Thursday’s VP Debate Moderator? Obama Supporter? Yep.

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Gwen Ifill is set to moderate the debate on Thursday between Biden and Palin. Ifill is the moderator and managing editor or Washington Week which is a show the runs on PBS. Ifill is set to release a book on inauguration day titled “Age of Obama.” This nonpartisan moderator in her book sheds “new light on the impact of Barack Obama’s stunning presidential campaign”.

This is not the first debate moderated by Ifill. During an earlier debate event she moderated, when Democrat John Edwards attacked Dick Cheney’s former employer, Halliburton, the vice president said, “I can respond, Gwen, but it’s going to take more than 30 seconds.”

“Well, that’s all you’ve got,” she told him.

Ifill told the Associated Press Democrats were delighted with her answer, because they “thought I was being snippy to Cheney.” She explains that wasn’t her intent.

In an even more recent event PBS Ombudsman Michael Getler said he got complaints after Palin delivered her nomination acceptance speech at the RNC this year over Ifill’s reaction. The complaints cited Ifill’s “dismissive” look during her report on Palin’s speech. According to Getler, some complaints also said she wore a look of “disgust” while reporting on Palin. With her obvious admiration for Obama it’s no surprise she doesn’t like Palin.

In the Amazon.com promotion for her book, Ifill is described as “drawing on interviews with power brokers like Senator Obama, former Secretary of State Colin Powell…” and others.
In an online video promoting her book, she is enthusiastic about “taking the story of Barack Obama and extending it.”

It focuses on four people, “one of them Barack Obama of course,” she said.

“They are changing our politics and changing our nation,” she said.

On Amazon.com, Ifill is praised for her “incisive, detailed profiles of such prominent leaders as Newark Mayor Cory booker, Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick, and U.S. Congressman Artur Davis of Alabama.”

“Ifill shows why this is a pivotal moment in American history,” the review says.

She told AP about her views on Obama, “I still don’t know if he’ll be a good president.” She also describes how she met him at the 2004 Democratic convention, and since then has interviewed Obama and his family.

She also boasted by the time of the debate, “I’ll be a complete expert on both” Palin and Biden.

The debate will be held at Washington University in St. Louis, which has posted information about the evening’s events online.

Ifill’s profile there describes her as a longtime correspondent and moderator for national news programs and includes her service as moderator of the 2004 debate between Edwards and Cheney.

However, there’s no mention of her upcoming book. Nor does the website for the Commission on Presidential Debates, which is organizing the meetings of the candidates, mention her book.

The typical media bias and obvious double standards continue. The right couldn’t get away with having an obvious admirer of Palin moderate the debate. We are constantly forced to watch partisan politics injected into an event that is meant to be nonpartisan and not full of spin. I’m not surprised that the media has yet again failed to present a fair and balanced debate. I can’t wait to see Ifill’s disgustful looks and arragance towards Palin and watch as the media acts like nothing happened.

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Tags: 2008 Elections Debate Joe Biden Sarah Palin