Two of the Republican party's most respected and well-known political strategists were caught unawares on an open microphone tonight ridiculing the choice of Sarah Palin as John McCain's running mate. (Listen to clip)

Peggy Noonan, a former speechwriter for the first President Bush and a conservative, and Mike Murphy, who has advised both Mr McCain and Mitt Romney in the past, began discussing Mrs Palin after appearing on an MSNBC political talk show, both believing they were no longer on air.

Murphy: “It’s not going to work!”

Noonan: “It’s over… They went for this, excuse me, political bull**** about narratives. Every time Republicans do that… they blow it.”

Murphy: “You know what’s really the worst thing about it? The greatest of McCain is no cynicism, and it is cynical.”

The indiscreet remarks were caught on microphone just hours before the Alaskan governor Mrs Palin — who less than two years ago was mayor of a town of 8,000 — delivers her hugely anticipated acceptance speech at the Republican convention in St Paul, Minnesota.

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