TYT: McCain Campaign Working the Ref in the VP Debate

[ihavenobias]

By Cenk Uygur

These attacks against Gwen Ifill are so transparent. I don't know why we're even having a legitimate discussion about their validity. The McCain campaign is desperate to have the moderator of the VP debate go easy on Palin. So they are working her over, ahead of time.

In essence, they are threatening her career if she doesn't act "objectively." And their definition of "objective" is someone who asks very easy questions to Sarah Palin. They have already called the most innocuous foreign policy questions in other interviews "gotcha" questions or "trap-door" questions. They're sending a warning to Ifill. We will try to destroy your reputation as an objective reporter if you're tough on Palin.

The second reason behind this obvious gambit is that if Palin bombs they can say, "See, of course, with that biased moderator she didn't get a fair shake. It wasn't her fault. The deck was stacked against her with all of those 'gotcha' questions from an Obama supporter."

Looking at it this way, you can see why this is a smart political move. They lose nothing and possibly gain easier questions and an excuse if their candidate does not do well. That is why it is up to the media to point out that this is sheer political gamesmanship and not let them get away with this nonsense. Treating this issue as if it has any legitimacy is unacceptable. And, by the way, also completely unfair to Gwen Ifill.

One final thing on this debate. How well the moderator does tonight is going to completely dependent on how she asks follow-up questions. A debate where you just let either side give their talking points on any given issue and move on is a terrible, boring and useless debate. The public only learns how well that candidate has memorized their talking points. Follow up questions are critical. This is what has made Katie Couric's interviews with Sarah Palin so good. Simple, fair follow-up questions to get an understanding of what the candidate actually means.

It will be tragically ironic if Ifill actually mars her reputation as a journalist by not asking pertinent follow-up questions because she has been intimidated by the right-wing into going soft on Palin.


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PS---Make sure you check out the . If we try, we can bring it up to a quarter of a million views on youtube.

[zbdent]

1. John McEnroe's running for President?

whodathunkit ...

[ihavenobias]

2. Seriously though, I completely agree with Cenk here

Think about the ridiculous timing. The goal is to put pressure on Gwen AND to prep the general public to be more skeptical of her.

Sadly, I *do* think that a good number of low-info voters might buy the idea that she's biased in favor of Obama, and that in turn will influence their perception of the debate overall.

[IndependentDem]

3. the repubs are big on preemptive strikes...

I like KO's piece on this too.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=385x204848

[ihavenobias]

5. I can't watch it now, but I saw the title...

If his point is that they're trying to make the debate viewers dismiss Gwen as a credible moderator because of her skin color (i.e. playing off the idea that just because she's African American she must be biased in favor of Obama), I totally agree and I made that very point last night.

[Seldona]

4. K&R

You really can't blame them. It's all they have. Like trying to blame a snake for biting you. We should be exerting some pressure the other way to make sure they don't softball this fraud. Have to dig up her email address.

[pleah]

6. IMO, the only people that this will matter to is the

low info voter. They will vote McCrazy no matter what, so I don't see a problem. Besides, it just shows how desperate the McCrazy camp is.

[OhioChick]

7. K&R

:kick:

[quantass]

8. ihavenobias == Cenk , right?-- My memory isnt good but i believe Cenk is this DU user

[Wetzelbill]

9. no it's not Cenk

ihavenobias helps promote the show and is credited as a TYT intern.

[Wetzelbill]

10. It's a classic GOP tactic

Run against the media. So Palin either gets softer questions or the media is biased against her. They'll blame the media either way, but it might help them get some easier questions. Ifill is a conventional wisdom journalist, she's pretty good usually, but she's wholly dependent on access. The McCain campaign booted Mo Dowd off the plane to let people know if they are critical they get no access.

It was probably a threat just as much to Ifill as anyone else.

[lonestarnot]

11. Gwen Iffil will not be afraid of their stupid threats! She will do a thorough job!

:evilgrin:

[TheCoxwain]

12. I hope it backfires big time........Somethink like :

Gwen: How do you see the expansion of NATO under the Light of a resurgent Russia?


Palin: Russia? . You know I can see Russia from land back in Alaska ....Putin rears his head there.....

[No Elephants]

13. They are already trying to ruin her reputation. They are saying that Ifill will stack the deck

against Palin because of her (Ifill's) book about black politicians in the "Age of Obama." Saying that Ifill will be unfair is itself slandering her. So, they are not even waiting to see if the questions will be hard or not. Apparently, any question Palin cannot answer well is a quesstion that is somehow unfair.

Does America get it, or are they falling for this doo doo?

[TexasObserver]

14. The McCain Doctrine: Pre emptive strikes on journalists.

Attack them BEFORE they ask you tough questions.

[CherylK]

15. K & R!

:mad: