Unbelievable

Suppose Joe Lieberman - expressly advocating for John McCain - had been chosen to moderate Thursday's vice-presidential debates? Or David Freddoso, author of "The Case Against Barack Obama"?  Obama-Biden supporters would be outraged; rightly so.

Yet, we find that a moderator has been chosen for the vice-presidential debates - and this moderator has a book in the works celebrating "The Age of Obama"!  Worse yet; her book is scheduled to debut on inauguration day! 

Perhaps the Commission on Presidential Debates doesn’t understand the term “moderator”.  According to Websters Dictionary, the word refers to a mediator, someone unaffiliated or neutral between two or more positions to facilitate discussion and negotiation.  Jim Lehrer moderated the first presidential debate between Barack Obama and John McCain, and did a fine job, mostly because he gave the appearance of fairness and objectivity.  Lehrer hasn’t written books or magazine articles praising one of these men, nor does he have a financial interest in the outcome of the election.

Instead, as Michelle Malkin notes, the CPD has chosen Gwen Ifill, the PBS host and author of an upcoming book on Barack Obama scheduled for publication on Inauguration Day, to moderate the debate between Sarah Palin and Joe Biden:

In an imaginary world where liberal journalists are held to the same standards as everyone else, Ifill would be required to make a full disclosure at the start of the debate. She would be required to turn to the cameras and tell the national audience that she has a book coming out on January 20, 2009 – a date that just happens to coincide with the inauguration of the next president of the United States.

The title of Ifill’s book? “Breakthrough: Politics and Race in the Age of Obama.” Nonpartisan my foot.

Ifill’s publisher, Random House, is already busy hyping the book with YouTube clips of Ifill heaping praise on her subjects, including Obama and Obama-endorsing Mass. Governor Deval Patrick.

As bad as the selection of Ifill for this role, the McCain camp did not receive disclosure about this conflict prior to the debate.

Tim Russert must be turning over in his grave.

Comments

[Greg]

You reaching with this one. You been reading too much Matt Drudge. Here are 2 write ups on the book.

From Random House:

In THE BREAKTHROUGH, veteran journalist Gwen Ifill surveys the American political landscape, shedding new light on the impact of Barack Obama’s stunning presidential campaign and introducing the emerging young African American politicians forging a bold new path to political power.

Ifill argues that the Black political structure formed during the Civil Rights movement is giving way to a generation of men and women who are the direct beneficiaries of the struggles of the 1960s. She offers incisive, detailed profiles of such prominent leaders as Newark Mayor Cory Booker, Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick, and U.S. Congressman Artur Davis of Alabama, and also covers up-and-coming figures from across the nation. Drawing on interviews with power brokers like Senator Obama, former Secretary of State Colin Powell, Vernon Jordan, the Reverend Jesse Jackson, and many others, as well as her own razor-sharp observations and analysis of such issues as generational conflict and the "black enough" conundrum, Ifill shows why this is a pivotal moment in American history.

THE BREAKTHROUGH is a remarkable look at contemporary politics and an essential foundation for understanding the future of American democracy.

From Amazon:

In THE BREAKTHROUGH, veteran journalist Gwen Ifill surveys the American political landscape, shedding new light on the impact of Barack Obama’s stunning presidential campaign and introducing the emerging young African American politicians forging a bold new path to political power.

Ifill argues that the Black political structure formed during the Civil Rights movement is giving way to a generation of men and women who are the direct beneficiaries of the struggles of the 1960s. She offers incisive, detailed profiles of such prominent leaders as Newark Mayor Cory Booker, Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick, and U.S. Congressman Artur Davis of Alabama, and also covers up-and-coming figures from across the nation. Drawing on interviews with power brokers like Senator Obama, former Secretary of State Colin Powell, Vernon Jordan, the Reverend Jesse Jackson, and many others, as well as her own razor-sharp observations and analysis of such issues as generational conflict and the "black enough" conundrum, Ifill shows why this is a pivotal moment in American history.

The book is about the landscape of African Americans in the political sphere. It is not an endorsement book, it is one of history of African Americans in the political landscape, and what the future might hold for them. So where is the conflict of interests at? Are you implying that as an African American Gwen Ifill cannot be unbias in her work? What about Ron Fournier the AP's Washington bureau chief who has ties to the McCain camp? Failed to see you say anything about this.

How about Andrea Mitchell blaming Barack Obama on the bailout failure and not disclosing that her husband is Alan Greenspan (Republican) the man that many place a lot of blame on this crisis. Where was your response then?? Gain, crickets nothing mentioned. How about these people?

- Ron Brownstein, LA Times, married to Eileen McMenamin, John McCain’s communications director.

- Campbell Brown, anchor for the weekend edition of NBC’s Today Show, married to Dan Senor, GOP operative and former head of the Coalition Provisional Authority.

- NBC’s David Gregory, married to Beth Wilkinson, general counsel for Fannie Mae.

Again nothing, nada, crickets. Seems to me the only person you have issue with is African American. Wow, who didn't see that coming? Once again the same old hypocritical double standard coming from the "let's judge people by the content of their character" people. In the words of Bill O'Reilly "I'm not buying it".

[Peg]

How about Ifill disclosing that she has a book coming out about one of the candidates on inauguration day, Greg? You'd be screaming bloody murder if the shoe were on the other foot.

As for Ifill's race having anything to do with this: utter horse manure.

[Greg]

This story has been already debunked.

Ifill's Book Made Public Weeks Before McCain Agreed To Have Her Moderate VP Debate
www.huffingtonpost.com/judd-legum/ifill-book-public-weeks-b_b_130834.html

It is amazing that you continue to push lies from Drudge.

First of all the book is not an endorsement of Obama, and anyone who can read the descriptions which I posted from Random House and Amazon can see that.

Secondly as I pointed out, you were and continue to be mute on Ron Fournier and Andrea Mitchell. Why is that? Are you questioning Gwen Ifill ethics? If so why her, and why not Mitchell or Fournier's? You can call it horse manure all you want, but calling foul on one, and being silent on the others leads me to believe what I believe.

Last and not least if the McCain camp did not know about the book then they are incompetent. Or they are just lying hoping that those who would believe this are just inclined to believe anything.

For the record the debate moderators were agreed to on August 6, Gwen Ifill's book was reported in the Associated Press two weeks earlier. In that AP, these things were stated:

"We have an awkward history about how to talk about race in the nation and in newsrooms," says Gwen Ifill, senior correspondent for PBS' "The NewsHour With Jim Lehrer" and author of "The Breakthrough: Politics and Race in the Age of Obama," slated for publication early next year.

Of course, when you have Drudge on your side the facts don't matter much.

Nice try.

[Peg]

Perhaps the McCain camp should have known about the book. That is another issue.

My point is that Ifill should have made certain that the campaign was aware of her book, and that they did not have a problem with it. After all, Greg - the book is not called "African-American Politicians Today" - it is called "xxx The Age of Obama."

Not the "Age of Condi Rice" or "Age of J.C. Watts" or "Age of Colin Powell." It has a telling title - and Ifill should have made that clear to both parties - even if, as you stated, they should have known anyway.

[Greg]

I am sure they did know in advance and had no problem with it. It is interesting how you been silent on the issue of Fournier and Mitchell, but then again I do not find it strange that you are silent on this.

You write:

Not the "Age of Condi Rice" or "Age of J.C. Watts" or "Age of Colin Powell." It has a telling title

but as the book is described:

detailed profiles of such prominent leaders as Newark Mayor Cory Booker, Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick, and U.S. Congressman Artur Davis of Alabama, and also covers up-and-coming figures from across the nation. Drawing on interviews with power brokers like Senator Obama, former Secretary of State Colin Powell, Vernon Jordan, the Reverend Jesse Jackson, and many others

So as you can see the book is not about Obama, and this is just a weak argument. Let's make it crystal clear Ifill's book is about “emerging young African American politicians,” . You keep referring to the title and ignore the whole concept of the book. As I said this story has already been debunked.

Two things to keep in mind:

1) The October 7 presidential debate will be moderated by NBC’s Tom Brokaw, who currently serves as NBC’s liaison to the McCain campaign while spreading pro-McCain misinformation on Meet the Press. In fact, the McCain campaign hand-picked Tom Brokaw to moderate the October 7 debate.

2) CBS’ Bob Schieffer moderated one of the 2004 debates, despite the fact that he is a longtime friend of George W. Bush who had previously acknowledged that his personal relationship with Bush made it difficult to cover him. Schieffer’s brother was a business partner of Bush’s before Bush became president — and Bush made him an ambassador.

Ah, the soft bigotry of lowered expectations. You and the right wing are suggesting that moderator Gwen Ifill may not be nonpartisan enough to moderate the debate, even though the McCain camp approved of her selection. You’ll remember she moderated the 2004 VP debate between Cheney and Edwards, but that does not matter does it? This coming from the same people who claimed Obama was scared to go on Fox News.

Again this story has been debunked, and this whinefest is similar to the "lipstick on the pig" whining. I guess when you cannot win on the issues, this is what we are left to debate.