Byron York’s dispatch from the YearlyKos convention is a must-read:

The problem arose at a workshop entitled “Center for American Progress Pundit Project Training.” Conducted by the Washington-based liberal think tank, the session was intended to offer advice and training to bloggers who want to appear on radio and television and become, in the words of one participant, “mini-pundits.” […] After a good deal of back-and-forth, it became clear that organizers weren’t so much running a secret society — that did seem a little out of place at a highly publicized political bloggers gathering — as they were concerned about privacy of the participants. They were amateur commentators from all around the country — teachers, activists, lawyers — who, in the training session, were going to sit in front of a camera and practice their punditry techniques, interviewed by one of the trainers from the Center. What if they messed up, or said something embarrassing? There was no reason to quote them by name, was there? […] And so it went with the other interviews. Near the end of the session, one woman said she doubted she could be effective on television, because her feelings about some political issues were just too passionate; she had once cursed at a reporter who asked her about Iraq. Passion is a good thing, her fellow bloggers told her. “I quit a tenure-track job because of political fights,” said one sympathetic teacher. Everyone agreed that the woman should speak out. Of course, that’s the reason they were there in the first place. At YearlyKos, passion and speaking out are what it’s all about. Even if there are no names allowed.

I think Byron’s missing the more important point here — which is, of course, thank God they’re training more pundits.