F Is For Ifill: Gwen Ifill Failed the Moderator Test

Newsbusters.org ^

[savedbygrace]

"Governor, on another issue, interventionism, nuclear weapons. What should be the trigger, or should there be a trigger, when nuclear weapons use is ever put into play?"

"Gwen, that question ought to be taken out and shot. Unless you've got some toast to go with it, so we can have scrambled eggs and toast, you should throw it away and move on to one that actually qualifies as a legitimate question."

Or, she should have simply answered, "Yes," and then stood there silently, looking placidly at Ifill.

[230FMJ]

I watched the whole debate and saw Gwen Ifil as fairer and more professional than I had expected.

[<1/1,000,000th%]

Her book will be a dud along the lines of Pelosi’s. She didn’t even sellout the first printing.

Lefties don’t need to read. They already know everything.

[KEmom]

Agree. I think she was well aware that she would be viewed as a partisan. She wasn’t great, but not bad either.

[downtownconservative]

Sarah was great dispite the hard fact that Ifill was openly biased in her choice of questions and how she posed them. For Palin to score that well before a partial moderator in a tilted forum is, well, beyond excellent.

To me, there is an exponential element to her success that the MSM will obviously not recognize. But let’s hope Main Street does.

[wolfcreek]

She was on pain pills! I’ll cut her some slack.

[anniegetyourgun]

I don’t care how well (or poorly) she did during the debate - she failed the professional ethics test.

[Constitutions Grandchild]

I’m sure I heard Governor Palin give passing nod to Kennedy’s tax cuts. Either that, or I’m wishing so hard I think I heard her say it.

[papasmurf]

I think {gulp} she did a fine job. I know she was under tremendous pressure from both sides. I thought she was fair and balanced, and conducted herself very professionally and with a certain grace we aren’t accustomed to seeing in these debates. I am very grateful for that.

[CMAC51]

I watched debate and I think Ifill was fine. In fact, for a known partisan, I think she was better than almost anyone else in MSM.

Ifill manipulated it so that Biden got the last word on every meaningful exchange. At one point I believe he had the last word on four question in a row. When Gov. Palin finished answereing a question Ifill delayed before beginning the next question allowing Sen. Biden to jump in with an extra response. In some cases he asked permission (which should have been denied) and in others he just did it. When Sen. Biden finished a response she immediately started the next question so that Gov. Palin would have had to interrupt to respond.

It's easier to win a debate when you always get the last word.

[happydogx2]

So who has the next debate?

[ari-freedom]

you can’t deny Gwen had a major conflict of interest.

[hosepipe]

[ It has been estimated that Gwen Ifill will net $500,000 from her new book on Obama, but only if Obama is elected President. The book will be a dud if McCain is voted in. ]

Does the Jim Lehrer organization know something the rest of us don't know?.. You know that he has shared with Gwen Ifill?... Prompting all the work to produce a book that hinges on Borat O'bama being elected President?.. And known a good deal of time, before McLaim was inserted into the republican campaign.. And was selected in the primarys by republicans most of whom despised the little arch weasle..

I smell a skunk.. woo wee.. it stinks..

[GregB]

We could of had OBe one Kanobe!!!or how ever it’s spelled!!!The CEO of MSObama!!!

[Constitutions Grandchild]

I agree. Ifil is exonerated of overt bias, in my opinion. As to her book deal, well, I'm going to give her a pass on that. Some folks have been waiting for their day in the sun for too long, and some folks have been waiting a long time for them to take a stab at it. I FIRMLY believe it's their turn to work and produce as hard as we have had to, and I am here to see that they do. No kid gloves, just jump in and work for the gubment just like the rest of us have and will be. They'll never do it any younger, and they may grow up in the process and get a grip on reality.

[Bob]

N00b, are you trying to make Freerepublic look right-wing nutty? Your posts have a certain smell to them ...

I didn't see anything that I'd consider particularly "right-wing nutty" about the post.

[Yaelle]

I expected the worst from Ifill but found her quite decent. She must have bent over backward to appear less partisan than she is, as per her book. She did fine.

This was probably due to all of us having the b*lls to keep talking about her conflict of interest for days before the debate, to the point where the MSM had to talk about it as well. Well done for us.

Oh, and we should give the angry, tight-lipped Katie Couric some of the credit as well. Spanish Inquisition tactics backfire.

[Exton1]

They were all leftest questions. No questions about Illegal aliens, no question about fighting Islamic Terrorist, no questions about socialism,or about language, borders, and culture.

[EyeGuy]

“So who has the next debate?”

######

A rock-ribbed conservative. A strict Constitutionist, proponent of ultra small government, self-reliance and personal responsibility.

I have to go lay down now. I hit my head real hard on the pavement today.

[The Sons of Liberty]

Ifill was at least as good as Lehrer, and probably as good as you could get from the media - except for the Fox foxes (Megyn, Molly, Martha, ...)

Besides, knowing she (Ifill) had a stake in the debate gave cover in case Sarah had a bad outing. But no worries - She Hit a Grand Slam!!! - Way to go, Sarah!