Why the heck is Gwen Ifill the moderator for tonights Palin/Biden debate?

Question

Gwen Ifill is writing a favorable book for Obama that is to be released in January! She obviously has a BIASED opinion in favor of Obama/Biden so why is she the moderator for tonights debate? I thought the moderator is supposed to be unbiased in these debates?
Anyone else find this disturbing?

Answer 1

Because she was agreed upon by BOTH campaigns AFTER her book was announced.



What's disturbing is that the McCain/Palin camp would try to make this an issue at this late date. It only makes you guys look like idiots for not knowing what's going on.

Answer 2

First of all, the book is about the blacks in politics and how things have been changing. It is not about Obama per se, but about equality.



Second, the book is due out in January and has been publicized since this past July, well before any moderators were chosen. A quick google search of Ifill will show this.



Third, every moderator will have personal beliefs, leanings. They work hard to maintain neutrality. Ifill is well respected for being fair and balanced.



Finally, McCain has already negotiated to dumb down the vp debate, keep it to only a single debate, keep it short. And he agreed that Ifill would be a good moderator.



Why do you find it so disturbing? Maybe it will at least give you some excuse when Palin crashes and burns...

Answer 3

Her book is about African American politicians, including several Republican politicians. She hasn't even written the chapter about Obama yet. Both campaigns agreed to her being the moderator a few weeks after the book's release date was announced in several newspapers and on a veriety of websites. No moderator is totally unbiased because, everyone has an opinion. She moderated the 2004 VP debate and, she was very professional.

Answer 4

Since yesterday, this has been asked repeatedly by fans of Sarah Palin. It seems the purpose is an attempt to make excuses for Palin before the debate even takes place, because all the evidence so far points to her being almost completely clueless and completely unfit for the VP position. Don't blame the moderator, she was accepted by McCain's camp back in August. Ask your hero why they accepted her, they already knew about the book.



Listen, Gwen is a very well respected journalist. Any question she asks Joe Biden is a question that Palin should be able to answer as well. The McCain camp already put their restrictions on this debate in order to try and frame it so it's in Palin's favor. Shorter answers to be given, etc. What about that? Why did they feel they had to set things up for her inadequacies?



Gwen's journalist career is on full display. She's not about to put her career on the line to ask Palin "gotcha" questions (that term has become such a nauseating and useless excuse), when she knows that Palin will likely cut her own throat. She will ask appropriate questions to both candidates. If Republicans dare to try and say the questions were too hard they will be laughed at. How can they be too hard for someone who would be a heartbeat away? If Palin can't handle the media, which clearly she can't, then she doesn't belong in White House as a secretary, much less VP.



EDIT:

Bill:

Huh? You better talk to McCain then about those left wing wacko interviewers. McCain's camp PICKED both Gibson and Couric, and Palin still made an @ss out of her herself. I swear, I have never heard so many excuses made for one twit in my entire life. You cons are something else, and not in a good way.



EDIT:

lol Gee, we didn't need to question Gwen's bias at all since Palin chose to answer the questions in her own head rather than the ones put to her by the moderator. funny

Answer 5

Aren't we picky! The parties decided a Black moderator should do the honors and the choices were Obama's former (?) pastor Reverend Wright (satanic) or Palin's kumbayah my lord Pastor Muthee (witchcraft)! Due to the fear factor of these characters they chose Gwen unanimously plus the poor woman's ankle is swollen from a fall...for shame. Have some remorse people! The question is, "Can Biden make Palin TAP-OUT?" Wearing my snow shoes cause its gonna be deep in rhetoric tonight. Gonna see if Palin uses any of her Lifelines.

Answer 6

it is absurd for the press and for Ifill herself to promote the false notion that so-called "conservatives" are the only people who would dare question the debate moderation situation.



This issue goes beyond partisanship and the present election, with good reason, for those of any political stripe, and should.





Ifill behaved disingenuously by not disclosing her publishing plans to the debate committee; instead she left any research into the matter up to others and let the chips fall where they may. after all, she was looking out for her career; by moderating the debate she gets exposure, and she neither willing to forego publishing the book nor willing to disclose that she was publishing the book and possibly forfeit this opportunity for exposure---a smart career choice in some career contexts; however a great many people cannot help but notice that this was rooted in her own career ambitions, rather than from a desire to effect a role of scrupulous educator to the public;



for what it's worth, however, few people seem to worry about the latter desire any more---perhaps this is the real "education" we are getting here.

Answer 7

BOTH parties had to agree on a moderator.



The real question is why did McCain's campaign OK Ifill? It looks like they're making a political move ahead of time so they can say it was unfair after the fact.

Answer 8

There is never anything fair about the moderators and interviewers when it come to McCain/Palin interviewers. They always pick left wing wackos like Katie Couric etc.. These same people then get to interview their Obamasiah. To be fair why don't we get some nationally televised interviews with Obama/Biden done with someone like Wayne Lapierre or Rush Limbaugh. Lets hear Obama questioned extensively about his view on the 2nd amendment. Wouldn't the liberals scream about that.

Answer 9

The best advice for Biden, said Shanto Iyengar, professor of communications and political science at Stanford University, is "just let her express herself."

Answer 10

If you knew ANYTHING about Gwen Ifill or the process of selecting her as moderator you never would have asked this question.

Answer 11

Nope. Not at all. Apparently McSame didn't see anything wrong with it either, when he agreed to it months ago. Face it, Palin is not ready to be VP, and it's going to show more than ever tonight.



Of course, if she does end up looking bad, I won't be surprised how many excuses will be made for her. Now that's disturbing!

Answer 12

The crux of the matter is that Gwen's book will be released on Inaugural Day in January. If Obama wins, she wins and stands to earn minimum $300,000 in book royalties. If McCain wins, she will sell a few copies to friends and family perhaps. Saying she has a vested interest in an Obama win is to state the obvious, but it's possible that she could be impartial. At the outset they should disclose her book so everyone watching is aware of the situation.

Answer 13

*sigh* A moderator just asks questions. She isn't going to decide who wins the debate or have specific questions for Palin or Biden. McCain said it wasn't that big of a deal, why are Cons making such a big deal out of this?

Answer 14

Why not, she is above reproach, so don't go there, you're already trying to justify why she won't win, an we haven't even had the debate yet. And why would she be bias, who knows she may be a Rep. for all you know.

Answer 15

Because you dumb azz republicans agreed to it way back in August.



Here's a lesson for you, if you go to a public park and bend over, there's a good chance someone is going to attempt to mount ya.

Answer 16

She was announced as moderator in early August.



Her book was announced back in May.



McCain has had 2 months to do something or say something about it and waited until yesterday.



It is just another stunt...and again you are all falling for it.

Answer 17

Who cares who moderates - it's the content of what we hear from the candidates that matters!!

Answer 18

not really since both the republican and democratic tickets both agreed to have her. i think more research should have been done before republicans gave her the ok. she announced the book in june. theyve had plenty of time.

Answer 19

It was primarily HER responsibility to inform the commission of this book, so she should be replaced. A secondary point is that it would be much better if the commission had a standard form to ask for any conflicts of interest or other issues in advance.

Answer 20

Using words to describe Ifill's Obama book like "impact" "stunning" "emerging" "forging a bold new path" "to political power" shows no bias and could be taken many different ways. Not. And if she didn't feel obligated to inform the debate commission about her book that will only sell if Obama wins (talk about a conflict of interest), she surely should have known to report to the commission her fluff piece for Essence magazine entitled "At Home with the Obamas." Anyone who thinks she could possibly have any objectivity left (if she ever did) is crazy. And that does come through from a moderator in a debate when it turns to a free for all as it will from time to time.

Answer 21

try looking up your questions before you waste five points on them. this one has been asked about 7 times today.

Answer 22

Both parties agreed. Why do you think she shouldnt be?

Answer 23

Terribly. She will also benefit financially if Obama wins from the book. It is astounding that she is the moderator.

Answer 24

lol she is not white enouhg for you lol???