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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.

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Amazon.com: The Breakthrough: Politics and Race in the Age of Obama: Gwen Ifill: Books

YouTube - The Breakthrough by Gwen Ifill

The book is scheduled for release Jan. 20 ;the day that the new President assumes office. What a boost in sales it would be if Obama was that new President!!

Greta Van Susteren claims that the McCain campaign was not told about the book before they agreed to Ifill being the debate monitor.
oh - oh !! « GretaWire

Now just imagine the reaction if Paul Alexander was selected to moderate the debate ! Man of the People: The Life of John McCain : Paul Alexander : ISBN 9780471475453 - Buy.com

Hello tom:

Well then, you've got a perfect scape goat to blame when Governor Palin blows it. That's kind of what you righty's do, isn't it? Blame the media?

excon

So how did McCain's campaign people let this happen? Don't they vet anyone?

"A conflict of interest is a situation in which someone in a position of trust, such as a lawyer, insurance adjuster, a politician, executive or director of a corporation or a medical research scientist or physician, has competing professional or personal interests. Such competing interests can make it difficult to fulfill his or her duties impartially."
Conflict of interest - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

You don't see the conflict of interests here ? Why doesn't Ifill have the integrity to excuse herself ?

I think Palin should congratulate Ifill on the book in her opening statement .

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So how did McCain's campaign people let this happen? Don't they vet anyone?

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A legitimate critique .However ;the point is that it was Ifill's responsibility if she has a modicum of integrity to excuse herself.

I don't think she would be in a "position of trust". Plus she is probably not the originator of all the questions, she's simply the moderator. Do we know where the questions come from? Does she run the whole show with full editorial control?

I firmly believe that it's up to the participants to vet the moderator. Much the same that lawyers vet possible jurors for conflict of interest.

Hello again, tom:

There's no debate regarding Ifills allegiance. The only debate is how McCain missed it. It appears to be just another misstep among many missteps.

I didn't know about her book... But, I DO see her on the talk show circuit plenty of times whooping it up for Obama. Her views ARE well known, so I don't see the publication of her book as an event that changes anything.

I also don't know how she was picked, but if there was an objection about her, it should have been lodged LONG ago. Soooo, I think this "new" information about Ifill is being spread to blunt her handlers anticipation that Sarah will blow it tomorrow night.

She's in over her head. She shouda blinked.

excon

Moderator :the nonpartisan presiding officer of a town meeting
Where is the integrity ? Even CBS lets it's audience know in their reports when there COULD be a conflict of interest .

Actually, to maintain integrity in the process ,vetting should've been the responsibility of the Debate Commission as well as the 2 campaigns Commission on Presidential Debates

Clearly McCain's camp dropped the ball on this but that does not excuse the rest ;especially Ifill.

It's going to be very interesting. The 'pitbull' will bare her teeth and attack Biden I'm sure. She'll probably hit it out of the park!

Yeah there should be no question that Ifill is in the tank . During the Republican National Convention, the PBS ombudsman fielded numerous complaints about Ifill’s coverage of Palin’s speech.

The question I have,and am still reseaching at this point is : when did the public disclosure of the book happen ? If it was not revealed until after the announcement of the moderators then the McCain camp cannot be accused of dropping the ball... but Ifill can truthfully be charged with a deception.

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Originally Posted by tomder55

The question I have,and am still reseaching at this point is : when did the public disclosure of the book happen ? If it was not revealed until after the announcement of the moderators then the McCain camp cannot be accused of dropping the ball ...but Ifill can truthfully be charged with a deception.

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Her YouTube video was added September 17th. Today is October 1st. They could have made a statement before today. Why does the McCain camp know less than you? :confused:

Hello again, tom:

Upon refection, this appears more devious than at first glance. Instead of blaming Ifill for Palins BAD performance, I think they're going to refuse to let her debate at all, and use the book as their excuse. Call me cynical...

I wonder if they're paving the way by sending out emails. Did you get one?

This isn't really a put down of Palin, by the way. As a mayor and a governor, you're right - she DOES have to make executive decisions. These decisions, however, don't have anything to do with Americas foreign policy.

As a governor, I wouldn't expect her to know about that stuff. As a VP candidate, I do. You're pretty well versed on foreign policy. Do you think you could have become that way over the course of three weeks? I don't.

excon

Your assumption of a bad performance is premature. Unless the format is changed there is plenty of time allowed for a free and open exchange between the candidates.

The inexperienced candidate against the experienced one who has a history of getting foreign policy wrong. If I were Palin I'd like my odds on an even playing field .

NK further searches have revealed that the information about the books release was available to McCain in August. So either he dropped the ball or does not consider the facts sufficiently important.

Ex
I got no emails on this . Ifound out during my daily stroll throughout the blogsphere. I think Michelle Malkin revealed the information first . To date I have seen no reaction from the McCain campaign.

To clear part of this up now, it seems the CPD selects the moderators and they were announced on August 5th. When in August was Ifill's book announced? Seems to me the commission dropped the ball regardless.

Good job Steve . The earliest date I can find where this was public knowledge is in this Howard Kurtz article on Sept. 4
In a Historic Year, Ifill Has One Thing to Do: Her Job - washingtonpost.com

And you have to look hard for it.

Must be part of that vast leftist conspiracy. Good job guys. The McCain camp missed the boat on this one. Perhaps they should suspend their campaign.

I just wonder if her book about black political acheivers includes Michael Steele Ken Blackwell JC Watts Colin Powell Condeleeza Rice Edward Brooke Janice Rodgers Brown Clarence Thomas Eldridge Cleaver Larry Elder Roy Innis Alan Keyes Rod Paige William T. Vernon or Walter E. Williams??

Ask her! Or better yet, you write that book!

Tom the format has been changed to suit Palin hardly NO time for exchanges between her and Biden. So basically we are just going to hear stump speeches.

VP Debate Made Easier for Palin - Political Machine

I guess when you let the pitbull off her leash she stands there with her tail between her legs.

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Originally Posted by tomder55

I just wonder if her book about black political acheivers includes Michael Steele Ken Blackwell JC Watts Colin Powell Condeleeza Rice Edward Brooke Janice Rodgers Brown Clarence Thomas Eldridge Cleaver Larry Elder Roy Innis Alan Keyes Rod Paige William T. Vernon or Walter E. Williams??

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Hey some of them are in there.

Here's the description, straight from Amazon:

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"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."

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