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ABC News' The Note has more on the so-called Americans for Jobs, Healthcare & Progressive Values:

We've been trying and trying to spark interest in the idea of figuring out just who, exactly, these wily would-be Wyly Brothers are …

ABC News' Gayle Tzemach reports the idea for the group developed over last summer and into early fall, with the initial idea of highlighting issues such as jobs and health care, as the group's current name suggests, as well as trade, on which Dean and his competitors had policy differences. Fundraising progressed apace, with leaders of several major unions friendly to Rep. Dick Gephardt interested in the idea.

One union leader, who asked his name not be used, said he was approached by the group's treasurer, David Jones, a longtime Gephardt aide, and backed the 527 idea — until he learned that the group's first ad was going to focus on guns.

"We said if this was the direction they were going to go in, we couldn't justify" being part of it, said this source.

As for the group, Tzemach reports they switched ad traffic last night and went up last evening with a new spot targeting Dean's record on trade, Medicare, and the NRA. The ad is running in Iowa, and the buy is said to be in the $200,000-plus range. LINK

Script:

Announcer: Just the facts. Howard Dean backed the Republican plan in Congress to cut Medicare by over 250 billion dollars. Howard Dean and George Bush stood together and supported the unfair NAFTA trade agreement. And in Vermont, Howard Dean was endorsed eight times by the National Rifle Association — the NRA even gave Dean an "A" rating — an A! So, if you thought Howard Dean had a progressive record … check the facts … and please think again.

The ever-snarky ABC News concludes, "We can imagine how happy this one is going to make Mr. Trippi and Ms. Glanz."

To which we should add, imagine how happy this one is going to make Mr. Gross, Mr. Blankenhorn, Mr. Poonawalla, Ms. Teachout, Anna Topia, Matt B., and Governor Dean's 531,476 (give or take) other campaign managers....(And does that number officially include Elijah Cummings? I think it does.)