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

[Leota2]

It seems that Ms. Palin will be wearing her hair down tonight
---just like many thought she would. Paranoid? Yes. Remember George?
Remember John at Rick Warren's place?
Who will be checking for wireless receivers?

[AnneOlivia]

Interesting . . . very interesting. I'll have to alert the watchers in my network to see if we can spot anything.

[CabaretArtist]

I read an article whereby her husband always feeds her "tips/responses". He's a masterful debater. Don't forget she was an anchor and they are so used to having folks talk in their ears. ....

[Leota2]

But the watchers are so overworked . . . .
Slave driver.

[bigfated]

When will this grouchy little twerp just go the fu%% awaY? What a gutless shithead. He complains about EVERYTHING! Please.....SHUT THE FU$& UP ALREADY!

[Diogenis]

Next on the agenda: McCain Regrets VP Choice..and demands another

[returnofthejedi]

Yeah because women are totally biased agaist other women. What sniffling group of cowards.

[Diogenis]

Ooops, too late Johnnie!!

[BillCarson]

McCain: "I Wish They'd Picked Someone Else" and "Life isn't fair".

McCain, quit playing the victim and show some personal responsibility! Your team didn't do their job, so suck it up and stop whining.

[dutch163]

too bad, he agreed in August..he will complain about anything now because he is losing ..and he is angry..and the angrier he gets, the more voters are turned off

[AnneOlivia]

And some of us are just WAITING for him to blow up and completely loose it on tape.

[StateofTaxes]

Sweet, if that could happen on Tuesday(7th); next debate with Obama! He needs to go to the "boot camp/anger management" camp at his Ranch...

[fairwitness]

Workin' the refs before the game is classic behavior when winning at all costs--unencumbered by ethics, sportsmanship, rules or morals--is the real game you are playing.

The Republican Game.

[landoffools]

No matter how much you may try to be tolerant, respectful and understanding of the political process, I for one, have had it with this arrogant, petulant little dwarf of a man !

Once and for all, F'YOU MCCAIN !

[libhater77]

You dems should want someone that is objective. Biden clearly has the upper hand in this debate but when he trounces her there will be some doubt because the moderater clearly has an Obama bias. Ifiil should have backed out herself. If Obama is elected her book will sell like hot cakes. If he is not elected it won't sell a copy. She has a monetary interest in an Obama victory.

[landoffools]

YAWN !

Your boring us Little Man !

Dismissed !

[Diogenis]

Yawn yawn......................your insecurities are showing in...public.

[noamjunior]

so McCain must be a total idiot to agree to let her be the moderator- given the book was public knowledge at the time of the decision
SO why would you vote for an idiot?

[gwinegarden]

All this publicity has already boosted the future sales of the book. IF the McCain campaign did not know about this book, before the OK'd her, then they are totally incompetent.

McCain is just looking to set up someone to blame if Palin falls on her face.

[libhater77]

I agree. They should've known about a book that is going to be released in Jan. How about her integrity? Shouldn't she have backed out?

[AnneOlivia]

Oh, I think you're very wrong. The book is not about Obama; it's about African-Americans in politics, and I'm sure she'll write about Conservative and Republican examples as well. She is as objective a reported as I think I've ever seen, and I surely would not want to cross her.

[libhater77]

Isn't Obama's name in the title of the book? I thought I heard that.

[StateofTaxes]

Wha, Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa, Baby need a tissue????

[libhater77]

Nice reply. Very useful.

[Bernice]

The point that Ifill was approved by McCain has been lost on media reports and commentary.

[drsmc41]

I guess Tom Brokaw should be pulled, too, huh?

[35Echo]

Yep, Replaced by Michele O. What could be more 'fair'?

[noamjunior]

Actually, nothing could be more fair than to have both sides agree to the moderator- as was the case with the VP debates

[DEMTRUPATRIOTS]

OH WELL OLD MAN......this is par for the course for you campaign. but hey mcmoron...it gives you an out if your little deer hunter really screws up... "Ifill is black.....obama is black" or "Ifill knows she'll make more money off her book if obama wins" or "the media always hated saaaarah...and now they sent a BLACK,WOMANSLIB, JOURNALIST to moderate...see they hate saaarah and the gop"

[anleyang]

Life isn't fair, but aren't the debates supposed to be? Appointing a black liberal?

Wow.

[Wingit]

Appointing Tom Brokaw who represents the Republican party in negotiations with NBC about coverage on MSNBC, isn't fair either. Appointing a white activist conservative?
That's a real wow!

[noamjunior]

is she any more black or liberal then when MCCAIN AGREED TO HER AS MODERATOR MONTHS AGO?

[mingusman]

Appointing? Wake up fool. No one "appointed" her. The candidates approved of the moderator.

[thepoliticalcat]

Kind of late in the game to start whining ain't it? They knew about this when they agreed to the debate just under 2 months ago.

[feo]

Never too late for a Republican to start whining; actually, they never stop whining.

[ptgkc]

McCain is in good company. A small club, but he joins Don Imus as a Gwen Ifill hater.

The only thing missing is for McCain to repeat the Imus comment, "I thought she was the cleaning woman". That would be a classic end.