Tom posted Mitt Romney's latest ad "Ocean" earlier this morning.

I think the ad is clearly a recognition of the changing dynamics in the Republican race as well as a clear attempt to try and preempt evangelical/social conservative support from moving en masse toward Fred Thompson.

From US News' Dan Gilgoff, whose column RCP posted in yesterday's afternoon update:

For months, conservative evangelical activists have been fretting over a Republican presidential field whose front-runners are the pro-abortion rights Rudy Giuliani, the formerly pro-gay rights Mitt Romney, and John McCain, who once lambasted Jerry Falwell. Activists took little consolation in more socially conservative candidates, like former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee or Kansas Sen. Sam Brownback, who seemed doomed by low name recognition. Now the Christian right is eyeing former U.S. Sen. Fred Thompson, who is thought to be on the verge of entering the race. And Thompson is waging a rigorous behind-the-scenes effort to win its support.

In my column last week on the fallout in the Republican race from the McCain implosion I suggested Romney was going to have a very hard time selling himself as the "sole conservative option" in a narrowed top tier of Giuliani, Romney and the southerner Thompson. This ad is clearly an attempt to make some head way with that sale.

I'm curious what you think of the politics of Romney's new ad. Let me know your thoughts at john -at- realclearpolitics -dot- com.