The Gwen Ifill Controversy

Conservative hacks have their hackles up over the fact that Gwen Ifill will have a book coming out about African American politicians in the age of Barak Obama. Apparently, authoring a book of this kind by definition makes one incapable of asking unbiased questions to Presidential candidates.

According to the editorial review/product description at Amazon.com, the book is about...

"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. 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. THE BREAKTHROUGH is a remarkable look at contemporary politics and an essential foundation for understanding the future of American democracy."

Now, I have no doubt Ms. Ifill is probably leaning towards Obama. However, the description of this book does not, as conservative hacks suggest, appear to guarantee that it will be propaganda for Obama. It actually appears to be an overview of how the characteristics of African American politicians have changed since the time they marched in lock-step with the Civil Rights Movement.

The hacks' complaints about this issue are moronic for several reasons:

One, Ms. Ifill works for Jim Lehrer, who was the moderator for the Presidential debate.

Two, The Commission on Debates is run by both parties, neither of which has any interest in embarassing their candidates. Obviously this book was known to GOP officials who helped select Ms. Ifill as a moderator.

Three, only a few months ago it was Conservatives who were boasting (rightly) that Democrats were pathetic cowards for refusing to allow Fox News to host one of their debates. I recall them saying, to paraphrase, "If you cannot answer tough questions then how are you qualified to be President of the United States?" I think the same thing applies to this debate, and I think it doubly applies to Governor Palin.

Four, it would be plainly obvious if Ms. Ifill were biased in her questioning.

Five, Conservatives really like this. It gives them an easy excuse if Ms. Palin has a bad night. If, as most of us assume, Ms. Ifill is fair and balanced and Ms. Palin comes off as amateurish as she has in the past month, they have an easy talking point: Of course she looked bad, look who was asking the questions! (Never mind that Ms. Palin would look bad answering a tough question whether it was Sean Hannity, Gwen Ifill or the Easter Bunny doing the asking).