McCain responds: ‘I have confidence that Gwen Ifill will do a professional job.’
McCain responds: ‘I have confidence that Gwen Ifill will do a professional job.’
Today, Fox News’s Carl Cameron asked Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) if he still supports having PBS’s Gwen Ifill moderate Thursday’s vice presidential debate, in light of the fact that she is writing a book called “The Breakthrough: Politics and Race in the Age of Obama.” McCain said that he retains full confidence in her ability to be objective:
I think that Gwen Ifill is a professional and I think she will do a totally objective job, because she is a highly respected professional. Does this help that if she has written a book that’s favorable to Sen. Obama? Probably not. But I have confidence that Gwen Ifill will do a professional job.
Watch it:
The McCain campaign has said it was unaware of Ifill’s book before agreeing to the debate moderators on Aug. 6. However, as Judd Legum points out, the AP had reported on the book two weeks earlier.
Ahh, you know I'm not going to let it be a concern. Let me just tell you that John McCain has been in an underdog position before. And this ticket, I think we can safely say, is in an underdog position. But that just makes us work harder. It makes us want to communicate in clearer and more profoundly with the electorate. Letting them know what the contrasts are between these two tickets. It's motivating to me to even hear Gwen's comments there because, again, that will make us work that much harder and that provides even more fairness and objectivity and choices to the voters if we try that much harder.
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39 Responses to “McCain responds: ‘I have confidence that Gwen Ifill will do a professional job.’”
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The whistle in his voice drives me up a wall!
October 1st, 2008 at 2:25 pm"The McCain campaign has said it was unaware of Ifill’s book before agreeing to the debate moderators on Aug. 6. However, as Judd Legum points out, the AP had reported on the book two weeks earlier."
I believe that, the McSame campaign seems to be about two weeks behind the rest of the world...
October 1st, 2008 at 2:26 pmThis is what happens when you don't read newspapers sarah...
October 1st, 2008 at 2:27 pmDon't forget that Palin reads everything from the media - maybe she didn't tell John??
October 1st, 2008 at 2:28 pmGwen Ifill will do just fine. She is a great journalist, and the questions will be fair. She knows her job.
October 1st, 2008 at 2:29 pmTo his credit, Jphnny Boy does recognize that Gwen is a true professional. But once again shows the lack of preparation and research used by his handlers.
And this is the team that the LIV's want to be POTUS/VPOTUS??????
October 1st, 2008 at 2:29 pmThe book could have been written and published years ago. The McCain campaign is lazy, cutting each corner it can to get to the WH.
McCain in Des Moines insisting his campaign has been entirely above board. Square that with his 'if Obama would've agreed to town halls mumbojumbo.'
Look my friends!
October 1st, 2008 at 2:31 pmHell, they didn't even research the VP candidate, why would they research a moderator?
October 1st, 2008 at 2:33 pmNot surprising since McCain was unaware of the difference between Sunnis and Shiites until Lieberman helped him out.
Not surprising since McCain and his campaign were unaware of the gross lack of qualifications on the part of Sarah Palin until the Media started vetting her for them.
Not surprising since McCain was unaware of the impending economic crisis (fundamentals are strong) until someone told him it would be a great idea to suspend his campaign and play savior.
Not surprising since McCain was unaware that Spain is in Europe until the Media corrected him.
Not surprising since McCain was unaware that Venezuela is in South America, not the Middle East, until the Media let him know.
The list continues...
October 1st, 2008 at 2:34 pmYou're so very generous. Heard about the RSSC fundraising appeal referencing Jimmy Carter and Jane Fonda?
I would suggest they at least a decade behind the times!
October 1st, 2008 at 2:34 pmJust sounds to me that Fox is setting up a reason for Gov. Palin loosing the debate if polls show she lost.
October 1st, 2008 at 2:35 pmI agree with Sullivan et al., who think Ifil should step aside (no need to provide fodder for the trolls).
Who would be an acceptable alternative for both sides?
October 1st, 2008 at 2:35 pmAnonymouse:
The only person acceptable to their side is someone guaranteed to pitch softballs to Palin all night, and frame every question for Biden as a straw man or something of the like.
Basically they won't be happy until Bill-O is moderating all the debates.
October 1st, 2008 at 2:37 pmDidHeJustSayThat Says:
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Not surprising since in Neo-Con/Republican-Land, everything that goes wrong while they're in charge is Clinton's fault...so I'd say they're AT LEAST 8 years behind the rest of us.
October 1st, 2008 at 2:38 pmAs events have clearly shown, McIIIrd's campaign couldn't research who shot Lincoln and come up with John Wilkes Bewth.
October 1st, 2008 at 2:38 pmOf course McSame would express confidence in Gwen Ifill.
First of all, he doesn't want to alienate her before the debate.
Second of all, it's not even his job to alienate her. That's the job of the Wingnut Echo Chamber.
October 1st, 2008 at 2:38 pmAnonymouse Says:
Who would be an acceptable alternative for both sides?
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Stewart/Colbert? Olbermann? Maddow? I would be happy with any of these.
October 1st, 2008 at 2:39 pmGotta wonder if Gwen's gonna ask about talking to the Spanish el Presidente? You know, that South American hero!
October 1st, 2008 at 2:39 pmRUC:
Highly doubtful, since she'll be moderating the Palin/Biden debate, not an Obama/McCain debate.
Wouldn't really matter though. No one who passes the corporate media tests to become a moderator would ever ask a question like that...of a Republican.
October 1st, 2008 at 2:40 pmQuestions for Palin:
1. Can you see Czeckoslovakia from Alaska?
2. What would you do about the violence on the Pakistan-Iraq border?
3. Can you spell c-a-t without referring to the need to drill for oil in Alaska?
4. How is Ted Stevens?
5. What advice would you give McCain regarding the role of ISCI in determining Sahwa council integration and its related prejudices to the Badr Organization?
October 1st, 2008 at 2:43 pmChris L:
As much as I agree with you, we have to admit that Olbermann and Maddow lean so far to the left that it would be perceived as unfair to the right leaning candidate, and THAT as we know would cause a huge bruhaha.
What I think should happen is that every debate should have TWO moderators.
One moderator leans to the right and everybody knows it, and can only ask questions of the lefthand/Democratic candidate.
The other moderator leans to the left and everyone knows it, and can only ask questions of the righthand/Republican candidate.
It would be interesting to see how that turned out.
October 1st, 2008 at 2:44 pmWhy won’t Palin ever give a Press Conference? It’s been 33 DAYS since her selection, 33 DAYS!
Why is Palin stonewalling the Troopergate investigation?
Why won’t Palin release her Tax Returns and Medical Records?
What is Sarah Palin covering up? WHAT IS SARAH PALIN HIDING?!
Where is her “Reform, Accountability and Transparency in Government” she keeps talking about?
October 1st, 2008 at 2:45 pmliberal traitor Says:
####
I know. I was just being a smarta$$
October 1st, 2008 at 2:46 pmI'd sure like to see the question asked of both Veep candidates:
How soon should the US hand over to the Iraqi government the responsibility of paying the $300 a month stipend to the Awakening Council militia members...?
October 1st, 2008 at 2:54 pmSo will the McCain campaign blacklist Ifill and PBS if Palin bombs?
October 1st, 2008 at 2:55 pmWell, to make it a fair debate where both canidates have an equal shot of winning it, I say, Fareed Zacharia should ask questions to Biden, and my friends kindergarten class should ask question to Palin.
October 1st, 2008 at 2:55 pmAsk Palin your own "tough" interview or debate questions:
http://www.palinparrot.com/
October 1st, 2008 at 2:55 pmFrybread, probably throw her off the plane at 35,000 feet.
October 1st, 2008 at 2:57 pm666lattes, now that's a FUNNY site!!!
October 1st, 2008 at 2:57 pmLT, what's Ted Koppel doing these days?
October 1st, 2008 at 2:58 pmI think the pattern has already been established. When someone, anyone, asks Bible Spice a question it's dismissed as an "attack" or a "gotcha question". It's the only card they can still play since it's become apparent that she is intellectually unequipped to answer on most any subject.
October 1st, 2008 at 3:10 pmThere are no 'gotcha' questions for a qualified candidate. Since Ifill doesn't work for fox, she'll be completely fair. They'll wait until after the debate to attack her, anyway.
October 1st, 2008 at 3:28 pm"But I have confidence that Gwen Ifill will do a professional job."
Translated into common English, between his tightly clenched teeth:
'I have absolutely no confidence in my campaign staff, who increasing spend more time eating their young than actually figuring out just what the h*ll is going on.'
'And, if we lose in November, my friends, it's that b*tch Ifill's fault! Did I mention that Sarah and I are soul mates?'
October 1st, 2008 at 3:30 pmAlright, that does it. This campaign must end soon!
Even I am beginning to sound like Senator McCain, as my once well-crafted responses shift from that, to pithy, to downright mean. The longer it goes on, the meaner I am likely to get.
Sorry. I will go to my room now…
October 1st, 2008 at 3:38 pmIfill is the right person to moderate the debates. She is a professional and will be fair.
October 1st, 2008 at 3:55 pmI wonder if there's any way that Ms. Ifill could ask for a written response to one question? I would be willing to bet we could hear the gears grinding in Bible Spice's head.
October 1st, 2008 at 4:08 pmThe Previous VP Debate , between Dick Cheney and John Edwards in 2004 , was moderated by none other than Ms. Ifill.
The format this years VP debate, ninety-second answers, followed by two-minute discussion for each question. Two-minute closing statements, might be harder for Palin because it allows for more and more specific questions. This is similar to the format of the 2004 debate and the questions Ifill asked then weren't softballs.
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/9/28/63953/6191/131/613114
Reading over the list of questions, especially the types of questions Ifill asked on foreign policy, they seem to be the types of questions that at least to this point, Palin has struggled to answer. Ifill asked very specific questions on a wide range of subjects, questions that don't seem for the most part like they can be answered with the sorts of generic answers that Palin likes to give.
Ifill also challenged the VP candidates on their own statements and record. It wouldn't surprise me at all for Ifill to challenge Palin on the Bridge to Nowhere or troopergate, or even the Russia experience question .
October 1st, 2008 at 4:41 pmLast month, Howard Kurtz interviewed Ifill about her book in the WaPo. This was no secret. It is just something that the McCain campaign didn't comment on until now when it could be the most helpful to them.
Judy Woodruff came out today in strong defense of Ifill.
October 1st, 2008 at 4:50 pm!
hey, judd!
howthehellareya?!
October 1st, 2008 at 4:53 pm