"Republicans are being more strategic in how they're approaching the budget, " said Darrell West, the vice president and director of governance studies at the Brookings Institution.

CNN: STORY HIGHLIGHTS

To Darrell West of the Brookings Institution, the video evokes memories of the Swift Boat campaign that mounted a barrage of negative attacks against Kerry's war record.

CNN: Both sides using Rove's campaign strategy this year

"It won't be a real campaign without late-night jokes, " says Darrell West, a Brown University professor and author of Air Wars, a study of television's effect on politics.

FORBES: Late-Night Campaigning

"The more the establishment tries to force (Santorum) out of the race, the stronger his argument is with the grass-roots that the establishment is ganging up on him and being unfair, " said Darrell West, vice president and director of governance studies at the Brookings Institution.

CNN: Santorum benefits from staying in GOP race

Allen West, Darrell Issa and Duncan Hunter.

CNN: Marine's Facebook posts on Obama go too far