Team Rudy unveils their first television ad today, “Tested.” There are so many street scenes of New York that it seems like a hybrid of two opening montages to movies — the first a gritty, mean-streets crime drama like “American Gangster” (depicting the state of the city during the Koch-Dinkins years) and the second the happier, safer, brighter city full of kids walking to school and joggers in the park – even a cute young couple to complete the “When Harry Met Sally” atmosphere.

It’s running in New Hampshire. One moment that stood out to me, Rudy says that when voters look at him, they’ll see someone who isn’t perfect, but who gets results, often extraordinary results.

The Rudy folks seem eager to emphasize that it’s a positive ad, but I cannot imagine the fallout if the national frontrunner’s first ad was negative on an opponent. Rudy didn’t need to go negative, but he also probably couldn’t afford to go negative.