'Cynical and gimmicky' -- in more ways than one

The political pundits populating the Twin Cities for the Republican National Convention have had some notable on-air moments. At the Xcel Energy Center and at various venues in downtown St. Paul, they have opined about everything from Hurricane Gustav to the storm of criticism towards the media from delegates disgusted over press portrayals of vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin.

But perhaps the most insightful moment about pundits and the press was off-air, in an exchange between MSNBC's Chuck Todd and his guests, conservative commentators Peggy Noonan (a Wall Street Journal columnist and former speechwriter for President Ronald Reagan) and Mike Murphy (a former adviser to Sen. John McCain who is now a contributor to the network).

Not knowing their comments were being broadcast, the real opinions of all three were revealed. Both Murphy and Noonan disparaged the Palin pick. Noonan - on the same day she wrote that Sarah Palin presented a "real and present danger to the American left and to the Obama candidacy"- responded to Todd's question if Palin "is really the most qualified woman they could have turned to?"

Noonan: "The most qualified? No! I think they went for this - excuse me - political bull---- about narratives."

Todd: "Yeah they went to a narrative."

Murphy: "I totally agree."

Noonan: "Every time the Republicans do that, because that's not where they live and it's not what they're good at, they blow it."

Todd: "This is cynical, and as you called it, gimmicky."

Murphy: "Yeah."

Cynical and gimmicky is right. About the pundits, that is. Both Noonan and Murphy resumed their Republican roles after the commercial break, just as their Democratic counterparts often stay in character when the camera is on.

Their lack of campaign candor suggests a political/media industrial complex heavy on heat and, well, light on light. (Noonan has since written and tried to clarify her off-air comments here.)

But perhaps the most cynical is NBC's Todd, a journalist, who should insist on candor, not caricature, from people purporting to be expert analysts. If key commentators close to the candidate and the party aren't in sync with the party talking points, that's news.