CNN's Soledad O'Brien revisited a key moment from her show on Wednesday when GOP candidate Mitt Romney's campaign adviser Eric Fehrnstrom compared the former Massachusetts governor to an Etch a Sketch.
O'Brien replayed the clip and discussed how the moment dominated newscasts throughout the day. She played clips of ABC's Jake Tapper shaking an etch-a-sketch during a report, and fellow GOP candidates relishing in the analogy on the campaign trail. The Democratic National Committee even mocked the moment by creating a political ad featuring an animated Etch a Sketch.
O'Brien asked her panel of contributors how long they thought the moment would dominate headlines. She pointed out how Wednesday's interview should have been a discussion about Romney's big win in the Illinois primary, but the conversation quickly changed.
CNN contributor Will Cain thought the hype would die down by 10:00 a.m. EST. "It's much to do about nothing. It's a twitter-fueled, granular story...I think this whole thing is blown up out of nothing," Cain said.
Political comedian John Fugelsang, who asked yesterday's question that elicited the Etch a Sketch remark, differed. "Social conservatives might disagree with you," Fugelsang said.
"Let's put some money on this," O'Brien suggested. "I'd bet $5 on this."
"$5? Wow, you really feel strongly about this," Cain joked.
"No, because I'm cheap and I've got four kids I need to send to college. That's why," O'Brien laughed.