I can tell you at least one key difference between this latest ad by Governor Rick Perry and the latest one from former Governor Mitt Romney…

…Team Perry will probably not have to fall all over itself later today to pull the ad from the Internet.  Which was something that Team Romney had to do yesterday with their ad.

For those without video, the Perry ad is called ‘Misleading:’ and it starts off by helpfully defining the term for Mitt Romney.  It then proceeds to spend the next minute replaying several times where Romney’s allegedly lived up to the title, starting with Obamacare (with a shout-out to Romney editing his support of it) and ending with Romney’s “I’m running for office, for Pete’s sake: we can’t have illegals” Kinsey gaffe from Tuesday’s debate.  In other words: it’s a much better attack ad than the one that Team Romney put out, and then hastily buried, yesterday.

It’s going to be interesting to see how Romney reacts to Perry’s ad, especially since it’s entirely possible that the former governor won’t understand why it’s an acceptable ad, and the one that Romney did yesterday was not.  As Erick noted – and I certainly noticed Tuesday night – Romney is very thin-skinned; and I think that a large part of that is tied into how the GOP is apparently not institutionally ready to do the usual next-in-line business this go-round when it comes to picking a nominee.  I am not particularly confident that Team Romney will realize that their best option here is to break contact and regroup…

Moe Lane (crosspost)

PS: The Perry ad does not directly address yesterday’s attack ad in the slightest.  I imagine that the temptation to do so must have been palpable.

PPS: Free advice for the Romney campaign?  Your candidate is not entitled to the Republican nomination for President.  Please start telling us why he should be honored with it.