Peggy Noonan: "It's Over"

How unhappy are Republicans with the reckless pick of Sarah Palin? Caught on an open mike they didn't know about, they are miserable. Watch this video (or read the transcript, below) to see Peggy Noonan (former Reagan speechwriter) and Republican strategist Mike Murphy chat while Chuck Todd of MSNBC is on the air:

Noonan: [obscured by crosstalk]

Murphy: Um, you know, because, I come out of the blue swing state governor work. Engler, Whitman, Tommy Thompson, Mitt Romney, Jeb Bush, I mean, and these guys, this is all how you win a Texas race, just run it up, and it's not gonna work.

Noonan: It's Over.

Murphy: Still, McCain can give a version of the Lieberman speech and do himself some good.

Todd: Don't you think this Palin pick is insulting to Kay Bailey Hutchinson to...

Noonan: I saw Kay this morning...

Todd: She's never looked comfortable about..

Murphy: They're all bummed out.

Todd: I mean, is she really the most qualified woman they can turn to?

Noonan: The most qualified? No. I think they went for this, excuse me, political bullshit about narratives and youthfulness and the picture...

Todd: Yeah, but the narrative?

Murphy: I totally agree.

Noonan: Every time Republicans do that, because that's not where they live and it's not what they're good at, they blow it.

Murphy: You know what's the worst thing about it, the greatness of McCain is no cynicism, and..

Murphy and Todd together: This is cynical.

Todd: And as you called it, gimmicky.