How much can you leave out?

Let's clear the palate from phonology with a lite syntax question: An NYT piece today on Bobby Jindal, Louisiana's Republican governor and a potential McCain running mate, has this quote:

“He has everything McCain is lacking,” said State Representative John LaBruzzo, a Republican, speaking of Mr. Jindal. “He’s seen as a true conservative, which McCain is seen as less than.”

English speakers seem to differ considerably in what they can delete, omit, let not surface, gapping, or whatever. I don't even care how this sentence connects to any or all of these topics: Ross violations, deletion under identity, subjacency, or whatever.

All I want to know is in the blog poll going up in just a minute: how good/bad this sentence sounds to you.