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His YouTube video is essentially a negative ad but how effective is it? On one hand we've seen those Romney moments again and again so their utility for his rivals does lessen. However, the vigor of Romney's argument in 2002 is why, I think ,Thompson believes it is worth using. The Huckabee segment's usefulness is blunted because he is hardly recognizable. (Good reason to lose weight-- your mistakes will be less recognizable later in your career.) The Rudy segment is going to stir Second Amendment advocates but I wonder why he didn't use an immigration clip since that is such a potent issue, especially in Iowa. The main problem with the ad/video is that it does a better job of saying why these guys would not be acceptable to base conservatives than making the case FOR Thompson. That in nutshell may be his greatest problem in the race. But at least, unlike Romney, Thompson seems to recognize he has to go toe to toe with Huckabee or he's going to run away with it in Iowa.

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