DU this poll on Gwen Ifill!

[EffieBlack]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26979447/?GT1=43001

Let people know that a black woman can write a book about African-American politicians without "being in the tank" with one of those politicians she's writing about.

In my view, the bottom line of these attacks on Ifill is an attempt to convince people - without coming out and saying it, of course - that she can't be objective because she's black, Obama's black and, therefore, she is biased in his favor. Plain and simple.

[spanone]

1. freeped

[1corona4u]

2. Jeez...no kidding.

[justiceischeap]

3. 30% Yes for Ifill, 70% against w/ 90,000+ votes n/t

[applegrove]

4. GOP Probably wants a base boycott of the debate. The fewer freepers

who see Palin live the better!!

[Booster]

5. I hate that these jerks are tainting Gwen's reputation. McCain and

his ilk aren't good enough to shine Gwen's shoes. She's smarter than McCain and Palin together.

[EffieBlack]

7. What's sad is that many DUers were trashing this woman only last week

[Kahuna]

6. I have to vote against her. I don't think she should do the debate and it

has nothing to do with being black. She has the appearance of having a vested interest in the outcome.

[EffieBlack]

10. How does she have a "vested interest in the outcome?"

She wrote a book about black politicians. It does not depend upon Obama winning or losing.

Would you assume that a white journalist who has written a book about white politicians appears to have a "vested interest" in the outcome of a debate?

[AZ Criminal JD]

13. She has a vested outcome in the election

From the amazon.com site summarizing her book "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."

The book is coming out on Inauguration Day. It would obviously do much better coming out on that date with Obama being sworn in than McCain.

[EffieBlack]

16. What in that requires Obama to win for the book to be successful?

Whether he wins or loses, he HAS waged a "stunning presidential campaign." And whether he wins or loses, there ARE "emerging young African American politicans" are forging new paths to political power.

Are you saying that a black journalist cannot write about black political power without being accused of being biased in favor of black politicians?

Tom Brokaw, Jim Lehrer and Bob Shieffer have ALL reported on the racial aspect of this campaign and what it means for the future. Does this mean that they - and every other white journalist who has covered this issue - are too biased to moderate a debate or otherwise report fairly on Obama? Tom Brokaw wrote books about veterans - should he recuse himself from moderating a debate involving a veteran? Or is it only black journalists who must prove their lack of bias by never discussing black politicians or covering race in politics while white journalists are free to cover white politicians and discuss race to their heart's content without being accused of bias?

I'm sorry, but I think your position is absolutely untenable.

[AZ Criminal JD]

22. The people you mention have not written books about the racial aspects

They don't have money making projects which just happen to be coming out on Inauguration Day. This book is about Obama - hence his name in the title.

[NewJeffCT]

8. needs some DU love

30% yes.

[Imagevision]

9. The fucking book isn't finished and won't even be available untilJanuary 09, what's the issue?

the chapter on Obama hasn't been written yet! duh!

[EffieBlack]

11. She's black. He's black. She must be in the tank for him.

:sarcasm:

[AZ Criminal JD]

15. Ifill is parsing words

Most of the chapter on Obama has been written. The only thing left is the actual results of the election which can't be put in until November. The book is not just going to be "available until January 09", it is coming out on Inauguration Day! duh!

[Imalittleteapot]

12. Kick for votes.

[stuntcat]

14. yike @ the result :O

WTF? really? :wow:

[EffieBlack]

18. Is it any wonder - even supposedly liberal Democrats have bought into the "Ifill is biased" crap

Next time, I guess there should just be a rule - if a black candidate is running no black journalist can moderate the debate unless they have never covered, written about, mentioned or even thought about race in politics.

Of course, white journalists will be free to talk about, write about, cover and think about whatever they choose and won't be accused of "being in the tank" for white candidates.

[Pisces]

17. Done. It is being Freeped right now.

[City Lights]

19. msnbc sucks total ass for even asking this question.

They've got Andrea Mitchell-greenspan, David wilkinson-Gregory, and Tom i-played-peacemaker-between-mccain-and-nbc Brokaw, who likes to cite polls favorable to McCain even if they are weeks old and new polls show a closer race, and they have the nerve to ask whether Ifill was a smart choice, or whether her "conflict" should prohibit her from moderating? :argh:

Clean up the mess in your own house, nbc/msnbc, before commenting on the houses of others. x(

[AzNick]

20. They will have to maintain her...

Or they'd pass for racists.

[RagAss]

21. Done...but Racist Nation is out in force !