Coleridge ``Essays on His Times'' had it that a conflict of interest is the pulley on which good character is hoist into public view.

Coleridge wrote newspaper editorials for years around 1800, history's blogger.

Gwen Ifill has had a chance during this presidential election season to demonstrate her capability of being an insightful, thoughtful political analyst. Her comments after the first Presidental debate only showed her to be obviously biased toward Obama. Understandably a tempting positon for a black woman. Unforgiveable as a positon for a national political commentator.

Jim

Anybody suspicious of Bob Schieffer as well?

"Schieffer is the older brother of Tom Schieffer, a friend and former business partner of President George W. Bush, who was appointed U.S. Ambassador to Australia 2001-2005 by President Bush and as of November, 2005 is currently the U.S. Ambassador to Japan."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Schieffer

No, why? Do you do/say/believe everything your brother tells you to?

Wonder how much hoopla would of been made had they given Rush Limbaugh the seat of moderator. Can anyone stop and say hold the hose the house is already burned down.If you are not for Obama you are against blacks and your closest friends become distant and cold towards you. He is not bringing people together he is making enemies of friends and relatives in my life and I would assume many other peoples lives. I don't see John dividing people with his speeches all he seems to want people to understand is his Love for this Country .

This lady is a very legitimate, well-respected and ethical reporter who has moderated a prior vice presidential debate. She was a democrat then, pro-Kerry, was it obvious to anyone by the bias of her conduct? NO.

HER BOOK IS NOT PRO OBAMA, IT'S ABOUT RACE IN POLITICS AND YES, ONE OF THE FOUR BLACK POLITICIANS SHE COVERS IS THE REPUBLICAN COLIN POWELL.

TOM BROKAW IS UNDER SUSPICION BY MOVEON.ORG FOR BEING PRO MCCAIN, and they've asked him to apologize for his biased interview of David Axelrod last Sunday, when he used out-of-date poll numbers in his summation to cast doubt on Obama's progress as a condidate, giving Axelrod no time to correct the misinformation. SHOULD WE ASK TOM BROKAW TO STEP DOWN FROM MCCAIN-OBAMMA NASHVILLE DEBATE BECAUSE HE SHOWED HE WAS PRO MCCAIN ON MEET THE PRESS? NO, OF COURSE NOT - WE RELY ON THEIR JOURNALISTIC INTEGRITY NOT TO LET THEIR PERSONAL VOTING CHOICE GET IN THE WAY.

Annemarie, the fact that the highly partisan moveon.org has accused Brokaw of being pro-McCain means absolutely nothing. Your example is not evidence of bias. The fact that Ifill has a strong financial incentive to see Obama win is undeniable and is important information that at a minimum the audience has a right to know about.

No, Heather, I don't believe everything my brother tells me. But maybe Schieffer fears that an Obama victory will throw his brother out of work. It's at least as reasonable a concern about neutrality as the caveat about Ifill. Which is to say that I don't think it is much of an issue at all. But perhaps we ought to be raising up a race of political eunuchs to report news and to moderate debates. Better yet: maybe we should ask the Swiss to send us some moderators. Failing that, some Andorran or other would do.

I believe that the mediator selection should have recognized Ms Ifill's possible bias towards Senator Obama and her gains from the book soon to be released.

The bias seems now to have crossed into all arena's and I'm very dissappointed.

Wasn't Judge Ito available??? I don't understand why MCCain and Palin keep stepping into enemy interviews and debates. This woman is half black like Obamma, nuff said she is another racist deciple

Wasn't Judge Ito available??? I don't understand why MCCain and Palin keep stepping into enemy interviews and debates. This woman is half black like Obamma, nuff said she is another racist deciple

Does anyone remember? I think there was much criticism of the phrasing and question selection when Gwen Ifill's moderated a 2004 election debate?

Let's bring the dessert out first and have Sarah Palin put in a plug for Gwen's new book soon to be released on Jan 20th 2009 !! Then let the games begin .Biden will probly ask Gwen to stand up and take a bow !!

You wingnuts are making a mountain out of molehill. An MSM reporter being biased in favor of Obama? Come on! Not only that, but she's from PBS--the least biased network of them all! They probably have more Republicans on staff than FOX! In fact, I think Bob Schieffer's brother works there!

NOTICE: PALIN-McCAIN

NOTICE: PALIN-McCAIN

Please note:
Sarah Palin, here is your real chance to win the VP post.
Attack Gwen Ifyl's conflict of interest as moderator. She will make millions from her book on Obama if he wins the presidency.
Don't accept anyone's argument that she will be objective as moderator. Ifyl will not be 'objective' in the roll. She will lose millions if Obama doesn't win.
This is your only opportunity to expose Congressional leader Pelosi and her ilk that now blame Republican leaders for the financial debacle. They fought every attempt at financial reform
Absolutely, go on the offensive 'immediately' instead of answering slanted questions. Show your "STUFF" Thursday night.
GOD bless you !
Paul B.

I'm outraged that we have a moderator that has such a conflict of interest! Isn't there some way to get to the monitor committee to have them change to someone else?

Jeff, that is a fascinating idea.

Italtrav - if Bob Schieffer were showing observable Republican bias, it would be legitimate to raise the question as to whether his brother's job prospects were part of that. Absent that symptom, there is no basis for a diagnosis.

Annemarie, I don't respond to ALL CAPS diatribes, and I discourage others from doing so.

bilwick, sorry, I can't tell if you are being facetious with that comment. I'll risk looking like the humorless dolt who didn't pick up the sarcasm and note that I listen to NPR, and they really try to find balancing opinions but they just don't have the touch. They are too fully embedded in the progressive narrative of how the world works to really choose conservative voices all that well or hear when their liberal voices veer into implausibility. But they try, and I respect that as much as I can, even when they have some prize ass spouting idiocy.

I think this is good overreach, her facial expressions and tone of voice are going to be pretty darn blatantly, obviously, full of condescension to the "Hockey mom" and obsequious to Biden. It'll be like watching Sean Hannity only reversed. (If you're going to give me a "see, you admit blah, blah, blah", first explain how an admittedly partisan nitwit doing his show is the same as a refuse-to-admit-it partisan nitwit as moderator of a debate)

Sooner or later Americans are going to get sick and tired of being treated like children. Particularly stupid children.

Things are heating up in the kitchen now soon the smoke alarm is going off !!!! This whole political satire going on out there could be laughable if it wasn't so tragic. Sarah has just finished a interview with Hannity and when asked about the possible bias from Gwen she said it's a challenge to her and her party to step up to the block and really give it their best shot. Someone better tell Sarah these folks in Washington don't play fair and the rules of the game are made up as they go along.

Jeff,

You think they play fair in Alaska politics?

This is conflict of interest to the second degree. I cannot believe the director of debates commission would allow this to happen. And I also cannot believe that the McCain/Palin ticket would not object.
Should be an interesting debate. Where the moderator stands to make a lot of money should Obama win and sell 10 books to friends and relatatives if he doesn't. I am incensed!!! and not a person who usually speaks out. It is time for all of us to speak out.

Assistant V.I. - Ifill hasn't evidenced any bias either--unless you count telling Dick Cheney that he couldn't have extra time during the previous VP debate she moderated. I've got no reason to think that she's incapable of doing a neutral, professional job.

Assistant VI: Yes, I was being facetious. (although there are "liberals" so deep in the Cocoon--many of them post here--that they probably read what I wrote and thought: "Yes, he's right!") I was thinking more of PBS (the television network) than NPR.

Forgot to add that I'd be perfectly content with The Hive's TV News division questioning Palin if John Stossel could question Obama and Biden. That would be amusing.

For her side of the story, and in the interests of fairness, please check this out:

http://www.imao.us/index.php/2008/10/conservatives-debate-moderator-ifill-is-biased-ifill-well-duh/#comments