Thompson Defends Attack Ad

ABC News’ Christine Byun Reports: Fred Thompson’s YouTube-sque video, which debuted at Wednesday’s Republican debate, did not feature one second of his deep Southern drawl, but his message was clear.

"It’s a very secret strategy," former Senator Thompson, R-Tenn., dryly said of the spot, which the campaign is running on its website, "Seriously, I just wanted to point out what these gentlemen were saying all their political careers up until they decided to run for president."

Watch the first attack ad of the GOP race by clicking here.

The video aims fire at his Republican rivals former governors Mike Huckabee, R-Ark., and Mitt Romney, R-Mass., and former mayor Rudy Giuliani, R-N.Y. (though the shots aimed in Giuliani’s direction were saved for the extended web-version).

Using their own words from past public appearances, Thompson’s web spot shows their evolved stances on abortion and taxes.

The video asks, "During the Republican Revolution, Fred Thompson was leading as a proud conservative. What were the others doing?"

At a press conference in Phoenix on Thursday, Thompson said of its intent: "Most of the leading candidates seem like they have different views now, than they had like a year or two years ago …. question is, do you look at their record of several years or do you look at what they say now to determine what they’re gonna do?"