Pundits Noonan
and Murphy Slam Palin On-camera -- and Off

In what was thought to be an off-air exchange, Wall Street Journal columnist Peggy Noonan and former John McCain adviser Mike Murphy were caught in a "Jesse Jackson" moment when the two Republican insiders continued to discuss Sarah Palin well after they thought the NBC cameras had stopped taping, calling McCain's VP pick "cynical" and "gimmicky."

The incident occurred when NBC host Chuck Todd asked Noonan if she thought Palin was the most qualified choice for the VP spot.

"The most qualified? No. I think they went for this, excuse me, political bullshit about narratives. Every time the Republicans do that, because that's not where they live and that's not what they're good at, they blow it."

A former speechwriter for President Reagan, Noonan has continued to spark controversy on MSNBC's Morning Joe, calling Sarah Palin a "Hail Mary" pass that probably won't complete the Republican Party.

Time columnist Mike Murphy, who said McCain's choice flies in the face of his "reputation as a noncynical politician," continued when he thought the cameras were off with "It's not going to work."

"It's over," replied Noonan. (The Advocate)