Gwen Ifill - VP Debate Moderator

iVillage Member
Registered: 07-12-2008
Gwen Ifill - VP Debate Moderator
106
Thu, 10-02-2008 - 1:15am

Debate moderators were chosen in August.   If McCain camp had a problem with Ifill as moderator, they've had a looooong time to object.   No, Ifill will be one of many excuses they can use when Palin bombs.


Re: Gwen Ifill's book, one needs to look no further than the conservative Washington Times, which published an article about said book on JULY 23rd, long before either potential Veep had been selected. I do not know when Ifill was chosen to moderate this debate, but the fact of the matter is that any idiot in McCain's camp could have googled Gwen Ifill and received this information and had they thought it a "conflict of interest" requested another moderator two months ago.


To those saying the debate has been "fixed", well - um - the debate hasn't even taken place yet.  Hmmm, apparently you don't have much confidence in Sarah Palin.  You shoul dbe cheering her on instead of preparing for failure.


tsk tsk


 




 


 

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iVillage Member
Registered: 10-16-2006
Thu, 10-02-2008 - 3:26pm

Hi Laura,

Thanks for the response to my post! We'll all be waiting to see the debate tonight!

later, HB

iVillage Member
Registered: 08-31-2003
Thu, 10-02-2008 - 3:26pm

Do you think it's a book saying that he is way off in his politics, political agena and ideology?

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iVillage Member
Registered: 07-22-2008
Thu, 10-02-2008 - 3:26pm

>>> >>"introducing the emerging young African American politicians forging a bold new path to political power"...doesn't sound very negative or dispassionate, does it?

>>> It sounds accurate to me.

I noticed you ignored the "stunning" bit. Maybe that sounded a little pro-Obama? As for the bit you did choose to address...Considering the obscurity of the "African American politicians" she's writing about, I guess it's not very surprising that she put "Obama" in the title. I haven't heard of any of the "other guys," so I can't see how "forging a BOLD new path to political power" can be considered "accurate."

>>> He *is* one of a series of young African American politicians who are forging a bold new path to political power. It's a bold new path because for generations African Americans had no political power.

Clearly there is a history of blacks in political power...

Newark Mayor Cory Booker...Booker is the third Black Mayor of Newark. His predecessor served for 20 years before retiring.

Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick...is the first black governor of Mass. He is one of three African American governors.

U.S. Congressman Artur Davis of Alabama...there have been 123 Blacks elected to Congress, with Davis being the second from Alabama since 1993.

...so what is it that makes their "political paths" so "bold" as compared to their predecessors?

>>> You mentioned other descriptions of the book. Would you like to share those to help make your point?

I already have. You find it "accurate"...I find it "hype."

iVillage Member
Registered: 08-31-2003
Thu, 10-02-2008 - 3:27pm
Are
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iVillage Member
Registered: 07-22-2008
Thu, 10-02-2008 - 3:30pm

< And for the umpteenth time...it was the responsibility of the Debate Committee to do the research...and for Iffil to answer their vetting questions honestly. She did not.

>>> And for the umpteenth time, I don't disagree with you.

Ok...you seemed to be blaming McCain when it clearly wasn't the responsibility of his campaign to vet the moderator..."All I'm saying is that since McCain okayed Ifill without doing the research, he cannot complain now."

iVillage Member
Registered: 10-16-2006
Thu, 10-02-2008 - 3:41pm

Hey 'p-in-c',

Gwen Ifill is a very well-known journalist & broadcaster, in her own right. Her 'day job' is as a moderator and senior editor on "Washington Week" on PBS! She has been involved in the world of Washington for many years.

Yep...to my knowledge, most of us watched the 2004 VP Debate that she moderated on modern televisions, so I believe it was pretty apparent to everyone that she is indeed a black woman & proud of it!

While it would have probably been more 'transparent' if she had mentioned her book-in-progress to the Committee -- I suspect that she may not have been wanting to 'toot her horn' about the upcoming book. Afterall, it had already been widely announced in the media & literary world, so no need to belabor the point. Also, this is not a book, specifically about Obama -- while the title might give that impressions -- it is merely setting the time frame.

My question is this... if the moderator were a white woman or white man & happened to be writing a book about whites in politics right now -- would there be any question about their appropriateness to serve as the debate moderator?

iVillage Member
Registered: 10-01-2008
Thu, 10-02-2008 - 3:45pm

>>I noticed you ignored the "stunning" bit.

That's because I addressed it in another post. Stunning can mean surprising, good looking or out of the ordinary. I find that accurate as well.

>>I haven't heard of any of the "other guys," so I can't see how "forging a BOLD new path to political power" can be considered "accurate."

By virtue of the fact that they are in office -- and as you mentioned, not the first in those positions.

>>..so what is it that makes their "political paths" so "bold" as compared to their predecessors?

I'm not sure. I'll have to read the book. I'm not sure that she's saying their paths were *more* bold. As I understand it, she is profiling these individuals with an eye to history. These are the elected officials in an Obama era. By definition, their predecessors are no longer in office.

>>I already have.

I must have missed where you linked to other descriptions of the book. I'll go back through the thread to read through them.

Laura

iVillage Member
Registered: 10-01-2008
Thu, 10-02-2008 - 3:46pm

>>Are only black politicians form the Democrat Party forging paths these days?

I don't know. To be completely honest, I can't name a single African-American elected Republican. I know there are some, but you have to admit that there are far more African-Americans in power in the Democratic party than the Republican party. It's something worth looking into.

Laura

iVillage Member
Registered: 08-31-2003
Thu, 10-02-2008 - 3:53pm

I am wondering how so many people seem to know that McCain even had a say so in this process.

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iVillage Member
Registered: 10-01-2008
Thu, 10-02-2008 - 3:55pm

>>It absolutely is an endorsement of Obama. It's politics in the "Obama Era".

No, that's not obvious. For years and years, we've been calling the 1980s the Reagan Era. I call it the Regan Era, even though I did not support him in any way shape or form. Gay rights and HIV/AIDS rights organizations call it the Reagan Era, even though these groups are fiercely critical of how he handled the AIDS crisis. Having an era named after you is not always a good thing. *smile*

Not that I think Ifill is being critical of Obama. I'm just asserting that she could be neutrally noticing the impact Obama has had on politics. Again, I'm not sure of any of this because I haven't read the book. No one has. (If I'm not mistaken, she hasn't even written the last chapter.)

Other eras include: The Victorian Era, the Elizabethan Era, the Big Band Era, the Disco Era,... I'm guessing you'll find champions, critics and neutrals of the disco era. *grin*

Laura

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