Despite their partisan pasts, both men say that they will not be acting as Obama surrogates, but as fair observers , leveraging their experiences on the campaign trail and in the White House.

Viewers will have to decide whether the analysis they give is truly fair, or tinged with a partisan filter.

Gibbs tells me he sees his job “as a political analyst and as someone who has been in the room during important meetings and when big decisions are made who can convey what that’s like to viewers. I don’t see it either as being a cheerleader for the president or as a spokesman for the administration’s point of view.”

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He joins former John McCain adviser Steve Schmidt, Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell and former RNC chairman Michael Steele as NBC News/MSNBC contributors. Last week NBC/MSNBC named another former Obama staffer–Robert Gibbs–as a contributor.

Viewers may also recall that Axelrod famously shaved his signature mustache on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” back in December.

It has been a busy few weeks for political insiders. In addition to Axelrod and Gibbs, Herman Cain and Scott Brown joined the political contributor ranks at Fox News.

More information below.
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He follows in a long line of former press secretaries who’ve made the leap to TV news, including Geroge W. Bush press secretaries Dana Perino, a co-host of FNC’s “The Five,” and Tony Snow, who was with Fox News before joining the White House and with CNN after. Bill Clinton‘s press secretary Dee Dee Myers (1993-94) was the host of “Equal Time” on CNBC, George Stephanopoulos‘s short run as Press Secretary before Myers in 1993 would lead to an association with ABC News that’s lasted 17 years. He’s now the co-host of “GMA” and host of “This Week.” Joe Lockhart (1998-2000) had stints with ABC and CNN.

Going back even further, Bill Moyers was LBJ’s press secretary in 1965-66. He has hosted various shows on PBS over the years.

Current Press Secretary Jay Carney did the reverse. He was a journalist with TIME for 20 years before joining the White House in 2009.

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“Unbelievable jobs numbers..these Chicago guys will do anything..can’t debate so change numbers.”

That Tweet — more than the numbers themselves — became the story on cable news. No stranger to cable news watchers, Welch did interviews on CNN, Fox News, CNBC and MSNBC, (the last two networks part owned by the company he once ran.) The debate continued on the Sunday public affairs shows as Obama adviser Robert Gibbs on “Meet the Press” said Welch “embarrassed himself.” NBC’s White House correspondent Chuck Todd  added: “The idea that Donald Trump, Jack Welch, rich people with crazy conspiracies, can get traction on this is a bad trend.”

Well, today in an op-ed in The Wall Street Journal (since he’s not writing for Fortune and Reuters anymore), Welch explained what he couldn’t in 140 characters.

As I said that same evening in an interview on CNN, if I could write that tweet again, I would have added a few question marks at the end, as with my earlier tweet, to make it clear I was raising a question.

But I’m not sorry for the heated debate that ensued. I’m not the first person to question government numbers, and hopefully I won’t be the last. Take, for example, one of my chief critics in this go-round, Austan Goolsbee, former chairman of the Obama administration’s Council of Economic Advisers. Back in 2003, Mr. Goolsbee

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The contestants were MSNBC host Chris Matthews, CNN aviation and regulation correspondent Lizzie O’Leary and former White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs.

Notes and observations:

Chris Matthews should stick to political talk shows. Matthews had a lot of trouble with the “Jeopardy!” format. After selecting the category “New York Times Crossword Clues ‘E,’” Matthews answered the first question as such: “At ease, soldier, what is at ease soldier, ease soldier!” In fact, all he had to say was “What is ease?”

Matthews also answered a question about geography (“Beirut!”) before Trebek called on him, allowing Gibbs to get the point by buzzing in first. Finally, a question about espionage led Matthews to answer “Who is Gary Powers?” host Alex Trebek responded that they needed the full name, and Matthews replied by saying “Who is GARY POWERS!” O’Leary stole the cash by answering correctly, “Who is Francis Gary Powers?”

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Tonight’s matchup features MSNBC’s Chris Matthews and CNN’s Lizzie O’Leary taking on former White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs.

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The players are:

From CNN: Anchor Anderson Cooper and correspondent Lizzie O’Leary.

From NBC News/MSNBC/CNBC: CNBC anchor David Faber, MSNBC host Chris Matthews, correspondent Kelly O’Donnell and anchor and correspondent Chuck Todd.

From Fox News: anchor Chris Wallace and contributor Dana Perino.

From the BBC: Katty Kay.

Other players are: continued…

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One email, dated Oct. 23, 2009 went like this:

“I’m putting some dead fish in the fox cubby — just cause.”

That was from Jennifer Psaki, Deputy White House Communications Director to Jenni LeCompte, then-Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs in the Treasury Department.

In another email the day before, from Dag Vega, Director of Broadcast Media at the White House, to LeCompte, Vega informs LeCompte that “…we’d prefer if you skip Fox please.”

This goes against the administration’s position that it did not set out to exclude Fox News from getting access to Treasury official Kenneth Feinberg. That denial followed a decision by NBC News, ABC News, CBS News and CNN to stand together and refuse an interview with Feinberg if Fox News was going to be blocked.

The battle really began to intensify earlier that month, when then-White House Director of Communications Anita Dunn went on CNN’s “Reliable Sources” and criticized FNC calling it “the research arm or the communications arm of the Republican Party.”

The fight headed toward resolution on Oct. 28, when FNC SVP Michael Clemente met with Press Secretary Robert Gibbs at the White House. That same day, Judicial Watch filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request. The results of which — including these emails — were produced last week.

Seems like ancient history now, but during the final week of that month, the Fox News vs. the White House chronicle was the 5th most-reported story of the week.

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“Obviously Gibbs’ departure is not the biggest one today,” joked the president.

“Robert has not only been an extraordinary press secretary,” said Obama, “But he has been a great friend. And you could not ask for somebody better in the foxhole with you during all of the twists and turns of my candidacy and then the incredible challenges that we faced over the last two years.”

The president returned a tie — in a frame, with a personal note — that he’d borrowed from Gibbs seven years ago, ahead of Obama’s speech to the Democratic National Convention in Boston. See the tie, in action, from the 2004 DNC after the jump…

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Especially when it comes to the ratings on the MSG Network for the New York Knicks.

The 20-14 Knicks averaged a 2.02 household Nielsen rating for the month of December, the highest monthly average since the 2004-05 season. Prior to 2004, the previous high was in January 2007 (1.59 HH rating). continued…

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Today marks the first day of the 112th Congress, which brings with it several ceremonies — including the swearing-in and the election of the Speaker of the House. The cablers are all ready for the coverage.

• Fox News Channel will start their coverage within normal programming at 11:30amET, which will include reports from Shannon Bream, Brit Hume, and Bret Baier. Then FNC will continue with White House press secretary Robert Gibbs‘ briefing at 12:30pmET.
• MSNBC’s Chris Matthews and Andrea Mitchell are set to go with special coverage from 12:30pmET-2:30pmET.
• CNN will be live with anchors Wolf Blitzer, Candy Crowley, John King, and Ali Velshi — who will give analysis and special coverage starting at NoonET.

Update: ABC is planning a special report at approximately 2 PM ET, when Speaker-elect John Boehner takes the gavel from Speaker Nancy Pelosi, officially transferring power to the Republican party. Dianer Sawyer will anchor, with George Stephanopoulos in New York and Jonathan Karl in DC. Jake Tapper and Claire Shipman will also be a part of the coverage.

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Stewart’s entire final show of the year, which aired last Thursday, was dedicated to the bill. He first mocked the media for their lack of coverage. He then followed with a panel of 9/11 first responders, and topped it off with an interview with supporter of the bill and FNC host Mike Huckabee. Most of the show was spent attacking Congressional republicans who opposed of cost of the bill.

White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs also credited Stewart. “If there’s the ability for that to sort of break through in our political environment, there’s a good chance that he can help do that,” Gibbs told reporters Tuesday. “I think he has put the awareness around this legislation. He’s put that awareness into what you guys cover each day, and I think that’s good.”

Gibbs’ statement didn’t sit well with the hosts of “Fox & Friends” who are adamant that it was their colleague who really was the impetus behind the act being passed.

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No word from the network about the anchor’s plans for celebrating today, but Sawyer sure got a birthday surprise a few days in advance. Last Friday, during what seemed to be another routine day at ABC News, Sawyer was more than a little surprised when her colleagues burst into a song and dance in tribute.

It’s fair to say you may never listen to “Say a Little Prayer” the same way again. George Stephanopoulos served champagne. Brian Ross sported a tux and top hat. White House press secretary Robert Gibbs made a cameo. And correspondents, editors, graphic artists, producers, and writers at bureaus worldwide sang along.

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Kurtz, who Tuesday announced he’s joining online news site The Daily Beast as Washington bureau chief, put the Energizer bunny to shame during his long run as media critic at The Washington Post.

Even his own wedding couldn’t stop Kurtz. (Bad form, great journalism.)

In 2003, he spent the weekend of his nuptials filing a follow-up to the Jayson Blair-New York Times fabrication scandal, which he had broken. As the newlyweds flew home from L.A., the groom dictated a story – over the airplane phone – about the pressured resignation of Timesman Rick Bragg, who had aggressively defended his use of freelancers and interns.

And if that wasn’t enough for a spot on “Divorce Court,” three weeks later, on his honeymoon in London, Kurtz covered his third Times’ bombshell: The resignation of executive editor Howell Raines.

“I’m like a fireman who jumps into his boots when the bell rings,” says Kurtz, 57, who starts his new job Oct. 18. “There’s no way I’m not going to jump.”

Kurtz’ jump to the digital world put him in the eye of a 24-hour media hurricane. It was a jarring experience for a guy who logged three decades at the Post on the other end of interviews.

“I completely underestimated how much attention it would get,” he says. “I was surprised by the volume and intensity. I watched it with a mixture of amusement and amazement, getting calls from the New York Times and NPR and so many other places.”

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CNN had a very interesting booking this afternoon during White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs‘ briefing: the woman who is dominating the news cycle at the moment, fired USDA staffer Shirley Sherrod.

CNN even put Sherrod and Gibbs in a double box as she sat mostly stone-faced, while the White House press corps pressed Gibbs about the circumstances around her firing Monday.

Sherrod flashed a smile when ABC News White House correspondent Jake Tapper said to Gibbs, “She’s watching this briefing, Shirley Sherrod, on CNN right now. Is there anything you want to say to her? (laughter) I’m being quite serious. She’s watching you…”

Gibbs jumped in, “The secretary [of Agriculture Tom Vilsack] is trying to reach her. I hope that the secretary reaches her soon and they have an opportunity to talk. The secretary will apologize for the actions that have taken place over the past 24 to 36 hours and on behalf of the administration, I offer our apologies.”

• Earlier: News Nets Dig In to the Shirley Sherrod Story

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