Very sharp, and it’s no surprise that it is. Late last month, O’Donnell signed GOP ad guru Fred Davis to handle her advertising for the campaign. Among his greatest hits are Carly Fiorina’s “Demon Sheep” spot and the now legendary “Celebrity” ad attacking Obama for McCain’s campaign two years ago. The strategy for this one is simple as can be: After weeks of “witchcraft” nonsense aimed at painting her as a kook, the goal is to humanize her as quickly and powerfully as possible. Not a syllable is breathed here about policy, party affiliation, or conservatism; it’s a straightforward “everyman versus the establishment” appeal which, thanks to O’Donnell’s poise and the direct, soft-spoken conversational appeal to the camera, ends up being quite arresting.

The latest old chestnut retrieved by the media is something she said in a debate four years ago about being privy to classified info regarding some sort of Chinese takeover of the U.S. I hope that doesn’t swamp the rollout of the “I’m you” message, but it bodes ill if the kook/everyman arm-wrestling between the campaigns goes on until election day since it means she’s on the defensive until the bitter end. Presumably this is her reintroduction to the electorate, and from here on out it’ll be attacks on Coons for being a rubber-stamp for Reid and Pelosi if he’s elected. Those spots from Davis should be fun.

Update: Yes, admittedly, most “everyman” appeals don’t include a, er, formal denial that one is a witch. But the situation is what it is. She’s got a big pile of lemons and now she needs to make lemonade. No sense pretending voters haven’t heard about what most of them have already heard about.