You just can’t make this stuff up. The “moderator” of the Vice Presidential debate will be a partisan hack who loves herself some Obama. Ms. Gwen Ifill:
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 Democratic 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 Jan. 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? The Breakthrough: Politics and Race in the Age of Obama. Nonpartisan my foot.
Random House, her publisher, is already busy hyping the book with YouTube clips of Ifill heaping praise on her subjects, including Obama and Obama-endorsing Mass. Gov. 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.
She gushes about Obama, she writes a book to be released on inauguration day (in a blatant attempt to boost sales IF, and only if Obama is elected), and she is supposed to be impartial? The success of her book and the Age of Obama hinges on him winning and if Biden doesn’t do so well then it doesn’t help her man.
Impartial my ass.
They might as well let Oprah moderate the thing, pretty much the same outcome would result.
UPDATE
Aye provides the needed links to contact the Debate Commission:
Here is the info that you needed.
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
Here is the contact info for the sponsors of tomorrow night’s debate:
EDS – Contact Christine Krumbholz – 972-605-4658
Anheuser-Busch, Inc. – 800-342-5283
BHH New York – (212) 242-9242
Name: Howard G Buffett Foundation
Contact: ALLEN D GREENBERG DIR – SEC
Address: PO BOX 4508
DECATUR, IL 62525-4508
Web site: no data
Type: Private non-operating foundation
Sheldon S. Cohen, Esq., CPA (202) 530-5600
(800) 390-3277
(202) 530-5508 Fax
Director
sscohen@farrmiller.com
International Bottled Water Association (IBWA)
1700 Diagonal Road, Suite 650
Alexandria, VA 22314
Phone: 703-683-5213
Fax: 703-683-4074
Information Hotline: 1-800-WATER-11
ibwainfo@bottledwater.org
The Kovler Fund – no contact info found
Kaiser Family FoundationHeadquarters
2400 Sand Hill Road
Menlo Park, CA 94025
phone: (650) 854-9400
fax: (650) 854-4800
Washington, D.C. Office/Public Affairs Center
1330 G Street, NW
Washington, DC 20005
phone: (202) 347-5270
fax: (202) 347-5274
YWCA USA
YWCA USA
1015 18th Street, NW
Suite 1100
Washington, DC 20036
Phone: (202) 467-0801
Fax: (202) 467-0802
For technical questions: webmaster@ywca.org
For development questions: development@ywca.org
For advocacy questions: advocacy@ywca.org
For media questions: communications@ywca.org
For all other inquiries: info@ywca.org
WTF is McCain’s campaign thinking, agreeing to this hack?
Just like Bush Sr. vs Clinton, this election is McCain’s to lose, and unfortunately he seems to be trying just as hard as Bush Sr. did (not).
The left wing anti american press set this up in hope McCain would object and they could continue to scream ‘racist’. I’m for burning the PBS building after nailing the doors and windows shut. I’ll include the rest of the Lame Stream Media also and in a couple of years 50 million people will join me in doing the job. I haven’t heard one person say a good word about Hussein O ever or the failed congress this week. Most voice the opinion they should be placed on a ship for a trip and then used for battleship firing practice.
She is a goose stepping member of Obama Nation, a radical thug out of central casting!!!
http://blogs.villagevoice.com/runninscared/archives/2008/09/gwen_ifills_fac.php
For the Village Voice to even report this says alot, LOL
I am looking at the Commission on Presidential Debates website. I do not see a contact us section. we need to voice our outrage!
http://www.debates.org/
OBT is right. Why would the McCain campaign agree to this? They are grotesquely stupid. If he can’t even negotiate a decent debate setup, what makes you think he should be leading the country?
What’s the difference? Who in that loop isn’t biased? Perhaps the negotiations included that she discloses her book deal, in that case the public will be watching for bias. If not, the part of the public that knows about the book deal will be watching for bias. Either way, with this hanging over her head, I’m guessing that Ifill will go an extra mile to keep the debate balanced for fear that her reputation doesn’t fall into the Oberman, Matthews, Campbell Brown, etc., etc., etc., chasm.
I don’t think McCain knew about the book, nor did the debate commission …
This is the equivalent of a mistrial, when there is a latent conflict of interest that was undisclosed.
McCain — Go for the replacement …
Fit fit you seem to agree only when yoiu can get your little slams in.
I strongly doubt she will be unbiased. Missy, the fix is in. The media is unabashadly a part of the obama campaign. They do not care what the public thinks of them. They do not care about complaints of bias. They are going to help get him elected no matter what it takes.
Fitfit is just a troll who projects his own stupidity onto others. In this case, McCain. I’d say McCain simply refuses to run from the left.
Now does it really matter if the moderator is black or white? Liberal or conservative? Male or female? I ask these ?’s to bring out a point. If the message you deliver is the “right” message, it does NOT matter who asks the ?’s. Your message, your ideas, your solutions will stand or fall on there own merit. Gov Palin will need to stick to the hard core truths and conservative message. She will need to remember to ALWAYS be on the offensive. The conservative message is a SUPERIOR one and if she sticks to the basics, she will be the winner.
Unbelievable! A black woman who stands to PROFIT handsomely from her book about this piece of crap senator is going to be the “moderator”? Ifil and PBS are so passionately PRObama it is PATHETIC! Hopefully no one will even watch this biased, charade of a “debate”. Free and fair elections, my ass! May I suggest Pat Buchannan or Karl Rove “moderate” the next “debate”? Oh, I can hear the howls now!!!! After the “historic” defeat of this useless politician, I hope the Republicans will go after the Senate seat that he currently dishonors. A low-life who can talk-shit is still a low-life!
Obama-Biden 2008: “Chump Change – You Can Count On It”
Chump change from a couple of chumps!
Curt,
Does she love herself some Obama? I bet she also loves her some chicken. And watermelon too. If your point has validity, why don’t you just make it sans the Ebonics?
Part of the answer is obvious. You have to feed some red meat to old Scrappy before he pulls his chain out of the ground and incinerates the staff of PBS.
@Dave Noble: Yup, way to comment on the controversy Dave…accuse people of racism.
Shocking! Especially from Dave…..he has neeever tried that tactic before.
Take your own advice Dave
@joe from chi:
Joe,
Here is the info that you needed.
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
Here is the contact info for the sponsors of tomorrow night’s debate:
EDS – Contact Christine Krumbholz – 972-605-4658
Anheuser-Busch, Inc. – 800-342-5283
BHH New York – (212) 242-9242
Name: Howard G Buffett Foundation
Contact: ALLEN D GREENBERG DIR – SEC
Address: PO BOX 4508
DECATUR, IL 62525-4508
Web site: no data
Type: Private non-operating foundation
Sheldon S. Cohen, Esq., CPA (202) 530-5600
(800) 390-3277
(202) 530-5508 Fax
Director
sscohen@farrmiller.com
International Bottled Water Association (IBWA)
1700 Diagonal Road, Suite 650
Alexandria, VA 22314
Phone: 703-683-5213
Fax: 703-683-4074
Information Hotline: 1-800-WATER-11
ibwainfo@bottledwater.org
The Kovler Fund – no contact info found
Kaiser Family FoundationHeadquarters
2400 Sand Hill Road
Menlo Park, CA 94025
phone: (650) 854-9400
fax: (650) 854-4800
Washington, D.C. Office/Public Affairs Center
1330 G Street, NW
Washington, DC 20005
phone: (202) 347-5270
fax: (202) 347-5274
YWCA USA
YWCA USA
1015 18th Street, NW
Suite 1100
Washington, DC 20036
Phone: (202) 467-0801
Fax: (202) 467-0802
For technical questions: webmaster@ywca.org
For development questions: development@ywca.org
For advocacy questions: advocacy@ywca.org
For media questions: communications@ywca.org
For all other inquiries: info@ywca.org
@Dave Noble:
You’re disgusting.
This site is so much better when you’re not here to bescumber it.
Don’t worry so much folks. 86% of the American people consider themselves Christians, and 60% of the American people consider themselves conservative. So no matter how the vocal minority (Obama’s deciples) and the MSM fake the news and polls, 86% of Christians and 60% 0f conservatives ain’t gonna vote for the commie empty suit.
I’m with Missy here. It makes no difference. I doubt there are any personally undecided moderators left to fill the bill.
And just as I have no respect for the DNC, shunning debating on FOX, I would be disgusted if McCain/Palin refused to meet the press for the left (and it would be a very small press arena if they did…). In fact, at this moment, Palin’s majority of interviews has been with overtly unsupportive talking heads. Compare that with Obama, who seeks a friendly room, only granting O’Reilly an interview after over a year and a half as a candidate. Palin already knows what to expect from a media “enemy”, so to speak.
Ifill is part of Lehrer’s nightly team. And frankly, I thought Jim Lehrer did one of the best moderation jobs in the Prez debate last week. He let them interact and somewhat finish hotly contested subjects. I’d rather have less questions that are answered thoroughly, than more questions with time deadlines and no back and forth. Lehrer’s format reminded me more of debates decades ago.
I try to take the Jim Lehrer news in regularly. Rather a prozac version of news. But sometimes after the emotional shouting sessions of cable shows, it’s a welcome alternative. I suspect Ifill will do a better job than most.
Seems that neither campaign knew about the upcoming book.
Here you go Curt:
This would be a good one to add to the original post.
Ifill questions whether Palin can be VP and a good mother at the same time.
The transcript from NPR:
Ifill’s reaction to Palin’s convention speech:
So many people were saying Palin was unqualified, This debate in a hostile enviorment, with obvious bias on the part of the moderator will prove to the doubters that Palin can hold her own anywhere…smart move McCain and Palin.
I have to say that I think some people are missing the point of her book. I certainly don’t dispute that Gwen Ifill is a lefty but based upon the video you posted as well as the description on Amazon.com the book is about Black political figures.
An Excerpt from Amazon:
She offers incisive, detailed profiles of such prominent leaders as Newark Mayor Cory Booker, Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick, and U.S. Congressman Artur Davis of Alabama, and also covers up-and-coming figures from across the nation. 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.
Now I have not looked up every name to see how many are Democrats and how many are Republicans, but I do know Colin Powell isn’t a lefty. Despite the fact that we don’t agree with what Obama represents, let’s not forget that this is a historic election. It is the first time in the history of our Republic that a black man has ascended to the position of being a presidential nominee. Like Colin Powell and Condoleezza Rice (she should have been McCain’s pick for VP if McCain was to choose the most qualified woman), Obama is breaking the color barrier in a lot of respects. And yes people don’t give Bush enough credit for having two black cabinet members in high positions.
I have a feeling that if Colin Powell were the Republican nominee (now there’s a Commander in Chief) instead of McCain and Hillary was the Democrat nominee, she would have would used his name instead of Obama’s.
My point is that I think her book is to showcase black politics and Obama being the first black presidential candidate certainly warrants attention. Again I’m not disputing her being on the left but you certainly can’t unequivocally state that this is a pro Obama book rather than pro-black political book. I think we sometimes forget that there was a time when blacks couldn’t vote much less be apart of our politics. Being from the South, my parents remember vividly some of the horrible ways blacks were treated. So to now be at the point where a black man can potentially be the President shows that we as a country have come a long way to bridge the gap in race equality. Is he the most qualified black candidate? No he isn’t but Colin Powell and Condelizza Rice aren’t Democrats or interested in running for President.
I realize that I’m a big softy but I had to put in my two cents.
Ron
I meant to say “bridge the gap in race inequality”.
Oops
Ron
What I find so despicable is that everybody knows that the worst enemy a woman can have is another woman (just think of the bitch Couric). Not only is she black and a lefty… but she is also a woman. Everything’s set to go against Palin Can anybody tell me who chose that woman for the VP debate?
Yes, Craig. There are three presidential debates, and one Veep debate. PBS scored two of those (one presidential, one veep). NBC scored another, and Brokaw will moderate. CBS scored the last… which Bob Schieffer will moderate. And personally, I’ll take Ifill over Schieffer any day.
The stations pick out of their news teams for moderators. PBS biggies are The Jim Lehrer News Hour, and Charlie Rose. They picked from the Lehrer anchor team.
NBC picked Brokaw, Russert’s replacement on MTP, and long time name. Same with CBS and Schieffer.
Notice that both Chris Matthews and Olbermann were shunned… LOL. Matthews probably blew it with poor performance at his DNC primary debates, and iced by his partisan behavior since.
But you asked… now you know. It’s up to the networks who win the bids for the debates.
… and I guess Marion, Missy and I still remain on the same page. Palin will rise to the challenge. She’s well prepared to work in hostile territory.
Thanks Mata for the information. I am relieved that you said: “And personally, I’ll take Ifill over Schieffer any day”.
I also think that Sarah will be the winner of this debate. I believe in her.
There is only one way to handle this. Grass roots and hit them where it hurts in their pocketbooks. Do it the way Obamites would do it. Let your voices be heard. Threaten to and boycott any business who sponsors ads for this travesty. I have forwarded this message to everyone in my email contact list:
To Whom It May Concern;
I was outraged to hear that Gwen Ifill who is to moderate the VP debate is not only non-biased, but stands to profit by book sales in the event of an Obama-Biden victory. She has already come out publicly announcing this as “Obama’s Year”. Being a vocal Obama-Biden ticket supporter is clearly a confict of interest for Ms. Ifill and she should be replaced by a truely non-partisan moderator. This general election is already marked by blatant and intensive favoritism which is plain to every American voter. Do not add to this disgusting chain of events. By standard rules of debate, a moderator is required to be impartial. In debates, a moderator is required to step down and excuse themselves if there is any possible doubt or even the appearance that they may not be impartial. If this is not rectified, I will join others in noting & boycotting any sponsors who choose to advertise during this debate.
Mr. Bindhamer
To the others in my email list who I have forwarded this too; Feel free to pass it on to others in your own contact lists and if you wish to voice your own opinions, email your own responses to:
jb@debates.org
sscohen@farrmiller.com
ibwainfo@bottledwater.org
And any other sponsors you can find for this event
If Ifill did not inform the debate producers that she had a book deal in the works, that potentially could be a conflict of interest as the VP debate moderator, then it is an understatement to say that she no longer has any professional integrity. Doesn’t matter what race, sex, religion, etc.,etc.. she is, this shows a total lack of integrity. The media is clearly in the tank for BHO. I can only hope that the voters will turn out & put an end to this brand of socialist ilk.
black power my sista! so is black politics different from white? separate but equal? grow up and follow MLK, one nation under God INDIVISBLE!
It would seem that PBS could nowadays stand for Probama Broadcasting Service. How do they get away with this extreme prejudice? And FOX is defamed as a radical Right-Wing propaganda outlet? It is sickening to flip past PBS on TV to see them heap praise on this mongrel, all the while casting aspersions on Sarah Palin. PBS HATES SARAH PALIN!!! It is SO obvious. Why do they continue to get taxpayer money for this blatant display of liberal bias. I guess they believe if a democrat gets elected, PBS and NPR will be SWIMMING in taxpayer money. At least FOX doesn’t rip off the public. Don’t want to watch? Turn it off. Nothing gained, nothing lost. Don’t want to watch PBS or listen to NPR? Too bad! The government demands that some of your taxes go to these thieves, thanks to our brave and dynamic Congress. Sink or swim; if PBS can’t support itself, it shouldn’t be on the air. Propaganda is Propaganda is Propaganda!