Posted on 10/01/2008 12:54:14 PM PDT by Red Steel
The wingers are in full ref-gaming mode today, hammering away at the idea that PBS' Gwen Ifill can't possibly be a fair moderator for the Biden-Palin debate because she will be releasing a book this January that's apparently pro-Obama.
But a few moments ago, John McCain said on Fox News that he has no problem with her moderating at all...
"I think that Gwen Ifill is a professional, and I think she will do a totally objective job, because she is a highly-respected professional," McCain said.
The McCain campaign has apparently been saying they didn't know about Ifill's book. But as Michael Calderone notes, the book has been public for quite some time now.
At bottom, though, debating whether there's any merit in the attack on Ifill is beside the point, because as this is really just a transparent game, of course. The criticism is about trying to spook the moderators into going easy on Palin -- a "time-honored form of pre-debate spin," as Ben Smith put it.
What's more, as a Republican operative points out to me in a moment of candor, the existence of the book is potentially helpful to McCain, because it gives McCain supporters a way of retroactively cushioning the blow for Palin, should she pull yet another homina homina homina in response to any Ifill question, as is her wont.
"If I were an Obama supporter, i would see this as a bigger problem for me than for Palin," the GOP operative tells me. "Now any line of questioning can be dismissed as the product of an obviously biased moderator."
Get it?
FOR THE LOVE OF GOD!
WILL YA TAKE THE GLOVES OFF MCCAIN?
Way to ruin a perfectly good line of attack John.
Where’s Mitt when you need him?
If Ms. Ifill were a GOP supporter, the other side would be screaming bloody murder.
But, alas, she is not.
Yawn.
“Now any line of questioning can be dismissed as the product of an obviously biased moderator.”
This may be key.
If Ms. Ifill were a GOP supporter, the other side would be screaming bloody murder.
But, alas, she is not.
Yawn.
Dear Senator McCain,
Better get a food taster, some one is slipping you go-along-to-get-along uppers. Expecting that “author/journalist” to be fair is insanity.
Later,
Maddie
Trust me - people will be watching this entire debate from the perspective of knowing Ifill is biased and that alone does us good.
Perfect answer. It’s the RNC that should be denouncing this.
Well at least he’s consistent. He sold us out, now he’s selling out poor Sarah.
He still thinks the media loves him.
McCain still longs for the days when the drive by media loved him. He still hasn’t gotten over the divorce. Common problem.
Sorry folks - I give up.
McCain isn’t even trying - it is as if he will be voting BO into the presidency himself.
He is also dragging Palin into his own karma and it isn’t fair because she is a fighter and has been working over time to satisfy the Republicans who are pulling for her.
I give up on McCain.
McCain is an idiot
This is a brilliant response. He is putting Ifill on notice that he EXPECTS her to be professional and he does it in a complimentary fashion. McCain has some great political skills.
I doubt it.
Time to get it out John !!!
I agree completely. I expected this thread to be nothing but cursing at McCain, so I'm glad to see some people viewing this situation a bit more, ummm, calmly. I think it's a good thing that Ifill is being exposed. She'll have to watch her step.
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