The story

Fred Thompson aired the first negative television ad in the 2008 Republican presidential campaign race, using the CNN/YouTube debate Wednesday to deliver a double broadside against Mitt Romney and Mike Huckabee.

With five weeks remaining before the Iowa caucuses, Thompson's video took aim at Romney for changing his position on abortion rights and Huckabee for his past statements on taxes.

Each of the eight GOP candidates was allowed to air a 30-second, YouTube-style campaign commercial during the two-hour debate.

The candidates' criticism of one another is not new -- they have been hammering each other for months on the campaign trail. But Thompson took it to a new level by doing so in this nationally televised debate.

The fireworks began well before the ad from the actor and former Tennessee senator was shown, as the pleasantries between the candidates quickly dissolved into a good old-fashioned street fight. Read full article »

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