Gwen Ifill Responds To "Very Conservative Folks" On Oprah: "I Haven't Even Written The Barack Obama Chapter Yet"

Gwen Ifill appeared on "Oprah" Friday to debrief following Thursday night's Vice Presidential debate, which she moderated. Oprah asked Ifill about the drama surrounding her upcoming book on black political leaders that is slated to come out around Inauguration Day, a fact conservatives used Wednesday to question whether she was an appropriate debate moderator.

"I'm happy to set the record straight," Ifill told Oprah.

Ifill said "a lot of very conservative folks decided...that this was a 'pro-Obama book' and I was 'hopelessly conflicted.' Well, as I pointed out to them...I haven't even written the Barack Obama chapter yet."

Watch:

Her full comments:

I've been working in blessed obscurity on this book for some time, except I've written about it for Time magazine, I've written about it for Essence magazine, it's been written about in Vogue, but for some reason, the day before the debate, all of a sudden it became a subject of some drama because a lot of very conservative folks decided — mind you, once again, the day before the debate — that this was a "pro-Obama book" and I was "hopelessly conflicted." Well, as I pointed out to them, to those who wanted to listen anyway: I haven't even written the Barack Obama chapter yet because no one knows how it's going to end.

So my publisher is happy that we actually got a chance to talk about the book, but everybody who's known me and known the kind of work I've done for 30 years in journalism, I got a lot of support, including from folks in the McCain campaign, who called me and said, "This isn't fair, we know you, we know that you're a straight-ahead reporter." And my thing was, watch the debate on Thursday night and decide if I'm fair or not and I think people can say I was fair.

Comments

[Jamchinadian]

"And my thing was, watch the debate on Thursday night and decide if I'm fair or not and I think people can say I was fair."

Ms. Ifill - that doesn't wash. You overcompensated and let Palin get away with non-answers, giving speeches on what she wanted to talk about, and generally ignoring your questions. As the moderator you should have called her out at least. The only "excuse" you may have is the one you haven't said: did they privately threaten you? Short of that, you failed to press for a true debate as you should. At the very minimum, you should have pointed out when she side-stepped your questions.

[demfriend]

Due to the number the McCain campaign did on Ifill prior to the debate she held back from asserting the "moderator" roll she was supposd to have. Instead she let Palin have her way and not to answer any but her own questions and that said the debate wasn't one going out the gate. I was ashamed of what this process has been allowed to become about personalities and not facts and knwoledge of the Constitution. Palin makes up her own version again we have to eat it or let it go as not one MSM has been taking it to task for allowing this to happen. Brokaw won't be a shining star as he has worked too closely with McCain of late too.

[Gary47]

This isn't about the facts, folks. It never is with republicans. All it is ever about is them trying to ram their agenda down everyone else's throats. They'll do whatever it takes, lies, manipulations, whining, anything. Trying to win an argument with them is pointless. The way to beat them back is to win the election and win it decisively.

[CalliDem]

I have always respected Gwen but her over the top biased "reporting" and OBVIOUS support of BO cast her with the likes of Keith Olberman and Rachael M now. No respect left BOTH NPR and PBS drank the kool-aid and that it a sad day for America.

[BillyT]

I betcha got O'Reilly on your TiVo....that's the only one left who has not been telling ugly FACTS about McCain's Failing Campaign and his IncrediBubble running mate.

[2bad]

What are you talking about??? You think by using terms like "drank the kool-aid" makes you sound like a witty republican? You're just another one of the sheep, spreading the GOP talking points. Ms. Ifill has never said anything politically partisan on PBS, NEVER!!!.

[Insideman]

YAWN

[glimpse]

i thought oprah wasn't going to use her show for politics since she's backed a candidate....

[dattexas]

No. Get your facts straight. She said she wouldn't allow the candidates on her show to use it as a platform.

Get it?

[geobushono]

These nazis who hide behind my Flag are all racists and homophobes­..........­.....it is ALWAYS in play where ever there is a republican in a contest...­..........­.it is all they have, and it's all they ever had.
Many of them need to go to jail for one reason or another..........I want republicans to fear ever being stopped by the cops.
Incarcerating 2-3% of republican crooks would go a long way towards finally killing that biergarten mentality in America...­..........­.and if that doesn't do it, take another 5%.

[Clarabell]

I love the way Gwen put the burden on Biden for not requiring Palin to answer the questions. Especially since all we heard for weeks was how he couldn't condescend to her or seemingly bully her. This whole system is pathetic.

[lobear00]

Biden, was not the "Moderator". Gwen Ifill was, that was her responsibility to run the lo-down debate. Gwen let the "Republican Snake's " take advantage of herself.

[Clarabell]

Right, but see how she was able to "spin" it?

[sonoffestus]

There is no longer a free and unfettered press. If the press had been doing their job, the country would not be where it is today. There are so many places to point the finger, but the press is near the top of the list. We also have oursleves to blame. We collectively rolled over and allowed it too happen.

But don't worry, Palin is waving the flag and taking about freedom and democracy, small town values oh and let's not forget hockey moms, so everything is going to be OK. Once we rebuild Iraq, Afghanistan and bomb Pakistan, we can really focus our attention on Iran and then maybe just maybe America. Christ, we need roads, bridges and schools too.

I am so pissed off we have to even listen to so much drivel....­..........­...golly, gee..........

[lobear00]

The media, is tied to the "Hips" with the Republican Party. Every Media outlet is "Owned by a Republican. If the Democrats gain the office, their administration should seek to "Fine " each outlet 1 Billion Dollars each for their hand in "Deceiving and Misleading the American People.

[Pam Atherton - Huffpost Blogger]

To say the press is responsible for what is going on in the world today because “they have not been doing their job” is an unfair characterization. You may not like how the press you watch, listen to or read is representing an issue. You may not like what your chosen press decides to report on. But it’s not the press who is taking the actions that we are unhappy about. The press didn’t create the economic crisis. The press didn’t create the war.

If you don’t like MSM, then find someone you can trust. There’s a blogger for every niche, so when you say the press is no longer unfettered, then in reality you are saying that the entirety of America is fettered. And that’s too big of a conspiracy for me to believe.

[toocoldout]

If Gwen was percieved (unfairly) as being in the tank for Obama, rather than going easy on Palin, she should have just let someone else moderate. That's what Oprah did when the GOP pointed out that she was in the tank for Obama. She let Katie Couric interview Palin instead, because Katie was able to conduct a thorough interview without the perception of bias.

[postman606]

How come the rules have change for African-Americans. Lou Gordon wrote a book about Ronald Reagan, then proceeded to moderate the 1984 debate. No controversy whatsoever.

[TheGeicoCaveman]

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[richdoll]

funny no onw is question the relationship between tom brokaw and the mccain camp, where tom publiclly stated he 's the shill for mccain and take directives from karl rove on mccain. all the protest to have him disqalified have gone unasnwered.
ifill had no choice due to all the noise they were making about a book & section not written yet. the situation was un fair due to the republican party has tried to discredit any one of color for their own personal gain. palin shown no respect for the rules of engagement and for the moderator, so if ifill questioned her anymore it be attacked that she was too hard on her. she did the right thing only letting palin expose herself for the truley dubious peron she is.

[rankola]

here's why there was no "up in arms" about tom brokaw: he's white, so of course whites are impartial, unlike african american media heads and others who are so bent on promoting the "black agenda."

NOTE: the second part in the above statement is to be taken ironically--no one would ever really fully accuse a white male of being partial, yet would have no problem questioning a female african american's impartiality.

[DieHardObamaSupporter]

I beg to differ Oprah. She did a mediocre job. She allowed Mc & Co. to intimidate her and she blinked. As I have said before, at one point I thought Palin was the d@mn moderator. Gwen might as well stayed home and watched it on TV with the rest of America.

[LeeCalif]

I'm sorry but I thought Ifill's questions were crap and she did not do what I thought a moderator of a debate is supposed to do, get the darn answers. At least make an effort that is more than tepid.
Actually, she seemed disinterested in attempting to get answers.

[geobushono]

I agree with you that the questions were tepid, and I offer the observation that the repugs laid the same minefield of racism that they use to great effect in amerika.
Gwen was neutralized exactly because she is African American..­.........r­epugs will always use that, because it pleases their base.
Given the no-win suicide mission she volunteered for, I think she gave sarah all the rope she craved.....the third graders thought she looked pretty.

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[vanhy]

The whole purpose for mccain to come out the day before and cry foul was to intimidate gwen and with her lack of follow ups at the debate it is quite evident that his mission was accomplished.