The Massachusetts centerfold senator is avoiding a Palin Tea Party rally on the Boston Common on Wednesday. But local Tea Partiers claim they aren't mad, because Brown "has half a century of Kennedy damage to compensate for." Conservative tension brewing!

Not everyone is convinced that Brown just has so much work to do in Washington that he can't make it. From the Boston Herald:

He wants to mainstream himself before the election," said Larry Sabato, a University of Virginia political scientist.

Brown, who took heat for the alleged misbehavior of some of his supporters at campaign events, may be trying to distance himself from what could be a volatile event, said political analyst Lou DiNatale.

"You're worried at a rally that there's a sign, a statement, an incident that's certifiably cuckoo occurs," DiNatale said.

Imagine that. Being associated with a bunch of racist, illiterate, old people may actually do a politician more harm than good. And this isn't the only Tea Party snub from Senator Brown, who may be turning his back on the wackos who backed his everyman-in-a-pick-up-truck campaign:

Barbara Klain, head of the Greater Lowell Tea Party, said Brown also turned down an invite to speak at their April 15 rally in downtown Lowell.

He said he was going to be in Washington," Klain said. "He needs to be doing his job."

Brown and Palin have a history of missed connections. When Brown won the election, he denied receiving a congratulatory phone call from firebrand Palin, but later said he simply "forgot." Take a hint: He doesn't like you!

[Image via Getty]