SNEAK PEEK: 'Two Good Men'

December 28, 2007— -- 6 Days Until the Iowa Caucuses

Ever wonder what former Bush ad men Stuart Stevens and Russ Schriefer were working on before they left an imploding John McCain to work for the well-heeled Mitt Romney?

You no longer have to wonder.

The Arizona senator's cash-strapped -- but McSurging -- campaign has handed the on-the-shelf spot to Slate's John Dickerson, making free media pick-up possible.

Watch it here.

"The ad hangs Romney with his own words," writes Dickerson, "he advocates for a woman's right to choose and gun control, gets tongue tied on his own hunting practices, and distances himself from Ronald Reagan."

"What makes the ad particularly powerful for the McCain team," Dickerson adds, "is that it was produced by media wizards who now work for Romney."

Schriefer is seeking to minimize the damage to Romney by saying in a statement that they tested the spot (after going to work for Romney) but "it wasn't effective."

Per ABC's John Berman, the Slate Hand-Off came on the same day that Mitt Romney took the extraordinary step of releasing two different negative television ads about two different candidates in two different states.

In Iowa, Romney is going after Mike Huckabee. LINK

In New Hampshire, the target is John McCain. LINK

McCain is not simply relying on the Slate Hand-Off.

His campaign is putting money behind an anti-Romney ad which will air in New Hampshire.

The ad quotes the Concord Monitor editorial saying, "If a candidate is a phony: we'll know it."

After learning about McCain's ad Friday evening, Romney promptly took to his press bus for an impromptu media availability.

Romney told reporters that he has worked hard in his ad to focus on issues (in McCain's case, his stances on taxes and immigration).

"I make no attacks on his character, no attacks of a personal nature whatsoever," said Romney. "I've just seen the text of his ad and it is obvious of a very different nature. It's an attack ad. It attacks me personally. It's nasty. It's mean spirited. Frankly, it tells you more about Sen. McCain than it does about me that he would run an ad like that. "

View the ad here.

Edwards Spanks Axelrod

Gen. Wesley Clark, a Clinton supporter, is not the only one reprimanding Obama strategist David Axelrod for seeming to link the 2002 Iraq vote to Thursday's assassination of Benazir Bhutto. LINK

Axelrod was also criticized Friday by 2004 client John Edwards (who, like Clinton, voted to authorize the use of force in Iraq in 2002). LINK

"It's ridiculous," Edwards told ABC News' Jake Tapper. "It's a ridiculous stretch. I think in times of international crisis – which this clearly is – what America needs to be doing and serious presidential candidates need to be doing is providing an atmosphere of strength and clam. We need to be a calming influence and not stoking the fire and certainly not talking about the politics of this."

Tapper's interview, which includes talk of Obama living in 'Never-Never Land,' will be featured Friday on "Nightline."

Huckabee Hammered on Foreign Policy:

Mike Huckabee is being hammered from the right -- and the left -- on foreign policy in general and Pakistan in particular.

Fred Thompson criticized him Friday for initially offering apologies -- rather than sympathies -- to the people of Pakistan.

"I am not sure what Governor Huckabee meant when he said we needed to apologize for this assassination. I am more concerned about people around the world would think when they see a presidential candidate was apologizing for assassination of the former Prime Minister Bhutto," said Thompson in Pella, Iowa.

"Ludicrous" is the charge leveled at Huckabee's foreign policy in a new ad by Mitt Romney. (The "ludicrous" charge comes from Secretary of State Rice by way of ABC's Jonathan Karl. While the ad's on-screen text indicates that Rice was referring to Huckabee's foreign policy criticism, the ad's narrator drops the word criticism from her script.

Huckabee was also assailed on Friday by the Democratic National Committee for several Pakistan "gaffes," including his Thursday night call for the U.S. to step up its monitoring of Pakistanis entering the U.S.

"The so-called 'Huckaboom' is turning into a 'Huckabust," wrote the DNC's Damien LaVera in a missive to reporters.

Huckabee sought to explain his monitoring Pakistani comments on Friday by saying, "When I say single them out I'm making the observation that we have more Pakistani illegals coming across our border than of all other nationalities except those immediately south of the border. And in light of what's happening in Pakistan, it ought to give us pause as to why are so many illegals coming across these borders."

Clinton Won't Swipe Obama for 'Tea' Comment:

In a comment which struck some as sexist, Barack Obama said Friday that his experience isn't rooted in which ambassadors he "had tea with."

Clinton has refused to respond twice today when asked to respond to Obama's dig.

Reporters have tossed the question in Clinton's direction but she has ignored them.

TiVo alert:

On Sunday morning, be sure to tune into ABC's This Week with George Stephanopoulos. He will have interviews with Hillary Clinton and John McCain.

On the campaign trail. . .

The Republicans. . .

RUDY GIULIANI

-- 11:00 am ET: Meets with voters at event, Clive, IA

-- 3:45 pm ET: Meets with voters at event, Indianola, IA

-- 7:00 pm ET: Holds town hall meeting with voters, Mt. Pleasant, IA

MITT ROMNEY

-- 9:45 am ET: Holds event with voters, Altoona, IA

-- 11:00 am ET: Holds event with voters, Newton, IA

-- 12:45 pm ET: Holds event with voters, Pella, IA

-- 2:45 pm ET: Holds event with voters, Oskaloosa, IA

-- 4:15 pm ET: Holds event with voters, Ottumwa, IA

-- 7:15 pm ET: Holds event with voters, Burlington, IA

ANN ROMNEY

-- 10:45 am ET: Meets with voters at event, Bondurant, IA

-- 12:00 pm ET: Meets with voters at event, Grimes, IA

-- 2:00 pm ET: Meets with voters at event, Waukee, IA

-- 3:15 pm ET: Meets with voters at event, Des Moines, IA

MIKE HUCKABEE

-- 10:00 am ET: Attends event with voters, Osceola, IA

-- 2:00 pm ET: Attends event with voters, Indianola, IA

-- 8:00 pm ET: Participates in tele-town hall, Perry, IA

JOHN MCCAIN

-- 9:00 am ET: Attends town hall meeting with voters, Dover, NH

-- 10:15 am ET: Holds media availability, Dover, NH

-- 12:00 pm ET: Attends town hall meeting with voters, Merrimack, NH

-- 1:15 pm ET: Holds media availability, Merrimack, NH

-- 4:00 pm ET: Attends event with voters, Bedford, NH

-- 5:30 pm ET: Holds media availability, Bedford, NH

-- 6:00 pm ET: Attends town hall meeting with voters, Londonderry, NH

-- 7:15 pm ET: Holds media availability, Londonderry, NH

FRED THOMPSON

-- 11:00 am ET: Participates in radio town hall with voters, Burlington, IA

-- 1:45 pm ET: Attends event with voters, Washington, IA

-- 3:45 pm ET: Tours downtown Williamsburg, Williamsburg, IA

-- 5:05 pm ET: Tours downtown Montezuma, Montezuma, IA

-- 7:30 pm ET: Attends event with voters, Newton, IA

The Democrats. . .

HILLARY CLINTON

-- 12:45 pm ET: Attends event with voters, Eldridge, IA

-- 3:00 pm ET: Attends event with voters, Clinton, IA

-- 5:30 pm ET: Attends event with voters, Maquoketa, IA

-- 7:30 pm ET: Attends event with voters, Dubuque, IA

-- 9:30 pm ET: Attends event with voters, Manchester, IA

BARACK OBAMA

-- 10:45 am ET: Attends event with voters, Burlington, IA

-- 12:45 pm ET: Attends event with voters, Fort Madison, IA

-- 3:45 pm ET: Attends event with voters, Keokuk, IA

-- 6:15 pm ET: Attends event with voters, Mount Pleasant, IA

-- 9:15 pm ET: Attends event with voters, Ottumwa, IA

JOHN EDWARDS

-- 11:15 am ET: Holds roundtable discussion with voters, Muscatine, IA

-- 1:15 pm ET: Holds roundtable discussion with voters, Washington, IA

-- 6:15 pm ET: Holds event with voters, Knoxville, IA

-- 8:30 pm ET: Holds rally with voters, Des Moines, IA

ELIZABETH EDWARDS

-- 1:00 pm ET: Holds discussion with voters, Mount Pleasant, IA

-- 3:15 pm ET: Holds discussion with voters, Fairfield, IA

-- 8:30 pm ET: Attends rally with voters, Des Moines, IA

JOE BIDEN

-- 10:00 am ET: Speaks to voters at event, Independence, IA

-- 12:30 pm ET: Speaks to voters at event, Manchester, IA

-- 3:00 pm ET: Speaks to voters at event, Elkader, IA

-- 6:00 pm ET: Speaks to voters at event, Dubuque, IA

CHRIS DODD

-- 12:00 pm ET: Meets with voters at event, Logan, IA

-- 2:30 pm ET: Attends event with voters, Denison, IA

-- 4:30 pm ET: Attends event with voters, Carroll, IA

-- 8:00 pm ET: Attends rally with voters, Sioux City, IA

-- 8:30 pm ET: Attends event with voters, Sioux City, IA

BILL RICHARDSON

-- 10:15 am ET: Attends event with voters West Liberty, IA

-- 12:00 pm ET: Delivers a speech on foreign policy, TBD, IA

-- Attends events with voters, Iowa City and Cedar Rapids, IA

Sunday December 30, 2007

The Republicans. . .

RUDY GIULIANI

-- Attends events with voters, TBD, NH

MITT ROMNEY

-- 1:00 pm ET: Holds event with voters, Columbus Junction, IA

-- 2:30 pm ET: Holds event with voters, Iowa City, IA

-- 4:00 pm ET: Holds event with voters, Mount Vernon, IA

-- 5:30 pm ET: Holds event with voters, Moscow, IA

-- 7:45 pm ET: Holds event with voters, Bettendorf, IA

MIKE HUCKABEE

-- Appears on NBC's "Meet the Press" with host Tim Russert

-- 12:00 pm ET: Speaks to voters at event, Des Moines, IA

JOHN MCCAIN

-- 2:00 pm ET: Attends event with voters, Lebanon, NH

-- 4:00 pm ET: Attends town hall meeting with voters, Newport, NH

-- 5:15 pm ET: Holds media availability, Newport, NH

The Democrats. . .

BARACK OBAMA

-- 12:15 pm ET: Attends event with voters, Knoxville, IA

-- 3:30 pm ET: Attends event with voters, Newton, IA

-- 6:15 pm ET: Attends event with voters, Indianola, IA

-- 8:30 pm ET: Attends event with voters, Des Moines, IA

JOHN EDWARDS

-- 12:30 pm ET: Holds event with voters, Boone, IA

-- 3:00 pm ET: Holds event with voters, Carroll, IA

-- 5:00 pm ET: Meets with voters at event, Denison, IA

-- 6:45 pm ET: Meets with voters at event, Mapelton, IA

-- 8:30 pm ET: Holds rally with voters, Sioux City, IA

JOE BIDEN

-- 1:00 pm ET: Speaks to voters at event, Mason City, IA

-- 3:30 pm ET: Speaks to voters at event, Garner, IA

-- 5:30 pm ET: Speaks to voters at event, Algona, IA

-- 8:00 pm ET: Speaks to voters at event, Sioux City, IA

CHRIS DODD

-- 12:00 pm ET: Attends event with voters, Le Mars, IA

-- 3:30 pm ET: Meets with voters at event, Emmetsburg, IA

-- 8:00 pm ET: Attends event with voters, Mason City, IA

Monday, December 31, 2007

The Republicans. . .

RUDY GIULIANI

-- 11:00 am ET: Holds town hall meeting, Plymouth, NH

-- 1:45 pm ET: Meets with voters at event, Lincoln, NH

-- 5:00 pm ET: Holds town hall meeting, North Conway, NH

MITT ROMNEY

-- 9:00 am ET: Holds event with voters, Clinton, IA

-- 11:00 am ET: Holds event with voters, Bellevue, IA

-- 1:15 pm ET: Holds event with voters, Dubuque, IA

-- 3:15 pm ET: Holds event with voters, Manchester, IA

-- 4:30 pm ET: Holds event with voters, Independence, IA

-- 6:45 pm ET: Holds event with voters, Waterloo, IA

JOHN MCCAIN

-- 11:00 am ET: Attends event with voters, Hancock, NH

-- 2:00 pm ET: Attends event with voters, Londonderry, NH

-- 5:00 pm ET: Attends event with voters, Rye, NH

-- 8:15 pm ET: Attends event with voters, Concord, NH

The Democrats. . .

BARACK OBAMA

-- 10:30 am ET: Attends event with voters, Perry, IA

-- 1:00 pm ET: Attends event with voters, Jefferson, IA

-- 4:00 pm ET: Attends event with voters, Boone, IA

-- 7:00 pm ET: Attends event with voters, Iowa Falls, IA

-- 9:30 pm ET: Attends event with voters, Ames, IA

JOHN EDWARDS

-- 12:00 pm ET: Holds roundtable discussion with voters, Storm Lake, IA

-- 2:00 pm ET: Holds roundtable discussion with voters, Spencer, IA

-- 3:30 pm ET: Attends event with voters, Emmetsburg, IA

-- 5:15 pm ET: Attends event with voters, Algona, IA

-- 7:30 pm ET: Attends event with voters, Mason City, IA

JOE BIDEN

-- 10:00 am ET: Speaks to voters at event, Fort Dodge, IA

-- 1:00 pm ET: Speaks to voters at event, Ames, IA

-- 4:00 pm ET: Speaks to voters at event, Newton, IA

CHRIS DODD

-- 3:30 pm ET: Attends event with voters, Oelwein, IA

-- 5:30 pm ET: Attends event with voters, Waverly, IA

-- 8:00 pm ET: Attends rally with voters, Waterloo, IA

-- 11:00 pm ET: Attends event with voters, Dubuque, IA

POLITICAL NEWS STORIES ON ABCNEWS.COM

ABC News' Jake Tapper Reports: John Edwards: Obama 'Living in Never-Never Land'? LINK

ABC News' Kate Snow Reports: Obama Seeks Live TV Commercial on Caucus Eve LINK

ABC News' Jake Tapper Reports: AFSCME's at It Again LINK

ABC News' Sunlen Miller Reports: Obama: Not Going to Pull a Tonya Harding LINK

ABC News' Brian Wheeler Reports: Biden: Immigrants Must 'Learn to Speak English' LINK

ABC News' Matt Stuart Reports: McCain, Huckabee in Crosshairs of New Romney Ads LINK

ABC News' Kevin Chupka Reports: Huckabee: Watch Out for Pakistani Illegals LINK

ABC News' Sarah Amos Reports: Richardson Stands Apart Calling for Musharraf Ouster LINK

ABC News' Christine Byun Reports: Thompson Boots Bhutto 'Apology' LINK

ABC News' Sunlen Miller Reports: Obama's Cup of Tea LINK

ABC News' Sunlen Miller Reports: An Inconvenient Due Date LINK

POLITICAL VIDEO ON ABCNEWS.COM

'The Note' Rewinds the Week's Best MomentsABC News' Senior Political Reporter Rick Klein on the weekly political roundup. LINK

Who is Chris Dodd Charles Gibson's private look at presidential hopefuls. LINK

'On The Trail' to the White House Obama's plane takes a wrong turn, and Clinton hops on a Hillary-copter. LINK

Arson Blamed in Bush Home FireA fire damages former President Bush's Odessa, Texas, home. LINK

Candidates Play Foreign-Policy CardWhat effect will Benazir Bhutto's death have on the presidential race for '08? LINK

Countdown to Iowa Caucus Jake Tapper is in Iowa where Democratic candidates are making their final arguments. LINK