I think the ad Romney unveiled today is, far and away, his best ad and message yet:
Script For “Change Begins With Us” (TV:30):
GOVERNOR MITT ROMNEY: “If we’re going to change Washington, Republicans have to put our own house in order.
“We can’t be like Democrats – a party of big spending.
“We can’t pretend our borders are secure from illegal immigration.
“We can’t have ethical standards that are a punch line for Jay Leno.
“When Republicans act like Democrats, America loses.
“It’s time for Republicans to start acting like Republicans.
“It’s time for a change and change begins with us.
“I’m Mitt Romney and I approve this message.
Kudos to Romney for taking on the GOP’s image problems head on. I think an electorate that is tired of finger-pointing, excuses, and evading responsibility will appreciate a candidate who says, “our side screwed up.” (I think it’s a bit of what fueled Obamamania this year, his willingness to declare both parties to blame for dysfunctional government.) The spending demands that led to the Bridge to Nowhere, Bush’s in-your-face disregard for the base’s opinion on amnesty and border security, and the ethics of the Larry Craigs, Mark Foleys, and other creeps have seriously tarnished the Republican brand. Usually when a Republican criticizes his own party it is from the left, a sign of “growing in office” and earning “strange new respect”; Romney’s hitting his party’s failures from the right.
Another stray thought: You think the reference to Jay Leno was some sort of veiled jab at Fred Thompson?
UPDATE: If you want a different opinion, it appears Soren Dayton loathes it with the raging fury of a thousand burning suns.