WASHINGTON — Three seasoned Republican operatives appeared on “The Politics Program” with Mark Plotkin on Friday to analyze the current field of GOP nominees vying for their party’s nomination.

The panel of “wise men” included Pete Teeley, former press secretary to Vice President George H.W. Bush; Craig Shirley, biographer of Newt Gingrich and Ronald Reagan; and Charlie Black, longtime Republican operator and presidential candidate adviser to Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush, George W. Bush and John McCain.

Only Shirley believes Herman Cain’s campaign still has legs.

“His campaign, essentially, is dead,” says Teeley, who believes the former CEO of Godfather’s Pizza will shut down his pursuit of the presidency following a string of accusations of sexual impropriety. Black, a friend of Cain’s, adds he believes the candidate’s wife Gloria will convince her husband “to get out.”

But Teeley adds the election season could become very long despite earlier primaries, potentially remaining undecided until June 2012. New election rules allow a proportional decision by delegates in some states — such as early bellwethers Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada and South Carolina — instead of a winner-takes-all approach.

The trio discussed the likelihood of the other candidates’ success:

Former Utah Gov. John Hunstman is “eminently qualified,” says Teeley. “He might have a chance to come in in New Hampshire, and he might get a little kick start there.” His main blemish in the eyes of staunch conservatives was accepting a position from President Obama as ambassador to China.

Rep. Michele Bachmann, R-Minn. is “an excellent candidate and a great campaigner,” Black says, pointing out her surge in popularity after winning the Iowa straw poll was mostly due to Texas Gov. Rick Perry entering the race.

Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich has had a “remarkably disciplined campaign” since a majority of his senior staff walked out this summer, says Shirley. The group agrees Gingrich has a challenge ahead of him to maintain his current spike in popularity, following the peaks and troughs of Bachmann, Perry and Cain in recent months.

He also needs to avoid personal scrutiny if he faces off against President Obama, Teeley says, and focus on an issue-based campaign. The American people like Obama personally, he says. They can’t stand his policies.