'The smartest time period on television'

Sunday morning is a time of rest, unless you're a minister or a news anchor. At a time when much of the political coverage is polluted by speculation and spectacle, the Sunday-morning talk shows offer programs blessed with reverence and relevance.

"It's the smartest time period on television," said Bob Schieffer, minutes after hosting "Face the Nation" on CBS, his gig for the past 17 years. He noted that his show and NBC's "Meet the Press" are TV's longest-running series, a record that comes with benefits. "We're the oldest shows on television and we've changed the least. We turn on the lights, sit the guests down and ask questions. No bells or whistles."

Of course, things get a bit more complicated when the talk shows hit the road. During Sunday's broadcast from the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, Schieffer had to deal with noisy bystanders (a curt "Hey!" seconds before going on air did the trick) and the booming voice of CNN's Wolf Blitzer, broadcasting in the next booth. ("His voice is like a buzzsaw," Schieffer said, taking a gentle jab at his longtime friend.)

The distractions were a bit more pronounced as the rest of the convention center was eerily quiet.

The regulars on "This Week with George Stephanopoulos" tumbled out of the ABC booth after their program and into an empty hall, where they were able to coordinate rides to the airport and hotels with barely a soul in sight. Blitzer, in one of the few moments he's not living his life on the air, could visit the lobby's coffee kiosk without having to stand in line or have any fans ask to touch his beard.

But despite the casual atmosphere, these broadcasters know that the Sunday-morning drill is different, and perhaps more important, than any of their other 251 duties.

Tough issues, serious coverage

"They come home from church and they want serious coverage of tough, tough issues."

Said Stephanopoulos: "The great thing about Sunday is that we can put the whole week in perspective while looking forward at the same time. We wrap it all up while viewers are sipping coffee and eating bagels."

Later in the week, provided that Hurricane Gustav doesn't push aside all the convention hoopla, Stephanopoulos and his peers will revert to excessive yakking, pointless predictions and bombastic boasting about just who has the best political team on television.

But Sunday morning is about civility and that's the kind of eerie quiet we covet.