Posted on 10/01/2008 10:44:39 AM PDT by SE Mom
Whether or not this proves to be the “Age of Obama,” no one who has a financial interest in the outcome of the election -- as does PBS’ Gwen Ifill -- should be permitted to moderate any debate in the campaign season.
Ifill, who is scheduled to moderate the important debate tomorrow night between Republican Sarah Palin and Democrat Joe Biden, has a conflict of interest that, by even the most rudimentary ethical standards of journalism, must preclude her from moderating or even reporting on the debate.
Ifill is the author of “The Breakthrough: Politics and Race in the Age of Obama," a new book scheduled for release on Inauguration Day. Its Amazon.com promotional statement says, “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.”
We are used to liberal bias in the media, and it’s questionable if PBS can even find among its journalists someone who approaches an unbiased point of view. Nevertheless, Ifill has a financial interest in the outcome of the election. If Obama loses, her book will be DOA. If Obama wins, she wins greater book sales and thus far greater income from royalties. This, by any standard, is a disqualifying conflict of interest.
Ifill must be removed from the moderator’s slot -- today -- and replaced by someone who at the very least does not have a financial interest in the outcome of tomorrow night’s debate.
Sorry, Jed...it’ll never happen.
Agree.
If it gets bad enough Palin can just use her closing comment period to plug Ifill’s book for her.
The GOP has always been so tepid in their responses that they exude fear, from what I wonder? The press won’t like them? Santa won’t bring them presents?
Yes.
If anything it is conservative WOMEN who are exhibiting the courage to stand up to the sick Left.
Excellent point!
What McCain should have said is “I have reservations about Gwen Ifill’s objectivity given her recent book and would prefer that someone else moderate the debate.”
At the mimimum, it would put Ifill on notice that she’s expected to be non-partisan in her questions.
But the bigger problem is that with the exception of people like Jed Babbin and Rush Limbaugh, no one from the GOP is really speaking out on this issue.
TELL HIM.... I just did! I am SO angry right now... WE are BEING HANDED to the ENEMY on a SILVER PLATTER!!!! ... and yes, I am YELLING!!!!! http://www.johnmccain.com
Present day Republicans can't seem to conjure up the courage to protest a moderator at a debate.
Pathetic.
Thanks ,,, I sent them a letter of disapproval .
We need to redouble our efforts since Obama is getting a pass, even help, from the Media while McCain/Palin are savaged.
Few changes made by the progressives has meant genuine progress.
It's "activism".
My suspicion?
I suspect more than just "bias". I suspect outright CHEATING. Meaning...
The Biden and Obama peeps are reading and reviewing Ifill's questions as I type this.
.
Since she won't, Wash U should remove her.
Since they won't, her book should be announced at the beginning of the debate to the audience so they know of her conflict of interest.
Since it won't, Palin should point out her bias using humor such as, “Wow, the framing of that question is biased enough one might mistakenly think you'd already started ghostwriting Obama’s third autobiography.”
Since that won't happen, we should all pray for Palin.
Isn’t the classic definition of “insanity” doing the same thing that failed but expecting it to succeed this time?
They don’t call him McInsane for nothing ):
I agree. Ifill’s presence plays right into our hands and she actually was a better moderator than Lehrer and Schieffer in 2004. If anything, it can work to Palin’s advantage.
“This whole scenario is so unbelievable that it defies belief. The Dems must be so confident of victory that they feel they can break every rule of decency, precedent and journalistic ethics on the path to the election. “
YUP!
BTW, McCain is in a tough spot here. If McCain whines that its not fair to have a biased journalist in the debate (when has that NOT happened? remember Chrissie Matthews hosting *REPUBLICAN* debates?!? and the candidates never once said “why isnt Rush, Laura Ingraham and Marc Levin hosting this instead?”), it wont help the image of a guy who survived 5 years as POW to communist torturers.
“The McCain campaign should say replace Ifill or no debate.”
McCain already used up his “I wont debate” card for the season.
McCain also smoked Obama in Saddleback and has repeatedly invited Obama to town halls. No takers. Obama can only survive in the stilted greenhouse of liberal news rooms.
“Does Palin have the guts to do that? To start hitting back instead of being a punching bag for the likes of Couric and Gibson?”
Palin should use the debate to go after Obama. That’s what VPs do. The media will be focussed on trying to bring her down a notch, but all she needs to do is say:
“Leftwing community activist helped ACORN sue bankers to relax lending rules. It was relaxed lending rules that led to the housing bubble and is hurting us now. When is was time in 2005 to reform Fannie Mae, McCain was there calling for regulation changes, while Obama was getting more money from Fannie Mae than anyone in COngress except Chris Dodd. We dont need any lectures from Obama on what cause this crisis, it was his close friends and supporters who are responsible. Putting Obama in charge now is like promoting an arsonist to fire chief.”
FIRE will start coming out of the ears of the journalists and Biden at this.
Palin totally has the guts unless McCain insists as top of the ticket that she turn belly crawling coward and total pussy which is soooooo not her that I would hope she either tells McCain to blow it out his butt or just goes ahead and does what needs doing...
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