Impartial moderator or no??

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-19-2003
Impartial moderator or no??
9
Thu, 10-02-2008 - 7:22am
Controversy brews up around VP debate moderator Ifill


  • Story Highlights
  • PBS' Gwen Ifill set to moderate Thursday's vice presidential debate

  • Conservative Web sites are criticizing her new book featuring Barack Obama

  • National Review's Geraghty: "further evidence of a jaw-dropping double standard"

  • Ifill was criticized for her facial expressions after Sarah Palin's RNC speech
    http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/10/01/gwen.ifill/index.html

She has the possibility to make big money on her book if Obama is elected.

iVillage Member
Registered: 08-16-2005
Thu, 10-02-2008 - 7:57am

Just my opinion, and I am voting McCain, she has moderated many debates and appeared very well educated and impartial.


iVillage Member
Registered: 10-01-2008
Thu, 10-02-2008 - 8:15am

I think she has the capability of being impartial, and I'm not at all concerned about her abilities. However, it does bother me -- greatly -- that she didn't disclose information about her book to the debate commission when she was selected as a moderator. That kind of disclosure is Journalism 101.

Perception of bias is as dangerous as bias itself.

>>She has the possibility to make big money on her book if Obama is elected.

Whether he is elected or not, she has the possibility of making big money. The fact that he is running at all is what's at issue here -- not whether he wins or loses. History has already been made.

Laura

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-19-2003
Thu, 10-02-2008 - 8:24am
ditto!

Photobucket

iVillage Member
Registered: 09-25-2008
Thu, 10-02-2008 - 8:40am

I wondered what the excuse would be.

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Thu, 10-02-2008 - 9:07am

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I disagree with you, but I'm pretty sure

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-29-2007
Thu, 10-02-2008 - 9:43am
Frankly I am a bit dissappointed.


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iVillage Member
Registered: 03-16-2004
Thu, 10-02-2008 - 11:31am

Every moderator has a "side" they are on because everyone has a party affiliation, etc.

iVillage Member
Registered: 10-01-2008
Thu, 10-02-2008 - 12:02pm

>>Every moderator has a "side" they are on because everyone has a party affiliation, etc.

Actually, that's not true. Most journalists do not claim party affiliation. (I don't.) In some newsrooms, reporters are even discouraged from voting. The issue of bias is taken very, very seriously by ethical journalists. It's usually a matter of grave concern.

Besides, lots of non-journalists have no party affiliation. I'm perplexed by your assertion that everyone is affiliated with a party.

>>Finding a perfect impartrial person is impossible, because we're all human.

This is absolutely true. That's why responsible journalists do all that they can to show impartiality and avoid even the perception of bias. That's why she should have explicitly disclosed her upcoming book to the debate commission. I really, really respect Gwen Ifill and find her to be one of the most reputable journalists in our country, but I'm disappointed in her at this moment.

Laura

iVillage Member
Registered: 02-22-2008
Thu, 10-02-2008 - 12:08pm
Being a moderator is pretty "out of the box" and little room for bias.

boardsiggy