Almost exclusively Presidential candidates on the shows this weekend. Two appearance by Clinton and McCain. Romney, Obama and Huckabee each get one show. And, Ralph Nader? Why does anyone pay him any attention? He needs some kind of 12-step program for his addiction to the spotlight every four years.
Russert once again has no candidates. No, he just has a panel of "seasoned" pundits who are going to tell us what to think. Russert's panel includes: Mary Matalin, who never has any insight beyond the GOP talking points and, let's not forget, was a leading consultant for that stellar campaign of Fred Thompson; and the biggest loser in the Democratic consultancy (which is filled with losers), Bob Shrum. In other words, there really is no reason to watch Meet the Press. I think AMERICAblog commenters and other political blogs give better analysis and commentary -- by far.
Besides the national poll from Washington Post/ABC News that we posted last night, a slew of state-specific surveys came out last night and this morning. We'll have more on these later but California is almost even on the Democratic side. According to the Field Poll, which has a long, respected history of polling that state, Clinton leads Obama 36 -34. Still 18 percent undecided.
Will any of the candidates veer from their scripts? Make any news?:
ABC's "This Week" — Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-N.Y., and former Gov. Mitt Romney, R-Mass.
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CBS' "Face the Nation" — Sens. John McCain, R-Ariz., and Barack Obama, D-Ill.
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NBC's "Meet the Press" — Republican strategists Mary Matalin and Mike Murphy; Democratic strategists Bob Shrum and James Carville.
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CNN's "Late Edition" — Former Gov. Mike Huckabee, R-Ark.; Romney; Ralph Nader; Sens. Arlen Specter, R-Pa., and Robert Menendez, D-N.J., and Gov. Janet Napolitano, D-Ariz.
