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: 07-22-2008
Thu, 10-02-2008 - 4:26pm
Partisanship.
iVillage Member
Registered: 10-16-2006
Thu, 10-02-2008 - 4:53pm

Hey Alicia,

I respect that you see that there is a conflict of interest with Ifill, due your perception that she would 'profit' from her role as moderator. I don't believe that there is necessarily any direct connection to book sales just because Obama wins & she happened to moderate the VP debate. I'm pretty sure the Commission examined the issue of a potential 'conflict' w/Ifill's book once Ifill was speaking about the book (after being chosen as moderator), and therefore would have made any changes necessary well before tonight. I think it would be far different if the book were going to be, say, a biography of Obama, only. It sounds like it's more of a reflection of the current political developments among black politicians, collectively and a historical narrative. It'll be interesting to discuss this once the book is actually published. Clearly her publisher believes it will be relevant as they set the release date for Jan. 20th (day of Inauguration!)

Moreover, it would be an entirely different issue if the debate she is moderating is between Obama/McCain -- then I can see a pretty strong conflict of interest & possible 'bias,' only in that she has 'studied' Obama, as a particular component of her upcoming book. In my mind, every one has their distinct 'biases' -- by which I mean an 'affinity to', or 'sharing the same belief towards' a particular person, idea, etc.

From what I've seen of Ifill in her capacity as moderator, she is totally and appropriately capable of carrying out those duties, in an efficient, impartial manner.

We are, each, the product of our backgrounds, education and life experiences -- that's what makes us unique, thinking individuals, with different needs and wants! The key is whether we are able to put aside our biases when it's necessary to be fair and impartial, and be respectful of those who don't agree w/us.

iVillage Member
Registered: 08-31-2003
Thu, 10-02-2008 - 5:03pm

I've done a little reading the last 2 hours, and there seems to be people with much better credentials than mine that see that Ifill could/would most certainly gain monetarily from an Obama win. We won't know till it happens, and even then, the partisan ones will find another reason for her success. It's a conflict of interest because she does stand to gain, whether you or I think it will happen or not

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iVillage Member
Registered: 10-25-2006
Thu, 10-02-2008 - 5:11pm

I agree. If Gwen benefits it'll be simply because she was moderator for this big debate. ANY newscaster would benefit from the exposure, and ANY newscaster could write a book after moderating the debate. I think it'd be pretty hard for anyone to say NO to an offer like that, whether or not one was writing a book. The agitation over Ifill amounts to nothing more than one more big distraction created by the GOP.

If she were not well-respected the Commission would not have granted approval.

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iVillage Member
Registered: 10-01-2008
Thu, 10-02-2008 - 5:24pm

>>I've done a little reading the last 2 hours, and there seems to be people with much better credentials than mine that see that Ifill could/would most certainly gain monetarily from an Obama win.

Since I've been vociferously debating the opposite all day (smile), I'd love to read what you have read. Would you mind sharing?

>>Ifill proved herself to be biased in the Cheney/Edwards debate.

How do you feel she proved that? Was it because of her comment to Cheney, "You only have 30 seconds?" (Or something to that effect; I don't have the transcript in front of me.) I did not interpret that comment as biased, but I've heard commentators say otherwise. I'd love to hear what your take is.

And if it wasn't that comment, could you share what it was?

Laura

iVillage Member
Registered: 09-08-2008
Thu, 10-02-2008 - 6:13pm

eleeel,

iVillage Member
Registered: 09-08-2008
Thu, 10-02-2008 - 6:47pm

Ann Coulter has written 3 or 4 best selling books, a frequent TV guest, and syndicated columnist.

iVillage Member
Registered: 08-28-2008
Thu, 10-02-2008 - 6:50pm

Forgive my jumping in in the middle here --


Over the years I think Ifill has proven herself to be a credible and non-biased journalist.

iVillage Member
Registered: 09-03-2008
Thu, 10-02-2008 - 6:59pm

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iVillage Member
Registered: 10-01-2008
Thu, 10-02-2008 - 7:07pm

>>Any damn dumb politician can vote, after all that is their job while being a senator.

That's why I started my post by explaining that senators merely play a role in making things happen. There are very, very few senators who can claim that they alone have made something happen. Executives (governors and presidents) can make such claims since they often have the final say with a veto or by signing the bill.

And I'm sure you weren't calling any of our candidates dumb, were you? *smile*

>>They have never worked or operated a business, never been in charge of employees, never prepared a budget and them had to meet it's goals.

I gave you a brief description of Obama's experience in this realm in my first response to you. Did you not see that post?

>>They have never been in the military, a mayor, or governor.

You're right. I don't find that those positions are of great importance in choosing our president and vice president. In fact, George W. Bush had two of those three qualifications, and in my opinion he's been a failure.

>>They have never reduced a tax and saved the tax payer money, let along confront corruption in their own party. Obama and Biden has not said anything about going after the cause of Freddie and Fanny failure, when their friends Franklin Raines, Jim Johnson, and Jamie Gorelick are guilty of worse fraud than Ken Lay, and Enron.

I think they're simply not saying what you want to hear. And that's fine. It's clear that you have very different opinions from them.

>>So again, what have they really done??

In a Senate that has largely been controlled by those with different political values and opinions to theirs, each of them voted their conscience. That means a lot to me. And if it's not enough for you, that's perfectly okay.

Laura

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