VP Debate Moderator Is Bias

[Stoner]

WTF?!?!?!?!?!

VP debate moderator Ifill releasing pro-Obama book

Focuses on blacks who are 'forging a bold new path to political power'

The moderator of Thursday's vice presidential debate between Democrat Sen. Joe Biden and GOP Gov. Sarah Palin is writing a book, to come out about the time the next president takes the oath of office, to "shed new light" on Democratic candidate Barack Obama and other "emerging young African American politicians" who are "forging a bold new path to political power."

Gwen Ifill, of the Public Broadcasting Service program "Washington Week," is promoting "The Breakthrough," in which she argues the "black political structure" of the civil rights movement is giving way to men and women who have benefited from the struggles over racial equality.

Ifill declined to return a WND telephone message asking for a comment about her book project and whether its success would be expected should Obama lose. But she has faced criticism previously for not treating candidates of both major parties the same.

During an earlier debate event she moderated, when Democrat John Edwards attacked Dick Cheney's former employer, Halliburton, the vice president said, "I can respond, Gwen, but it's going to take more than 30 seconds."

"Well, that's all you've got," she told him.

Ifill told the Associated Press Democrats were delighted with her answer, because they "thought I was being snippy to Cheney." She explained that wasn't her intent.

But she also was cited in complaints PBS Ombudsman Michael Getler said he received after Palin delivered her nomination acceptance speech at the Republican National Convention in St. Paul, Minn., this year.

Some viewers complained of a "dismissive" look by Ifill during her report on Palin's speech. According to Getler, some also said she wore a look of "disgust" while reporting on Palin.

At that time she said, "I assume there will always be critics and just shut out the noise. It is surprisingly easy."

Ifill, who also works with her network's "NewsHour," is making preparations to moderate this week's debate between the two candidates for vice president. She told BlackAmericaWeb.com she thinks debates "are the best opportunity most voters have to see the candidates speaking to issues."

She said she is concerned only about getting straight answers from candidates.

"You do your best to get candidates to answer your question. But I also trust the viewers to understand when questions are not answered and reach their own conclusions," Ifill told BlackAmericaWeb.

"Four years ago, when neither John Edwards nor Dick Cheney proved capable of answering a question about the domestic epidemic of AIDS among African-American women, viewers flooded me with reaction," she said.

She said she will make her own decisions about what questions to ask, focusing on "the big questions matter."

In the Amazon.com promotion for her book, Ifill is described as "drawing on interviews with power brokers," like Obama, former Secretary of State Colin Powell and others.

In an online video promoting her book, she is enthusiastic about "taking the story of Barack Obama and extending it."

It focuses on four people, "one of them Barack Obama of course," she said.

"They are changing our politics and changing our nation," she said.

On Amazon.com, Ifill is praised for her "incisive, detailed profiles of such prominent leaders as Newark Mayor Cory booker, Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick, and U.S. Congressman Artur Davis of Alabama."

"Ifill shows why this is a pivotal moment in American history," the review says.

She told AP her view of Obama: "I still don't know if he'll be a good president."

She also describes how she met him at the 2004 Democratic convention and since then has interviewed Obama and his family.

She also boasted by the time of the debate, "I'll be a complete expert on both" Palin and Biden.

The debate will be held at Washington University in St. Louis, which has posted information about the evening's events online.

Ifill's profile there describes her as a longtime correspondent and moderator for national news programs and includes her service as moderator of the 2004 debate between Edwards and Cheney.

However, there's no mention of her upcoming book. Nor does the website for the Commission on Presidential Debates, which is organizing the meetings of the candidates, mention her book.

VP debate moderator Ifill releasing pro-Obama book

 

[Larkinn]

WTF?!?!?!?!?!

VP debate moderator Ifill releasing pro-Obama book

Any particular reason you felt the need to post her picture?

So your rightwing trashy news source managed to find two mentions of "bias"? One of them being...the look on her face? What? Really? She was biased because of her facial expression? How absurd.

And even if her blackness and interest in Obama does make her lean towards him...hes not debating. If you'll notice, she is also a woman, and so is Palin! Omg, wait, was the point to say that, as a woman, she'll be biased against Biden? I bet your so right!

 

[Mauser]

And even if her blackness and interest in Obama does make her lean towards him...hes not debating.

But his choice for Vice-President is, and since she's obviously a supporter of Obama she's probably not the best person to be moderating the debate.

 

[frazzledgear]

WTF?!?!?!?!?!

VP debate moderator Ifill releasing pro-Obama book

And we can all listen to the liberal media insist THIS person was the "best" choice for moderator of the VP debates. LOL Can we all say "another set up job"?

 

[Luissa]

Yes she is probably going for Obama but her and PBS are probably the most unbiased news anchors and reporters out there. Why do you think they choose Jim Lerer. And I don't see anywhere in there where she said she was endorsing Obama.Get over it! SHe is one of the best at her job.

 

[Article 15]

Preemptive excuse making ...

Sarah Palin cannot fail, she can only be failed ....

 

[Mauser]

Yes she is probably going for Obama but her and PBS are probably the most unbiased news anchors and reporters out there. Why do you think they choose Jim Lerer. And I don't see anywhere in there where she said she was endorsing Obama.Get over it! SHe is one of the best at her job.

Do you have to endorse someone to be biased in favor of that person?

I agree with you about Jim Lehrer, and IMO it would be better if he were the moderator.

 

[elvis]

Do you have to endorse someone to be biased in favor of that person?

No. I don't believe so.

 

[bigdaddygtr]

OH MY GOD WE HAVE A BLACK MODERATOR!!! RUN FOR THE HILLS!

I bet she likes Oprah too, holy sh@t!!!!!!!!!


How about all the WHITE moderators for the past 200 years?

 

[JimH52]

What! There were no old, balding, white guys available?

 

[Mauser]

OH MY GOD WE HAVE A BLACK MODERATOR!!! RUN FOR THE HILLS!

I bet she likes Oprah too, holy sh@t!!!!!!!!!


How about all the WHITE moderators for the past 200 years?

Has nothing to do with the color of her skin.

 

[DavidS]

Any particular reason you felt the need to post her picture?

So your rightwing trashy news source managed to find two mentions of "bias"? One of them being...the look on her face? What? Really? She was biased because of her facial expression? How absurd.

And even if her blackness and interest in Obama does make her lean towards him...hes not debating. If you'll notice, she is also a woman, and so is Palin! Omg, wait, was the point to say that, as a woman, she'll be biased against Biden? I bet your so right!

Dude, you're off on this one. The VP Debate Moderator is releasing a book on innaguration day "The Age of Obama." She is obviously biased towards Obama and should excuse herself. I do not want Obama to win because of favors and bias. I want him to win a fair, straight forward election. Biden is going to dismantle Palin, but he should do so without someone who THAT biased towards Obama.

 

[rayboyusmc]

Has she done this before? Hmmm, I think so.

The fact they took a woman could also be construed as bias toward Palin's gender.

I guess we need to get a white woman from Alaska who voted for her to be fair.

And we can all listen to the liberal media insist THIS person was the "best" choice for moderator of the VP debates. LOL Can we all say "another set up job"?

What a bunch of whining crybabies. Let's bring up some more meaningless complaints. Charley and Killer Katie were set ups, but fawning shawing wasn't?

 

[DavidS]

Preemptive excuse making ...

Sarah Palin cannot fail, she can only be failed ....

No... no... she can fail. She's got too many Republican talking points crammed up into her head and she can't make any sense of them. It's going to be ugly for her.

 

[DavidS]

Has she done this before? Hmmm, I think so.

The fact they took a woman could also be construed as bias toward Palin's gender.

I guess we need to get a white woman from Alaska who voted for her to be fair.



What a bunch of whining crybabies. Let's bring up some more meaningless complaints. Charley and Killer Katie were set ups, but fawning shawing wasn't?

She's not releasing a book "The Age of Palin." The title of her book insinuates that she favors Obama. Come on... moderators are supposed to be unbiased. We don't want someone who's biased. We don't want someone to stack the deck for us. When it's time for Obama to win, he'll win fair and square. This isn't fair.

 

[Silence]

wow...she's writing a book about the first black man to get a major party nomination for President and she's black too? that makes her automatically bias *insert eye roll here*

She talks about blacks who have made HUGE steps in the political process...Barack Obama IS in fact one of them....so is Colin Powell, she talks about him too... pssstt...he's a Republican...

she says this about Obama:

She told AP her view of Obama: "I still don't know if he'll be a good president."

doesn't exactly sound like the ringing edorsement ya'll make it out to be....

I wonder though... Jim Leher is white and must closer to McCain's age was be bias in favor of McCain? he's written books too OMG!!

She's not releasing a book "The Age of Palin." The title of her book insinuates that she favors Obama. Come on... moderators are supposed to be unbiased. We don't want someone who's biased. We don't want someone to stack the deck for us. When it's time for Obama to win, he'll win fair and square. This isn't fair.

she's not writing specifically ABOUT Obama David. She's writing about the change in American politics that made it possible for Obama to get to where he is. Would you think it bias if she were white and writing this book? When did she begin writing it? was it before Obama even got the nomination? Probably considering she had to have done extensive research and interviews.

and to say this is unfair to Palin? good Lord. ya'll haven't even heard the first question asked yet and you're already screaming bias.

 

[bigdaddygtr]

Has nothing to do with the color of her skin.

I'm sure, just like calling Obama, "Barack Hussein Obama" has nothing to do with his skin tone and America's fear of brown Arab's right?

 

[The Paperboy]

This tells us alot about Obama. I think we can all agree that:

1. Ifill is writing a very flattering book about Obama.

2. Obama knew this.

3. Obama knew she was moderator.

Conclusion: Obama should have rejected her as moderator.

Obama is shameless.

 

[Otter_Creek]

Don't you think her book will sell more if Obama wins? Think real hard guys...

 

[xsited1]

The title of her book: The Breakthrough: Politics and Race in the Age of Obama. In the book, Ifill heaps praise on her subjects, including Obama and Obama-endorsing Mass. Gov. Deval Patrick.