OK, this is extremely awkward: Governor Mike Huckabee held a press conference today in which he would, among other things, show a new ad that would air all throughout Iowa. In the ad, he attacks Romney: not a bit, but very aggressively.

Reporters ran to the conference, looking forward to seeing the ad. However, when they arrived Huckabee said that he had changed his mind and that he had decided not to air the ad in Iowa. He did, however, show the ad to reporters who then happily reported it, which means that it’ll be broadcasted, for free, nonetheless.

Huckabee explained that he didn’t want to go negative. But, because he showed the ad to reporters anyway, they all started laughing, clearly believing that he’s playing politics (and that in a very cynical manner).

The question is, of course, whether it’ll work. Hot Air’s Allahpundit (who has declared war on Huckabee) doesn’t think so. “It’s his entire cynical faux nice guy style of politics in microcosm — the man who’s so innocent and virtuous that he doesn’t even recognize the Machiavellian gambits he somehow keeps stumbling into,” he writes. Adding that “[i]f there’s any justice the media will tear him to pieces for this, if only for treating them like they’re stupid.”

The text of the ad can be read at First Read:

It starts off with Huckabee speaking to the viewer: “I’m Mike Huckabee, and I approve this message, because Iowans have a right to know the truth about Mitt Romney’s dishonest attacks on me and even an American hero, John McCain.”

Next an announcer takes over saying: “Romney’s record? Over $700 million in new taxes. Left office with a deficit. No executions. Supported gun control. And Romney’s government mandated health plan provided a $50 co-pay for abortion.”

Then Huckabee himself delivers the final blow: “If a man is dishonest to obtain a job, he’ll be on the job. Iowans deserve better.”

When reporters asked him why he showed them the ad nonetheless Huckabee gave the lame answer: “If I didn’t show it, you’d say I never had [the ad].” They then asked him whether he thought this would help or hurt him. Huckabee’s answer: “If it hurts me, it hurts me… I’m taking a risk here. I know I am. If it completely makes it so he pulls away in a dramatic way, then I’ll probably be the last guy to ever do this. But I’d like to be the first one to ever try. Thursday night, I will let you know if it was smart.”

Frankly, I’ve got no idea what to think about this move. It comes across as utterly silly and cynical to me. If he didn’t want it to be aired, he wouldn’t have shown it to reporters. If he believes that going negative equals him selling his soul, he wouldn’t even have mentioned the ad, at least not in this manner.

Instead of being moral he acts like someone who donates thousands of dollars to charity and who, instead of doing it knowing that he’s doing the right thing and leave it at that, goes on to tell everyone how generous he is and how much money he exactly gave to those charities.

Will it work? Not sure. If the media blast him, it’ll probably blow up in his face. If they, however, herald him as a genius it’ll probably help.

UPDATE

The New York Times isn’t willing to play along:

In an act of political jujitsu, Mike Huckabee has halted a negative ad that he was about to broadcast on television Monday against his Republican rival, Mitt Romney. But while claiming the moral high ground, he proceeded to show the ad to a roomful of reporters, photographers and television cameras who are repeating his anti-Romney message for free while Mr. Huckabee declares that his hands are clean.

Via the Washington Post comes this video: