McCain On Ifill: I Wish They'd Picked Someone Else

Yesterday, John McCain responded to right-wing attacks on debate moderator Gwen Ifill (over a book she's writing about politics and race) reasonably, saying he thought the PBS correspondent would be "totally objective." But today on "Fox and Friends" he turned that endorsement into something more like a warning. The Politico reports:

McCain also went further than he had yesterday in responding to a question about Gwen Ifill serving as the moderator of tonight's veep debate, saying he preferred somebody else.

"Frankly, I wish they had picked a moderator that isn't writing a book favorable to Barack Obama," McCain said of Ifill, who is examining the rise of the Illinois Democrat and other post-civil rights black leaders. "Let's face it. But I have to have to have confidence that Gwen Ifill will handle this as the professional journalist that she is."

"Life isn't fair, as I mentioned earlier in the program."

McCain agreed to Ifill as moderator on August 6th, and her book had been public for weeks at the time.

Ifill herself has responded to the controversy:

"Do you think they made the same assumptions about Lou Cannon (who is white) when he wrote his book about Reagan?" said Ifill, who is black. Asked if there were racial motives at play, she said, "I don't know what it is. I find it curious."

COMPLETE VP DEBATE COVERAGE: BIDEN PALIN VIDEO, HIGHLIGHTS

Comments

[betheliza]

well i dont think the mccan't folks have any complaint here. she certainly wasnt hard on palin.

[starboymikey]

McCain On Ifill: I Wish They'd Picked Someone Else:
__________­__________­__________­__________­__________­__________

Me on Palin: I wish McCain had picked someone else.

[TheFoolkiller]

Soon the Republicans will wish they picked someone else.

[MBLADY]

Why didn't Gwen MAKE Sarah answer her questions?

[meede]

Gwen followed the rules set prior to the debate as to number of follow up questions, time set for answer, rebuttal. To re ask wasn't really in the rules. It was up to us to decide whether they answered & if they did, whether we agreed or not. Gwen hands were tied by the rules set by and agreed upon by the campaigns.

[starboymikey]

I can't help wishing they'd picked a white, Republican male to moderate ... but, hell, maybe that's just me.

[Rossan]

Katie Couric was much better with Sarah Palin. Gwen Ifill was very light; really to light on the topics that mean most to the American people. She back peddeled.

[Prometh3us]

It is clear it was the intent of the NEOCON to intimidate and pacify Ifill fromasking the tough questions or demanding answers. I am amzed more is not being said about how this was a bully tactic no prevent addressing the real issues.

[meede]

Many see it as the same old type campaign run by the NEOCON's for years. McCain/Palin say they want change, but they run the campaign by the same handbook that was written years ago. Their plays are so predicible.

[BillCarson]

>Gwen Ifill was very light;

She's always that way. Just watch Washington Week.

[MadeinAmericaProud]

Gwen asked the same question on both sides. What you are saying she was light on Biden too?

[yoli647]

I was disappointed with Ms. Ifill, I do not think she challenged them more, and Palin got away with a lot of blah, blah, blah, blah not answering the questions! OBAMA gets my vote!!

[Brother Stephen]

Once again, John proved he is wrong more times than right. I watched carefully for any trace of bias by the moderator. There was none. I believe this was the best moderating job, I've ever see.

As far as who would I trust to be vice-president and possibly president if necessary. Without a doubt, Joe Biden is clearly the only choice of the two.

[MadeinAmericaProud]

Agree on all of your thoughts.

[blueinohio]

I thought she was fair, but where were the questions on women issues, abortion?

[Cybersquirt]

Can't be distracted from the economy and fvcking WAR.

But, ya know what? You're right. I never thought I'd say this but thank god for Katie Couric.

[meede]

Why ask something we know where they stand. That's I think the only thing about Palin that we all definitely know about. Due to time limitations, I want to hear everything else but abortion rights.

[Cybersquirt]

Ifill did a fantastic, fair job. What'd he want, someone to drool on her as he's done?

[Liberoservative]

Gwen Ifill is one of the most responsible journalists that I have ever seen....

She doesn't spin and her role at PBS proves it......

This is another juvenile ploy of the McC campaign to put blame onto anything other than themselves for their implosion.­....

If McC would come out and be the "REAL" Maverick that he was during the 2000 election, he would be doing great....

Unfortunately, he is tied to the GOP Platform..­. and that hasn't changed much at all since Reagan....­.He can't run away from his platform..­..

Now, if he told the Repubs to go frack themselves and said that he was taking over the GOP and totally transformed their platform..­.. (unfortunately, it would have to look a lot like the Dem platform) then I might be able to believe him......

Up till now, I look at him.. I look at his platform and I see downright LIES in what he says he will do and what his platform pursues...­.. He can say CHANGE and MAVERICK all he wants, but until he does something really mavericky then I look at him and Palin as liars.....­........

Somebody should do a YouTube with the background of "Liar" to it....

[JonW]

Add another attribute to McBlame's arsenal---­Whinyness. Goes well with Forgetfulness, Pettiness
Flip Floppiness and a host of others!!!!

[PDXKevin]

Obviously, people who complain about Gwen Ifill think that because she is black she is in the tank for Obama.
So does that mean that Jim Lehrer and Tom Brokaw are in the tank for McCain? I mean, after all, they are old white men, and they have both have done stories on John McCain. Oh wait, maybe Ms Ifill is in the tank for Palin, since they are both women.

[Exhaust]

If she was green and I saw the title of her book or Essense mag. piece, I would know where her vote was going.

I understand questions about Brokaw and Lehrer, but don't pretend that Ifill is being questioned because she is black.

[postman606]

Sure she is being questioned because she is black. Lou Cannon, who is white, wrote a book about Reagan prior to moderating one of the Reagan/Mondale debate. No one said a word.

[postman606]

Lou Cannon wrote a book about Reagan and then moderated his debate. Not a peep.

[cody58]

Senator McCain, McCain, McCain. Apparently the American people are not whiners you are! You effectively changed the format of the debate, now you are complainingg about Gwen Ifill a respected journalist, have you not shame? I believe it is racially motivated, your negative campaigning attempting to smear Senator Obama is way over the top. I believe you campaign is sinking and so are you, to a new low.

[badtimes]

Waa! Waa! Waaaa!
My name is John McCain, and I approve this message.

[LeeCalif]

I'm sure Palin thinks McOldman is a crybaby in her heart of hearts.

[KeithMayass]

what she really thinks is that the mcCannot old guy ( AARP representative) will kick the bucket after 6 months and she will be able to rule the world...

[HateLieCheatKillRepubWay]

ROTFLMAO, yup, yup....

[Daly]

she is doing a wonderful job of killing the English language; much worse that the decider.