Michelle Malkin » 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

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

By Michelle Malkin • September 30, 2008 10:13 PM

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).

Posted in: Barack Obama, John McCain, Media Bias, Michelle Obama

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#477719

On September 30th, 2008 at 11:54 pm, vickisoup said:

Why should we ever expect anything else??
The world is upside down.
God is the one who installs kings and deposes kings.
It is this that gives me hope.
#477721

On September 30th, 2008 at 11:55 pm, Paul Revere said:

I knew this lady would be trouble from the start. She is clearly a partisan hack. The McCain campaign should never have agreed to debate with anyone from PBS or NBC moderating, Jim Lehrer’s performance notwithstanding. However, if she dares plays gotcha journalism with Drudge now picking this up (and presumably FOXNews) it’s going to backfire like you can’t imagine. THe icing on that cake will be when Palin leaves Biden dumbfounded…moreso than he already is of course.
#477722

On September 30th, 2008 at 11:55 pm, Paul Revere said:

I knew this lady would be trouble from the start. She is clearly a partisan hack. The McCain campaign should never have agreed to debate with anyone from PBS or NBC moderating, Jim Lehrer’s performance notwithstanding. However, if she dares plays gotcha journalism with Drudge now picking this up (and presumably FOXNews) it’s going to backfire like you can’t imagine. THe icing on that cake will be when Palin leaves Biden dumbfounded…moreso than he already is of course.
#477724

On September 30th, 2008 at 11:57 pm, committed said:

Wasn’t Keith Olbermann available?
#477727

On October 1st, 2008 at 12:02 am, Sydney Carton said:

There are ways to fight back. In the first question, the answer usually includes the typical thank-yous for people hosting the debate. At that time, Palin should come right out and say that she hopes Gwen Ifill’s pro-Obama book never sees the light of day on inauguration day because he’s going to lose the election. Palin has to inform the viewers that the moderator is writing a biased book in favor of Obama, and put Ifill on the defensive right from the start.

Palin will not only be debating Biden, she’ll also be debating the “moderator.” She has to destroy the moderator before she can destroy Biden.
#477728

On October 1st, 2008 at 12:03 am, Dread Pirate Roberts VIII said:

(Yawwwwwnnnn). Oh, a Presidential debate moderator who’s also a mouth-foaming liberal MSM nitwit? Gosh!
#477731

On October 1st, 2008 at 12:08 am, ErinF said:

I just got the Debate Commission’s Executive Director’s email address. Let her know what you think!

Janet H. Brown
Executive Director of the Debates Commission

Her email address:
jb@debates.org
#477733

On October 1st, 2008 at 12:10 am, Brian72 said:

We should demand that there be a second debate with Sarah and biden, moderated by the HotAir crew. Not that anyone would care, I just like thinking about MM and Cpt.Ed moderating, and asking real questions from BOTH of them. What fun that would be.
#477736

On October 1st, 2008 at 12:14 am, Fundy said:

Just called and the vm is full at this time. Will use the email and call on Wensday.
#477738

On October 1st, 2008 at 12:16 am, Edward said:

It’s now a headline on Drudge with links elsewhere including Amazon comments.
#477739

On October 1st, 2008 at 12:16 am, tpierce2 said:

So Paul Revere and others. Why can’t McCain get more aggressive? Or maybe I’m reading it wrong but I still can’t figure out why he makes some of the decisions he makes, such as, letting this biased moderator question Sara. I’m not saying she should get a break because this is a national campaign. She should get an honest break. For crying out loud, she is a governor of a large state. She has more experience than the dumb ass politicians she is running against. She is a “maverick.” She is a woman that doesn’t fit the mold of the NAGS! She deserves more support while she learns the landscape. She is on the national campaign, not the state campaign and she has only been at it a couple of weeks. Common people, give her a break and give her a ton of support.

We have to win this election! Or you will be digesting more of Nancy Pelosi’s liberal diatribes and laws passed by her and BHO!
#477741

On October 1st, 2008 at 12:19 am, Wellsy said:

The YouTube clip is bad. The planned book release is worse. The dabte questions will be the worst of all.

I am imagining softball questions to Biden to “explain his candidate’s position,” and adversarial questions to Palin’s to “defend her candidate’s oppostion/support to/of…”

Remember, the operative words will be “explain” vs. “defend.”

Also, expect some sort of “gotcha” question about the Minister of State of Uzbekistan.
#477742

On October 1st, 2008 at 12:20 am, vickisoup said:

McCain has evidently given up his campaign for POTUS. We need more than an October surprise; we need a freakin’ miracle.
#477743

On October 1st, 2008 at 12:20 am, ErinF said:

She has more experience than the dumb ass politicians she is running against. She is a “maverick.”

You know what? She’s the only Maverick running in this race.

You know what else? I’ll betcha if she and McCain switch places on the ticket right now, their poll numbers will go back up!

The way this whole thing is playing out is making me want to vomit.
#477745

On October 1st, 2008 at 12:23 am, Glamchild said:

The media is hostile to Republican candidates. Nobody’s surprised by this. Palin has to do her part, even so. Palin hasn’t made enough contact with the public on a consistent basis. She’s done choice interviews here and there, but doesn’t follow up with her own commentary and Q&A with citizens.

Palin is hugely popular and needs to find a way to satisfy that popularity with stepped up contact with the public, whether or not the media is hostile.

Just deal with it, and keep going. She needs to just put herself out there on a daily basis, talking directly to the public, and doing her own commentary ….that way the media’s hostile way of shaping her won’t carry so much weight.

Don’t shrink from the Media, no matter how hostile, but simply add on daily Q&A, directly with the public.

They both haven’t been doing that though, and the hostile media has gotten the jump on them !
#477749

On October 1st, 2008 at 12:26 am, CrazyFool said:

Lets hope Palin and her organization know and prepare for the soft questions being sent Biden’s way and the hard ones being sent Palin’s way. I would love to see Palin dress out both Biden and the biased moderator on live TV.

But then they expected Gibson and Spunky Couric to be fair too. *Idiots*!

At lest they won’t be able to edit the tape. (It is live isn’t it??)
#477751

On October 1st, 2008 at 12:27 am, Wellsy said:

P.S. I live in Ohio. I went to the Dayton Board of Elections to change my voting address.

There were “Polling Place” and “This way to the polls” signs everywhere just like it was November 4th.

Just outside the “100 Feet to the Polls” marker was an operative handing out Democratic sample ballots.

The BOE worker said the first day of “absentee” voting was light, but she “thinks it will build.”

Also, folks were handing out voter registration forms just outside the BOE office, and the table where I filled out my address form had an Obama/Biden flyer thrown upon it.

I don’t know if this is SOP, but I thought I’d let you know.
#477752

On October 1st, 2008 at 12:29 am, Edward said:

On Amazon.com customers who bought her book also bought:

“Rules for Radicals by Saul Alinsky”
“Karl Marx: A Life”
“Free Lunch: How the Wealthiest Americans Enrich Themselves.”
“The Prosecution of George W. Bush for Murder”
#477753

On October 1st, 2008 at 12:30 am, Sydney Carton said:

This VP debate is going to be disgustingly biased in every possible way.

At this point, it’s clear that liberals in the MSM just don’t care about the appearance of objectivity and are openly doing everything in their power to destroy Republicans.

Palin has to fight back hard against the moderator and Biden. And it won’t hurt if we raise holy hell over Ifill’s role here also.
#477754

On October 1st, 2008 at 12:30 am, suzieviews said:

12:30 a.m Wed.
The Drudge is featuring this story across the top of his page.

It makes you wonder if the Drive-bys will ignore it like they do everything else.
#477755

On October 1st, 2008 at 12:31 am, tyrfing said:

Why can’t McCain get more aggressive?

Its just not who he is. I think McCain has a stubborn ‘this is who I am – take it or leave it’ streak. He is going to be his bipartisan loving self to the end. IF he loses it will be because of that in my opinion.
#477756

On October 1st, 2008 at 12:32 am, Glamchild said:

Yes, they can decide to do second debates, and Palin, herself can debate with members of the public, and she should. Palin’s contact with the public has been trickling out very piecemeal in very staged type events. That has to come to an end. She doesn’t need to be cloaked in a stage presence. She should invite the media to come along as she talks directly with the public, but each and every day from not until November. There really needs to be a much more consistent level of contact. One-time life-or-death debates, and sporadic interviews aren’t cutting it. Hillary was out there every single day, twice a day, as the media looked on and jeered. You have to be willing to take it, and on a regular basis.

I want to see Palin go right on Saturday Night Live head-to-head with Tina Fey !

Come on, McCain/Palin….put her out there, and don’t let up. Let her respond directly to each and every attack! Retreating, and hiding Palin, when the going gets tough, and trotting her out only on select occasions isn’t the way to win.
#477757

On October 1st, 2008 at 12:34 am, Wellsy said:

If there is not even a cursory acknowledgement from the MSM that the VP mod has a pro-Obama book scheduled the day of the inauguration, it will be the final nail in the coffin of objective journalism, and the final bill of sale for the headstone of democracy.
#477758

On October 1st, 2008 at 12:35 am, hitcharide said:

Thanx erinf for posting the email of the debate commission. I just used it to lodge what I’m sure will be an ignored complaint of bias, but maybe if enough people speak out on it, it will have some effect.
#477763

On October 1st, 2008 at 12:37 am, Dave Turson said:

Don’t worry. Jim Lehrer has said many times that he stays unbiased by never voting in elections (wink, wink). Gwen Ifill is senior correspondent of The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer. Lehrer surely can have her fired from PBS if she is not fair and balanced (or, at least, briefly shunned). Lehrer has moderated 10 presidential debates to date. Lehrer wrote a novel in the mid-90s titled “The Last Debate.” So he also cashed in from being a moderator. In 2000, when he moderated all three presidential debates, his novel was re-released, along with a Showtime movie based on it (ca-ching!). You can read all about it here, when he was on Larry King Live in 2000 talking only about the debate process and how he handles it.

At Amazon, the first customer review of “The Last Debate” gives the novel’s plot:

Days before the election, the moderator of the presidential debate (Lehrer has of course moderated many presidential debates) is given some secret, damning info on one of the candidates (the right-wing Republican who all the press realize is a truly evil man who will ruin the country) and has to decide whether to step over the journalistic line and use this info in a way that will damage the candidate in the eyes of the voters and so change American history.

Sounds like a page turner. Time to go to bed—hope I haven’t wrote myself into having a nightmare.
#477764

On October 1st, 2008 at 12:38 am, Wellsy said:

Retreating, and hiding Palin, when the going gets tough, and trotting her out only on select occasions isn’t the way to win.

I agree. She must stand or fall on her own. As it stands, there are many people who believe the ridiculous proposition that she thinks dinos and men coexisted. She can hold her own … or she can’t. No point in picking her if she can’t prove ‘em wrong.
#477769

On October 1st, 2008 at 12:47 am, Mookie said:

Ifill’s book was talked about in an Associated Press article back in July that was carried on Fox News, CNN, MSNBC and hundreds of other websites. McCain agreed to the debate and if his team didn’t do their research into Ifill, it’s their own fault. She was widely considered the most fair of the debate moderators in 2004 so odds are that played into the choice/agreement.

I don’t think Ifill should moderate the debate as she has a financial interest in the outcome via her book sales. That being said, Ifill was named the moderator of the debate in early August. The Amazon book info has been up for months. Why the sudden shock and awe 36 hours before the debate? Maybe some people are looking to give Palin a built in excuse if the debate doesn’t go well.
#477771

On October 1st, 2008 at 12:51 am, CO2 Producer said:

Softballs.
#477772

On October 1st, 2008 at 12:52 am, fred5676 said:

Just emailed to her site:

http://www.pbs.org/weta/washingtonweek/feedback.html

Dear Ms. Ifill,

What would you say if Sean Hannity had announced a book on up-and-coming state governors, featuring Sarah Palin, to be published on January 20, and he were the moderator of Thursday’s debate?????

I know what your colleague, Bill Moyers, would call it: political pornography.

Shame on you. Withdraw immediately and have Jim Lehrer take your spot.

Sincerely,
#477774

On October 1st, 2008 at 12:52 am, ThunderHawkk said:

Well, Drudge has it now, maybe this will get some attention.

This whole thing is so pathetic. This nation’s foolish half is about to elect a COMMUNIST to the Presidency!

I’m not looking for an excuse if the debate “doesn’t go well.” I’m crying FOUL before it even starts because the COMMUNIST PARTY has one of it’s own in charge of the debate questions!!

Idiot liberals won’t even go on Fox half the time, yet we’re supposed to accept an idiot COMMUNIST as the moderator??
#477775

On October 1st, 2008 at 12:53 am, Oxybeles said:

When given her 30 seconds to respond to the initial question, Governor Palin should wish Gwen success on her new book about Obama and other prominent Black politicians and compliment her candid magazine article about the Obama family.

Let everyone know how the deck is stacked from the get-go!
#477776

On October 1st, 2008 at 12:56 am, tpierce2 said:

On October 1st, 2008 at 12:20 am, ErinF said:

She has more experience than the dumb ass politicians she is running against. She is a “maverick.”

You know what? She’s the only Maverick running in this race.

You know what else? I’ll betcha if she and McCain switch places on the ticket right now, their poll numbers will go back up!

The way this whole thing is playing out is making me want to vomit.

ErinF:

Totally agree! We stand to loose a bunch in this election. The country, the people!
#477779

On October 1st, 2008 at 1:06 am, fred5676 said:

Dear Ms. Ifill,

I forgot to mention in my previous email the most grievous aspect of your ethical conflict: you have a significant financial interest in the outcome of the election, while at the same time you control 25% of the public debate! You stand to make much more in royalties if Sen. Biden wins the debate.

This is the kind of ethics that has kept Pete Rose out of the Baseball Hall of Fame.

As Gov. Palin said in her recent interview with Hugh Hewitt, “Well, I have a degree in journalism also, so it surprises me that so much has changed since I received my education in journalistic ethics all those years ago.”

Outrageous. Withdraw. Let a real journalist take your place.
#477782

On October 1st, 2008 at 1:09 am, imjustsaying said:

Why is everyone on this blog so upset about the moderator? You all know that every one of you will think Palin won the interview no matter who the moderator is.
#477783

On October 1st, 2008 at 1:09 am, Pianobuff said:

Here’s a preview:

Ifill: Governor Palin, given our current economic crisis, can you briefly describe and compare the benefits of applying an Austrian School economic approach vs. that of the Stockholm School. Specifically, please juxtapose Ludwig von Mises’s “value-free” praxeology against Myrdal and Ohlin’s “third way”?

Ifill: Senator Biden, how do you keep your blue socks from getting mixed up with the blue ones?
#477789

On October 1st, 2008 at 1:19 am, Valiant said:

Why they never ask Brian Lamb of C-SPAN to moderate is beyond me.
#477790

On October 1st, 2008 at 1:19 am, tpierce2 said:

On October 1st, 2008 at 12:31 am, tyrfing said:

Why can’t McCain get more aggressive?

Its just not who he is. I think McCain has a stubborn ‘this is who I am – take it or leave it’ streak. He is going to be his bipartisan loving self to the end. IF he loses it will be because of that in my opinion.
____

Good point, the problem is we don’t win.
_______________________________________
#477791

On October 1st, 2008 at 1:20 am, ErinF said:

Why is everyone on this blog so upset about the moderator? You all know that every one of you will think Palin won the interview no matter who the moderator is.

Because the bias gets worse daily, to the point where Americans are becoming desensitized to it (proof is in the polls).

Furthermore, I’m sure Palin will do great, but what we think doesn’t matter. What matters is the MSM will undoubtedly give their twisted slant from Thursday until the election, thus adding fuel to the desensitization of the bias.

DUH!!!
#477792

On October 1st, 2008 at 1:23 am, tpierce2 said:

On October 1st, 2008 at 1:09 am, imjustsaying said:

Why is everyone on this blog so upset about the moderator? You all know that every one of you will think Palin won the interview no matter who the moderator is.

_______________________________________

You know, that is just not true. The moderator is a left wing loon. All we ask is that Palin gets a fair shot. We are not afraid of you people. The problem is that you people stack the deck and with this moderator the deck is apparently stacked against Palin.

You libs are really disgusting!
#477793

On October 1st, 2008 at 1:26 am, Gull said:

I don’t know how Ms. Ifill pronounces her name … don’t know if she pronounces it “I-fill” or “If-ill” — guess we’ll find out tomorrow night.

I’ll also have to wait to confirm my own declaration:

It will be either

“I-fill like Sarah’s gonna get a big ole helpin’ of home cooking” or

“If’ill make you feel any better, go ahead and give Biden a copy of the questions.”
#477796

On October 1st, 2008 at 1:32 am, Mookie said:

You know, that is just not true. The moderator is a left wing loon. All we ask is that Palin gets a fair shot. We are not afraid of you people. The problem is that you people stack the deck and with this moderator the deck is apparently stacked against Palin.

If the moderator is a left wing loon, why did McCain sign off on it?

And again, why is this coming out now when it’s been known for months that she was writing the book?
#477798

On October 1st, 2008 at 1:40 am, tpierce2 said:

If the moderator is a left wing loon, why did McCain sign off on it?

And again, why is this coming out now when it’s been known for months that she was writing the book?

________________________________________

Mookie,

I don’t have an answer. That is one of the reasons that makes it so hard for me to support McCain. Why did he sign off on it? Does he want to win this contest or does he want to be Mr. Nice Guy? I don’t understand McCain. If Palin hadn’t entered the race I would have reluctantly voted for him but not backed him. With Palin I sent money and am willing to do something! We can’t afford BHO!

McCain remains a mystery to me. He and the party do not seem willing to fight.

Well, whatever, I can’t vote for a liberal socialist with no experience at anything.
#477799

On October 1st, 2008 at 1:45 am, Elm Creek Smith said:

On September 30th, 2008 at 11:31 pm, tpierce2 said:

I still don’t like the McCain philosophy, “reach across the isle.”

I’m absolutely in favor of reaching across the aisle…

…to smack someone upside their pointed liberal head.

ECS
#477807

On October 1st, 2008 at 2:03 am, pgtips said:

Biased moderator or not, the sarahcuda will rip both Biden to shreds with enough change left over to deal with Ifill if necessary.
#477808

On October 1st, 2008 at 2:04 am, pgtips said:

Meh, delete the “both” from my previous post. It’s way too early in the morning for me …
#477814

On October 1st, 2008 at 2:21 am, puhiawa said:

McCain and Palin are being kicked around like old dogs by the Dems and media, and they think that someone will save them. Sorry, you silly asses, you must get your own backbone. They are out for you. Bush has proved that being nice to Dems is like giving gas to an arson. I don’t think McCain is ready, frankly. He seems about as quick on his feet as ah, ah duh, uuuh, ah, Obama. But nicer. And that ‘my friends’ and vacant smile is getting irritating.
#477820

On October 1st, 2008 at 2:52 am, lonewolf said:

CNN, CBS, ABC, NBC, PBS, MSNBC will declare Biden the winner even if he crawls whimpering from the stage and assumes a fetal position.
#477829

On October 1st, 2008 at 3:42 am, Redstate Redhead said:

Who can sleep? Thank you, ErinF, for this:

I just got the Debate Commission’s Executive Director’s email address. Let her know what you think!
Janet H. Brown
Executive Director of the Debates Commission
Her email address:
jb@debates.org

and Fred 5676 for this:
http://www.pbs.org/weta/washingtonweek/feedback.html

I’m writing to both addresses tomorrow morn (when I can think straight). Let’s keep the pressure on.
#477835

On October 1st, 2008 at 4:02 am, AlohaGuy said:

If she gutted him and hung his hair plugs over the mantle, the media would claim otherwise. But she has to do really well to save this thing Don’t know where McCain is, Huckabee was doing a better job explain the opposition to the bailout.
#477837

On October 1st, 2008 at 4:11 am, joeblough said:

.

Whatever …

The rubes will be fooled.

The true believers will cbntinue to believe, for them the end justifies the means.

Tne rest of us aren’t having amu.
#477840

On October 1st, 2008 at 4:35 am, GrayLoess said:

When she moderated the VP debate in 2004, she was just frackin’ awful…I couldn’t believe it last week when I heard that she’d been picked to moderate it again – ACK!

The Commission will probably claim that they can’t replace her at this late date, but at a minimum, she should be forced to reveal that she’s authored an pro-Obama book during her opening remarks, in the interests of “full disclosure”
#477841

On October 1st, 2008 at 4:39 am, graysonret said:

I’m sure Palin will do fine in the debate. I’m also sure that no matter how good she is, or bad Biden is, the latter will be declared the winner. I, for one, will be asleep so I can work in the morning. I have no time for “circuses”, preferring a good night’s rest. After 2 years of this stuff, one can get very tired of it all.
#477851

On October 1st, 2008 at 6:06 am, fgmorley said:

McCain is in big trouble now. Sarah Palin might help somewhat but this financial/economy issue will still bury him. As others have said the hits just keep on coming against Palin and now McCain. Gwen Ifill won’t help and will probably end up hurting Palin, even though she may shine. The MSM will never let it be known that this GOP ticket has, or ever will have, anything going for it.
#477854

On October 1st, 2008 at 6:30 am, ajmontana said:

It doesn’t matter who moderates, Biden will still be a jackass. Palin by two touchdowns.

It’s Killin em and
I Love it!!!

McCain/Palin 08′
#477857

On October 1st, 2008 at 6:41 am, St. Louis Blue said:

Gwen Ifill is a liar. Maybe she was selected to moderate because the commission gets a two-fer. After the debate, Ifill can clean the hall.
#477862

On October 1st, 2008 at 6:49 am, abbendigo said:

Relax a little. If they let Sarah be Sarah and Biden does that thing he does so well, If-ill will make a fool of herself.
#477864

On October 1st, 2008 at 6:53 am, Rob said:

She is black. Her attitude is EXACTLY what I would expect. Why is anyone surprised?
#477868

On October 1st, 2008 at 6:59 am, NJ-Aviator said:

tpierce2 said:

If the moderator is a left wing loon, why did McCain sign off on it?

Same reason he likes to work with Kennedy, Feingold and pretty much anyone but a conservative.
#477873

On October 1st, 2008 at 7:06 am, Rob said:

tpierce2 said:

If the moderator is a left wing loon, why did McCain sign off on it?

Because things went so well on The View…
#477886

On October 1st, 2008 at 7:15 am, rplatt said:

This country has been completely taken over by the left and nothing short of revolution will change it. We have slid into a Marxist/socialist abyss and you might as well paste a red star to your shirt and say your final farewells to a once great nation. The despicable, cowardly politicos have thrown all of us under the bus.
#477894

On October 1st, 2008 at 7:26 am, NJ-Aviator said:

TxSkirt said:

WHY would Palin agree to having this woman moderate the debate.

I don’t believe it was her call to make.

I only hope that Sara can battle two people at once.

With any luck, if when Ifill starts attacking Palin, Sarah will say something like…

“So much for objectivity in the moderator….sweetie”
#477895

On October 1st, 2008 at 7:26 am, Hadenough said:

Palin/McCain should hold a news conference and decline to attend while Iflin, who is obviously a racist and democrat supporter, is still scheduled to be the moderator.
#477898

On October 1st, 2008 at 7:32 am, jsr said:

On September 30th, 2008 at 11:19 pm, tyrfing said:

Good answers. However my ‘questions’ were meant as sarcasm. I always have to be careful when mocking liberals because they are so ridiculous it is easy to mistake a carictature for the real thing.
#477899

On October 1st, 2008 at 7:32 am, navywife91 said:

On October 1st, 2008 at 6:53 am, Rob said:
She is black. Her attitude is EXACTLY what I would expect. Why is anyone surprised?

Not every black person I know is an Obama fan. On the other hand, nothing you say surprises me.
#477901

On October 1st, 2008 at 7:35 am, Rob said:

Not every black person I know is an Obama fan. On the other hand, nothing you say surprises me.

EVERY black person I know is an Obamamaniac. And thank you for paying attention!
#477902

On October 1st, 2008 at 7:35 am, navywife91 said:

I think Mookie asked why the outrage now. I’m sure the McCain camp probably knew who the moderator was, but would not protest because it would be portrayed by some(wrong as it may be) that it was a race issue, not a conflict of interest. Most politicians want to avoid those situations, especially so close to an election. Palin has been basically called a racist no less than twice since she became the nominee.
#477906

On October 1st, 2008 at 7:38 am, navywife91 said:

EVERY black person I know is an Obamamaniac.

Are these people your friends?
#477909

On October 1st, 2008 at 7:46 am, tarpon said:

Michelle, the only thing different here is now we know. But all along, how many people thought the debates were ever fair, or the news was ever fair?

Agree that this time, the drive by media does have an obsession with the Communist with the funny name, as if it is something magic. The only magic will be the magic white smoke coming out the liberals ears after the election, as they totally meltdown.

There is nothing wrong with all the blacks voting for the black guy, as long as there is nothing wrong with all the whites voting for the white guy. If that’s what they want, then so what.
#477912

On October 1st, 2008 at 7:47 am, rplatt said:

Sarah will need something of a higher caliber than a smile to deal with that debate moderator who is deep in the tank for Obama. Whoever is running that rigged debate must believe the viewing public is blatantly stupid. It appears that the left has dropped any pretense of fairness and is determined to bludgeon Palin from behind.

Disgusting!