Posted on 10/02/2008 9:30:44 AM PDT by Def Conservative
The refrain from most of the GOP talking heads over the last twenty four hours concerning Gwen Ifill's role during the VP debate is that she's a fine journalist, who, now that the fact of her book is public knowledge, shouldn't be precluded from moderating the event. Heck, it may even work to Palin's advantage because Ifill will be under intense scrutiny to be fair and balanced.
This rationale points to the GOP's ( and, to some extent, conservatives') nearly wholesale capitulation to liberal media dominance and is one of the reasons the GOP base find themselves so frequently dispirited: no objection, no fight, no pushback to a howling conflict of interest.
We're instructed that it's perfectly understandable when all of the Democratic presidential candidates refuse to debate on Fox. But Republicans are supposed to quietly take their medicine from a moderator with a direct financial interest in an Obama/ Biden victory.
I concur that Ifill's a professional. That's not the point. Republicans will find themselves losing more and more often if they do not vigorously challenge these media travesties. And it's the right thing to do for the country. A partisan, cheerleading press is not a hallmark of a free and democratic society.
So many times we see Republicans act "gentlemanly" and turn the other cheek —to what end? It simply emboldens the media toward even greater bias. How does that serve the interests of the country? Democrat fingerprints are all over the current financial mess; Dodd and Frank were integral to the debacle, yet the GOP does nothing to counter the prevailing narrative that this is a McCain—House Republican problem—and McCain's poll numbers plummet.
(Excerpt) Read more at corner.nationalreview.com ...
I agree with that. I’m in shock that McCain would allow PBS hosts to manage the debates. My question is, why did the McCain camp agree to this?
And throwing Palin to the wolves right away (Gibson & Couric) instead of putting her in a somewhat friendly environment was absolute stupidity.
Even if she is good, she’s new to the national scene, she doesn’t have experience with the hounds of the national media.
Come On. You know the answer.
1. The questions will be reasonably fair, if not scrupulously so. And...
2. The questions were given, covertly, to the Biden handlers days ago.
.
They joked about that on Fox&Friends this morning with Kaylene Johnson, author of Sarah, the original Palin bio.
But will she ask the questions that force a candidate to reveal his or her true feelings and beliefs? I doubt it very much. She will not ask any questions that would make Obama look bad. The next question is, did she give Obama the questions ahead of time? She should be give a whole new list of questions asked by the general public. Don’t let her ask the questions that she may have shared with anyone.
So you disagree with the idea that, for journalistic integrity, or at least the appearance thereof, Ifill must recuse herself? You don’t think anyone should be complaining? Or just McCain?
The debate commission should fire her, and PBS should terminate her for violating their corporate ethics policies.
Thats the thing. Why isn't every Republican standing in front of a microphone telling the American people this?
They hung their mess around our neck and the Republicans just stood there and took it.
Obambi probably can't beleive his good fortune that McCain took the fall for him on this!
and McCain rolls over?? sorry folks I have just about had it with Republicans. We don't fight. We acquiesce. I'll still vote for McCain... but again, I've had it.
the Stupid Party strikes out again!
He waited too long. It looks bad. If she does recuse herself, great. I wouldn’t bet on it happening, and no fuss should be made.
this column echos comments made on Bill Bennett’s Morning in America this morning, prompted by a call with Peggy Noonan.
Mr. Bennett used the word “high minded” for the more gentlemanly approach. Which is gracious, indeed. We conservatives are guilty of being gentlemanly.
Unfortunately, we’re dealing with people on the left, and a public which, in general, is more crude and less mannerly, and do not appreciate the more gentlemanly approach.
While I appreciate graciousness, and personally aspire to being gracious, it is my opinion that now is not the time to turn the other cheek.
With conservatives always one-sidedly ‘reaching across the aisle’ to get their arms cut off, you’d think they’d eventually learn.
Does it have something to do with McCain pandering to the liberal media and the left? If I’m right then that’s really bad. I personally think the debate should be called off and Ifill replaced. But who?
why can’t we have leaders like David Cameron?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j-Ps7fJm7rk
Of course, Ifill probably gave her questions to the Obama camp, just like Paulson gave the Republican position points to the Democrats (and for Obama to use) last Thursday prior to the White House meeting.
Duh, we not up against rookies who think fair-and-balanced has any moral value...
Because as McCain has assured us these past years he's not like all those other republicans.
He's a maverick doncha know.
Surely the MSM appreciates this and will give him a fair shake.
Ralph.
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