his commitment to health care and jobs, as well as reminding voters that he brings federal dollars back to Pennsylvania.

The "50 Things You May Not Know About Rick Santorum" booklets note that he has collaborated with U2's Bono on fighting AIDS in Africa and that his wife has worked outside the home.

"The media spends 5 1/2 years trying to make me into Attila the Hun," Santorum said. "It's like a picture where èths of the picture is hidden."

In addition to polishing his own record, Santorum is doing everything he can to batter Casey's, airing attack ads and slamming him at every opportunity.

In many ways, Santorum has taken on the role of the challenger, dogging his opponent and begging for debates, while Casey is hanging back like an incumbent and limiting appearances.

"He (Casey) has managed to keep a comfortable lead so far. I don't think he wants to mess with the formula," said Christopher Borick, director of the Institute of Public Opinion at Muhlenberg College.

Casey, the laid-back son of the beloved former governor, lacks Santorum's fire on the stump. But his backers are hoping that Casey's general popularity, his moderate anti-abortion, pro-gun positions, and the hatred for Santorum and Bush, will be enough.

"It's dangerous because it cedes the field to Santorum, and given Santorum's money he has the ability to define Casey," said Tom Baldino, a professor of political science at Wilkes University.

On his stops throughout the state, Santorum pulled out all the stops, stressing his work on agriculture issues and efforts to provide aid to farmers. He pushed his support for the war, his opposition to Bush's immigration-amnesty plan and his dedication to what he calls "traditional family values."

"I've been out there on the front lines to preserve the traditions that made this country great," Santorum said to a group of senior citizens and college Republicans at Susquehanna University, who dutifully applauded.

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