CNN’s John Roberts is moderating an afternoon session called Puppet Masters and Policy Maestros — in other words the talking heads. Joe Klein, Donna Brazile, Mark McKinnon, Howard Wolfson, Hilary Rosen and Matt Dowd are on the panel. Here’s the Twitter feed:
* Panel wraps up. Going to interview John Roberts. 42 minutes ago
* Dowd on keeping Palin from press: it’s a mistake. “When people see Sarah Palin they see Tina Fey. It’s become a punchline.” 54 minutes ago
* Brazile: “race is not a discussion you can have in two seconds.” 57 minutes ago
* Donna Brazile: “I’m not uncomfortable talking about race. We are in uncharted territory” about an hour ago
* Joe Klein says Bill Clinton has been a “questionable” ex-president because of some if the “figures” he carries on with. about an hour ago
* Roberts cuts to the chase about HRC non-pick. Asks, did Obama just not want to deal with the Clintons? Joe Klein says yes. about an hour ago
* Hilary Rosen: After praising Biden, says “Dems would have closed ranks earlier” if Obama had picked Clinton. Draws applause. about an hour ago
* Fox News contributor Howard Wolfson not on the panel as scheduled. about an hour ago
* Joe Klein: Palin pick “was a gimmick. One of the most disastrous political decisions I’ve ever seen, since doing this.” about an hour ago
* Brazile talks about working for all kinds of candidates. Bland, boring. about an hour ago
John Roberts, Matthew Dowd, Joe Klein, Mark McKinnon, Hilary Rosen and Donna Brazile.
In an interview after the event, TVNewser asked Roberts who among the current campaign strategists might emerge as the next media star. “Steve Schmidt [McCain strategist] perhaps could be. He’s certainly got an interesting physical presence about him. David Axelrod, [Obama strategist] he likes to work in the background. So I don’t see anybody who immediately jumps to mind with the exception of Schmidt. But if he can put John McCain in the White House he’s going to be too busy for television.”