The Spokespundits

A look at among a growing band of operatives who have made the magical transformation from press aide to pundit in the blink of a news cycle. Big-name strategists -- James Carville, George Stephanopoulos, Robert Shrum, Dick Morris, Karl Rove -- have always been ushered into television studios after leaving the political game. So have recovering officeholders, such as former congressmen Joe Scarborough and Harold Ford, now MSNBC commentators, and former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee, who signed with Fox News. But this season, many previously obscure spokesmen and second-string assistants are becoming A-list cable news guests, providing much of the patter for the 2008 race. It is as though a parade of .250 hitters and backup quarterbacks were joining the likes of Tim McCarver or John Madden in the broadcast booth.
The explosion of political chat shows has put a premium on people who can be identified on screen as a former Democratic or Republican "strategist." Viewers have a right to be skeptical -- just how candid can they be, really?