A debate “moderator” in the tank for Obama; Update: McCain campaign didn’t know about book; PBS and McCain shrug; Update: Ifill plays the race card
Scroll down for updates…race card-playing Gwen Ifill did not inform the debate panel about her book…
My first syndicated column of the week, filed this afternoon, shines light on PBS anchor Gwen Ifill, who will moderate Thursday’s only vice presidential debate. Try as she might to deflect questions about her impartiality, her biases — and her conflict of interest — are clear. But don’t you dare breathe a word about any of this. You know what will happen if you do…
RACIST!
Sidenote: TVNewser reports that Ifill has broken her ankle, but she’s still going to do the debate. But will she disclose her conflict of interest? Inquiring minds want to know.
Ask the Commission on Presidential Debates if she will acknowledge her conflict of interest: 202-872-1020.
And here’s the e-mail address of Janet H. Brown, Executive Director of the Debates Commission: jb@debates.org
Hopefully, their email system works better than the House.
Tons of readers recommend that Sarah Palin open her debate remarks by congratulating Ifill on her book and asking her to tell everyone the title.
***
A debate “moderator” in the tank for Obama
by Michelle Malkin
Creators Syndicate
Copyright 2008
My dictionary defines “moderator” as “the nonpartisan presiding officer of a town meeting.” On Thursday, PBS anchor Gwen Ifill will serve as moderator for the first and only vice presidential debate. The stakes are high. The Commission on Presidential Debates, with the assent of the two campaigns, decided not to impose any guidelines on her duties or questions.
But there is nothing “moderate” about where Ifill stands on Barack Obama. She’s so far in the tank for the Democrat presidential candidate, her oxygen delivery line is running out.
In an imaginary world where liberal journalists are held to the same standards as everyone else, Ifill would be required to make a full disclosure at the start of the debate. She would be required to turn to the cameras and tell the national audience that she has a book coming out on January 20, 2009 – a date that just happens to coincide with the inauguration of the next president of the United States.
The title of Ifill’s book? “Breakthrough: Politics and Race in the Age of Obama.” Nonpartisan my foot.
Ifill’s publisher, Random House, is already busy hyping the book with YouTube clips of Ifill heaping praise on her subjects, including Obama and Obama-endorsing Mass. Governor Deval Patrick. The official promo for the book gushes:
“In The Breakthrough, veteran journalist Gwen Ifill surveys the American political landscape, shedding new light on the impact of Barack Obama’s stunning presidential campaign and introducing the emerging young African American politicians forging a bold new path to political power…Drawing on interviews with power brokers like Senator Obama, former Secretary of State Colin Powell, Vernon Jordan, the Reverend Jesse Jackson, and many others, as well as her own razor-sharp observations and analysis of such issues as generational conflict and the ‘black enough’ conundrum, Ifill shows why this is a pivotal moment in American history.”
Ifill and her publisher are banking on an Obama/Biden win to buoy her book sales. The moderator expected to treat both sides fairly has grandiosely declared this the “Age of Obama.” Can you imagine a right-leaning journalist writing a book about the “stunning” McCain campaign and its “bold” path to reform timed for release on Inauguration Day – and then expecting a slot as a moderator for the nation’s sole vice presidential debate?
Yeah, I just registered 6.4 on the Snicker Richter Scale, too.
Despite the protestations of her colleagues that she will be fair, Ifill has appeared on numerous radio and TV talk shows over the past several months to cash in on her access to the Obama campaign. She recently penned a fawning cover story on the Obamas for Essence magazine that earned much buzz. The title? “The Obamas: Portrait of an American Family.” A sample of Ifill’s hard-hitting investigative journalism, illustrated with Kennedyesque photos of the Obamas and children posing at home on the backporch and by the piano:
“Barack Obama is sitting in the back of his rented luxury campaign bus with its granite counters and two flat-screen TVs. The Illinois senator’s arms are wrapped around his wife, Michelle, whom he doesn’t get to see much these days. At this very moment he is, of all things, singing.”
During the Democratic National Convention, Ifill offered her neutral analysis before Michelle Obama’s speech on NBC News: “A lot of people have never seen anything that looks like a Michelle Obama before. She’s educated, she’s beautiful, she’s tall, she tells you what she thinks and they hope that she can tell a story about Barack Obama and about herself…”
During the Republican National Convention, the PBS ombudsman fielded numerous complaints about Ifill’s coverage of Sarah Palin’s speech. Wrote Brian Meyers of Granby, Ct.:
“I was appalled by Gwen Ifill’s commentary directly following Gov. Sarah Palin’s speech. Her attitude was dismissive and the look on her face was one of disgust. Clearly, she was agitated by what most critics view as a well-delivered speech. It is quite obvious that Ms. Ifill supports Obama as she struggled to say anything redemptive about Gov. Palin’s performance. I am disappointed in Ms. Ifill’s complete disregard for journalistic objectivity.”
Like Obama, Ifill, who is black, is quick to play the race card at the first sign of criticism. In an interview with the Washington Post a few weeks ago, she carped: “[N]o one’s ever assumed a white reporter can’t cover a white candidate.”
It’s not the color of your skin, sweetie. It’s the color of your politics. Perhaps Ifill will be able to conceal it this week. But if the “stunning” “Breakthrough” she’s rooting for comes to pass on January 20, 2009, nobody will be fooled.
***
Here’s the video clip of Ifill’s reaction to Palin’s RNC speech:
***
As Instapundit’s newsroom correspondent put it: “The fix is in, and it’s working.”
Bob Unruh adds:
Ifill declined to return a WND telephone message asking for a comment about her book project and whether its success would be expected should Obama lose. But she has faced criticism previously for not treating candidates of both major parties the same.
During a vice-presidential candidate debate she moderated in 2004 – when Democrat John Edwards attacked Republican Dick Cheney’s former employer, Halliburton – the vice president said, “I can respond, Gwen, but it’s going to take more than 30 seconds.”
“Well, that’s all you’ve got,” she told Cheney.
Ifill told the Associated Press Democrats were delighted with her answer, because they “thought I was being snippy to Cheney.” She explained that wasn’t her intent.
Uh-huh.
***
Greta Van Susteren reports that McCain didn’t know about Ifill’s book. “[T]he campaign (actually both) should have been told before the campaign agreed to have her moderate. It simply is not fair – in law, this would create a mistrial.”
***
Update: PBS and McCain agree: No big deal.
Update: Ifill plays the race card. Did I call it or what?
Ifill questions why people assume that her book will be favorable toward Obama.
“Do you think they made the same assumptions about Lou Cannon (who is white) when he wrote his book about Reagan?” said Ifill, who is black. Asked if there were racial motives at play, she said, “I don’t know what it is. I find it curious.”
And note this:
The host of PBS’”Washington Week” and senior correspondent on “The NewsHour” said she did not tell the Commission on Presidential Debates about the book.
Update: Comic relief from Jim Treacher.
Update: Tim Graham at Newsbusters writes…
Gwen Ifill responded to questions about impartiality in an AP interview with David Bauder by suggesting the critics might be racist: “Do you think they made the same assumptions about Lou Cannon (who is white) when he wrote his book about Reagan?” Asked if there were racial motives at play, she said, “I don’t know what it is. I find it curious.”
This is a curious complaint, since (a) Cannon was never the sole moderator or even a questioner in a Ronald Reagan debate in 1980 or 1984 and (b) Lou Cannon wrote at least five books about Reagan. Ifill is probably referring to President Reagan: Role of a Lifetime, released in 1991. An Amazon.com search also suggests the titles Ronald Reagan: A Life in Politics (2004), Governor Reagan (2003), Ronald Reagan: The Presidential Portfolio (with Michael Beschloss, 2003), Reagan (1982), and Ronnie & Jesse: A Political Odyssey (1969).
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Whether or not Ifill’s biased (cough), it doesn’t look good, and I would assume a professional would have at least mentioned it to The Commission on Presidential Debates. If she had turned the gig down, people would respect her for it.
As far as the actual debate, I’m wondering which Palin will show up. If she does well, she’ll help. If not McCain is going under on his own anyway. She should be an object lesson for anyone who wants to run as a Republican though. She has Reagan written all over her. Whether she has the goods, well, we’re about to find out.
As I said about the so called presidential debate, it might as well be a ball game. Hey people get to route for their side & maybe feel like they are actually involved, but really, does it cause anyone at all to decide who to vote for? Is one single voter going to change their mind over anything either candidate says? Sure, Ifell is a tool, and the whole thing is a circus, but really, what does it matter? Maybe if we had 3 or 4 parties debates would be relevant, but the only way this farce would settle anything is if we give the candidates swords… & it would be better for ratings too. Humbug.
“Do you think they made the same assumptions about Lou Cannon (who is white) when he wrote his book about Reagan?” said Ifill, who is black. Asked if there were racial motives at play, she said, “I don’t know what it is. I find it curious.”
I don’t remember Reagan moderating a vice presidential debate, Ms. Ifill.
So… the woman can’t write a book about the first black Presidential candidate to seriously have a shot at the office?
That’s dumb.
Obama’s not even going to be at this debate. But now you’ve got some ginned up bias to use as a smoke screen for Palin’s sure-to-be terrible performance.
Race card. Right. Partisanship knows no race, Gwen. And apparently chicanery and shenanigans don’t either.
Do the honorable thing and step down. Oh, and by the way, if your book IS favorable of Obama (which we all know it is), then your silly card play here will destroy any credibility you thought you had (we know you don’t).
“Do you think they made the same assumptions about Lou Cannon (who is white) when he wrote his book about Reagan?” said Ifill, who is black. Asked if there were racial motives at play, she said, “I don’t know what it is. I find it curious.”
I don’t remember Reagan moderating a vice presidential debate, Ms. Ifill.
Correction:
I got it wrong. If Cannon was the moderator during the Reagan campaign, I could see the comparison. Straighten me out if he was a moderator during that campaign.
Digshot, re:
So… the woman can’t write a book about the first black Presidential candidate to seriously have a shot at the office?
That’s dumb.
Obama’s not even going to be at this debate. But now you’ve got some ginned up bias to use as a smoke screen for Palin’s sure-to-be terrible performance.
Of course she can write a book… she just can’t claim to be objective. But you do prove my point, you have already made up your mind. So since Palin’s sure-to-be terrible performance. is already a forgone conclusion (to you anyway) why do we need this circus?
Gwen Ifill: her mediocrity knows no bounds.
This is pissing me off. McCain obviously doesn’t care if he even wins. How the hell did he win the primary anyway?
Dammit!
If she’s a professional, she should’ve removed herself by now. I can’t believe she’s still going to do the debate.
I emailed the Exec Director of the debate commission as well as my local PBS station and the national PBS network regarding Ifill. I got this back from the local station which is, if nothing else, another place to vent to:
______________________________________________
Thank You for contacting MPBN.
In reference to Gwen Ifill’s participation in the forthcoming debates, please send your comments to the following [national] PBS contact…
viewer@pbs.org
or the PBS Viewer Services phone line at: #(703)-739-5481.
Thank you for reaching out to MPBN and sharing your thoughts.
Sincerely,
Audience Services Dept.
MPBN
It’s not about her partiality. It’s about her conflict of interest. She makes money if Obama wins! Whether in fact that translates into favoring Obama — at the time of the debate — is simply not the right standard.
Racist. I heard her comment on “black person” and speaking of pianos, the executive principal of the school who went into the tank for the superintendent had sex with his 8th grade student on the piano, while he was married. Typical liberal.
Does anyone here know if Lou Cannon, Reagan’s biographer, ever moderated one of his debates? I can’t remember and have not been able to find out. If he did not, then what the hell is Ifill’s point, other than to present the race card. No one is questioning her choice to author the book, we are questioning the wisdom of her moderating a debate that favors her subject. Once again, liberals have proven themselves to have no scruples and no sense of decency. She should recuse herself and let Lehrer or someone else take over.
Can anyone imagine the outcry if a McCain author were to moderate one of his and Obama’s debates? The uproar would be deafening.
Gee, I dunno, Gwen…maybe it’s because you refer to him by first name in the subtitle of your book?
Just sayin’.
walk.quack.duck.
This what I’m talking about. It’s not a “gotcha” question. Biden answers the same questions. Any politician should be able to answer these questions. Hell, any well-read American should be able to answer this.
This is pathetic.
First question will probably be ……Boxers or briefs?
So, Lou Cannon moderated a Reagan debate?
On October 1st, 2008 at 9:51 pm, Paul-Cincy said:
So, Lou Cannon moderated a Reagan debate?
Apparently not, Paul-Cincy.
That’s kills her argument entirely. And everyone says she is smart?? Help me here.
Yep, and he was unfair to the black guy
Maybe Ifill will ask Palin a question about something that has been widely debunked. Palin will enlighten her and Ifill will look even more like dunce.
Ropera, link please. Because I can’t find it.
Lying sack of (beep)…nothing going on here folks, just another Democrat…
committed, I think Ropera’s having fun with you.
Pot meet kettle.
She wasn’t prepared to answer the question. It’s rather unfortunate that she didn’t have an answer. The VP debate is tomorrow. Let’s see how that goes. However, I must point out that this sort of thing permeates from the top of the Democratic ticket. The VP can gain on-the-job training. The POTUS… um, not so much.
I’ll check back tomorrow morn. 5:30am will be here soon enough.
What is wrong with McCain? He doesn’t care that the press in in the tank for O? He really doesn’t believe these people are out to get him any way they can. It makes me wonder if he is this passive with these creeps, how would he be with the people that want to kill us all?!?
On October 1st, 2008 at 10:05 pm, vickisoup said:
committed, I think Ropera’s having fun with you.
Thanks for the heads up. I’m taking everything way too seriously lately. Its ruining my sense of humour.
Obama’s training for POTUS is his campaign. That is the unapologetic answer given when asked why he’s prepared, on day one, to be POTUS.
No, really. “I’ve campaigned; therefore, I’m trained”.
Said with a straight face.
But Palin’s years of executive experience are debunked because she is unpolished in interviews by the likes of Katie Couric.
I suppose Gwen could ask Governor Palin where she had her hair done. She really could. You know, she could ask Senator Biden the same thing. She really could. But she wouldn’t. She doesn’t look down her nose at the Senator. She does the Governor.
Apparently Palin is not a true politician.
We all know that true politicians can dance around giving an answer when they are clueless. Give me a “Palin” anyday of the week. She’s real.
I would think that Palin would do great in the debate no matter who the moderator is.
Hello and Welcome to the Vice Presidential debate!
Sponsored by…..
La Raza!
Acorn!
Obama T.V!
The lil girls in the tank Choir!
Main stream media tankers!
Charlie Gibson and Katie Couric!
Tonights Prayer by…. Rev. Wright!
opps…. forgot the sha zizzle and yo….. lmao
My note of “concern” to the Debate Commission:
If Ifill’s book was national news since early August, I suspect why the conservatives are making an issue out of it now. Ifill has been the named moderator for many weeks now. Of course, the McCain campaign did research about all of the moderators for these debates. This is classic pre-game spin. I’d drop Ifill to kill his issue, but their is a game being played here by the Right.
The polls and Palin’s recent meltdowns are causing this.
It’s killin em
and I love it.( I hope this isn’t trademarked).
If Cannon never moderated a debate, what was Ifill’s point?
Imus must be loving this.
I sent Janet Brown an email.
I think Palin, the Palin we know, is still there, but team McCain has pummeled her into toe the line milktoast. As far as Ifill’s bias, no one here is surprised. If Palin comes out swinging noting that the financial crisis was all the result of democrat’s greed we could reenergize the independents. I’m so tired of looking for the lesser of two evils….we need to clean house.
No, mistressjustice; that’s not what’s causing this. Even the debate commission was unaware of Ifill’s book.
And on your closing, isn’t it so like a liberal to plagiarize rather than coming up with something original and clever on their own?
Palin may, probably will, perform well it doesn’t matter PBS who I will write my congressman until they are defunded can kiss my arse, I’m not watching, don’t make no difference to me. She has more experience to be Pres than Barack does and that’s a fact. How bout Rush for moderator in the next debate, wassa matta lefties, scared of Rush? C’mon you know Governors make better presidents than congressmen, goggle the history. Palin has more beneficial experience than Biden, the guy, Biden, has been in the congress as long as McCain only on the opposite side. Name any good legislation for America and Biden is against it, do some research on Biden and you will find he is the epitome of a union layabout. McCain is the candidate that will bring Washington and the media down and they know it. Just look at their coverage of Guvner Palin, she will preside over Biden and these self absorbed senators and they are scared. Biden is a lay about creep but that pretty much sums up modern democrats.
My letter to janet Brown at the Commission:
I just wonder if Obama’s Jungen Kinder will open the debates with a performance for us…
::snigger::
Aww Jeez,
when is McCain going to regain or find the pair he had and when is the campaign going to turn Sara loose, on her own to answer questions?
She is head and shoulders above all of them! McCain wants to continually reach across the isle to the corrupt domorats. He better start staking out a position other than “i am really a good neat guy that will reach out to all people.”
It won’t work. It isn’t working. He is loosing in the polls. Jeez, the libs hammer him, he won’t attack and comes across as “milk toast.” Someone, anyone in the Conservative party, tell him to kick some ass! If he doesn’t do something we are going to have BHO as President.
Actually, your petty insinuations don’t really mean much to most of us. Stupid is as stupid does. I assume that’s why many members of the black community vote Dem- it’s the handouts they can’t resist.
If someone is going to profit off of an election, they have no business moderating a debate. It’s interesting that lawyers like yourself have a use for ethics when it benefits you, isn’t it?
It’s the handouts
and the black community loves ‘em.
(oops, Gwen and you might not like that)
My thoughts exactly. I coined my own turn of phrase. I have no use for political hypocrites like MJ whose candidate is for a bailout that will hurt the people. Hey- it’s all que sera, sera to her, huh?
Who said this about Ifill: “I think Gwen Ifill is a professional and I think she will do a completely objective job because she is a highly respected professional,”.
Is Tim Graham the same Tim Graham I indirectly linked to on this thread yesterday? I’m assuming yes. Here is the direct link to the story I was trying to cite regarding Ifill from the 2004 VP debate.
McCain often talks about his willingness to let us–the silent majority–do the sorting-out to reach the bottom lines. Let me spell it out for you: McCain calculated the negative headlines he’d get if he called for her head. As Michelle points out in a blog entry today, Ifill is now, more than ever before, on her toes as to what she can do at the debate. Even without having a “fly on the wall,” I’m sure she was rethinking, reshuffling and rewriting some of her “question cards” in her hotel room last night.
emjem:
Don’t you ever get tired of ranting about black people? Sigh. Again, I feel sorry for your students, especially the BLACK ONES. I guess black people can’t be democrats for the same reasons non-blacks are democrats in your simple, jaded, little mind. Please quit exposing black children to your generalizations and bigotry.
Have a bad day.