If you watched the Hagel hearing, you know why damage control is desperately needed this morning. You also know why Chuck Hagel’s the last guy you want doing it. Panetta and Martin Dempsey will pinch-hit instead on NBC and CNN. I’m curious to see if Dempsey sticks strictly to defense policy questions or if he actually issues a vote of confidence in the nominee. Uniformed officers typically don’t weigh in on political appointments, do they?

Meanwhile, Harry Reid will turn up on ABC to dodge questions about whether he’ll let Feinstein’s assault-weapons ban come up for a vote. And Wayne LaPierre will debate gun control with Mark Kelly, a.k.a. Mr. Gabby Giffords, on Fox. Why a group as demonized as the NRA prefers LaPierre to be its spokesman for high-profile stuff like this rather than the more soft-spoken, grandfatherly David Keene, I don’t know. The line-up via National Journal:

Meet the Press hosts Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta and Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman Gen. Martin Dempsey

Face the Nation airs from New Orleans for a Super Bowl special and hosts NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell

This Week hosts Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and Rep. Lou Barletta, R-Pa.

Fox News Sunday hosts NRA CEO Wayne LaPierre and former Rep. Gabby Giffords husband Mark Kelly

State of the Union hosts Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta, Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman Gen. Martin Dempsey and former Sen. George Allen