Simple Man Politics

I'm going to write about the upcoming Vice Presidential debate today but I'm not going to writing about either of the two candidates. Instead I'm going to write about the moderator for the debate and I think you will be surprised by what i say about the person and my opinion about their ability to be impartial during the debate.

The person who will be moderating Thursday nights debate between Sarah Palin and Joe Biden is a lady by the name of Gwen Ifill and is a reporter for PBS (Public Broadcasting Service). Mrs. Ifill has had some experience in moderating debates in the past including the 1994 VP debate between Dick Cheney and John Edwards so she knows how to do the job. Although she was criticized for for her performance in that debate I thought that she was right to tell Dick Cheney that he only had 30 seconds to respond to an Edwards attack because that was the response time allowed.

However the current controversy surrounding Gwen Ifill is about a book that she has writtien which is titled "Breakthrough: Politics and Race in the Age of Obama" and the fact that the release date is the same as the Presidential inaugaration. This is a problem to some conservative commentators and Republican politicians because it ties the financial success of her book to Barack Obama winning the election which these people cite as a conflict of interest.

Gwen Ifill believes that she is capable of remaining un biased for the duration of the debate and says that she doesn't know if Barack Obama will make a good President and is fully capable of assessing his pros and cons. She also tells Howard Kurtz the reporter who interviewed her and wrote the article for the post that her book also covers other black political figures such as Governor Deval Patrick of Massachussetts and Newark Mayor Cory Booker. Even after Presidential Candidate John McCain heard about the book said that he was confident that Gwen Ifill would fullfill her duties as moderator as a professional.

I for one happen to agree with John McCAin and Mrs. Ifill. I think she will do an excellent and non partisan job of moderating the debate. I have seen her report the news including politics and she has always been fair and impartial when performing her duties as a reporter. She understands that it is her job to report facts and not innuendo or personal opinions in the stories that she covers. I also think it will be an interesting debate and I look forward to seeing the hockey mom and the gaffer on Thursday night.

HAve a great day and I will see you all on Friday unless som ething juicy happens between now and then and I have something to say about it CIAO4NOW!!!!!