Thompson Goes Nuclear

In a mirror image of infamous the anti-Goldwater nuke ad, Fred Thompson raises the spectre of dukes in a 17-minute video aimed at Iowa voters. Johnson warned about Goldwater's finger on the button; Thompson warns about bin Laden's, but with slightly less subtlety.

Sound bite: "Most Americans know that the forces of terrorism will not rest until a mushroom cloud hangs over one of our cities."

He also goes after his fellow Republicans and media with one swipe, bragging that when asked to raise his hand (the latest debate trick) he refused.

Sound bite: "If those other fellows can't stand up to an overbearing moderator in a debate, I'm not sure how they could stand up to the leaders of Iran or North Korea.... What you see is what you get. I dance to no man's tune."

He hits every conservative chime he can, saying that the Democrats are ruled by the radically secularist ACLU and -- here's the kick to the kidneys -- Michael Moore. But Thompson says he'll protect us from that.

Here's it's opposite number, the nuclear "Daisy" ad from Johnson's campaign: