Ifill: Palin "Blew Me Off"

On "Meet the Press" Sunday morning, vice presidential debate moderator Gwen Ifill said Palin "more than ignored" some of her questions -- she "blew me off." She added that Palin decided to "give a stump speech" instead of a debate, and that there's "little a moderator can do" to stop that. Watch:

Comments

[girlygirl72]

Palin's blatant disregard and disrespect of Gwen Ifill was a 90 minute glimpse into the deep-seated hate she holds for people of color. Blacks are nothing but sambos to her...and I shudder when I reflect upon the racist, hateful comments she made about native Alaskans routinely. A public servant should assume that someone's always listening before he or she opens his/her mouth and inserts foot.

A word to the wise: If Palin and McCain are elected, be prepared for civil unrest unlike anything we've ever seen. We need to vote en masse for Obama/Biden to preserve the civil liberties and freedoms of all people, not just a select few.

[novoteyet14]

When you say civil unrest. What do you mean by that? Do you mean that people of color will go into the streets flipping over cars and throw Molotov cocktails into windows of business? Because Obama was not elected? I am not against civil rights but don’t threaten my civil liberties either. Are people of color voting for Obama on the issues or on the fact that he is a Blackman? Because if your voting just because he’s black then also note he’s half white. Truth be told Bill Clinton was more in favor of issues facing minorities then Obama or McCain ever will be. Now I believe there is racism in this country but I also believe there is reverse racism as well (that’s right I said it!) people of color cheer when OJ Simpson is found not guilty of murder. Which we all know he did. But if it was Ron Goldman who killed OJ and got away with it then it’s a racism and civil unrest. Vote the issues not the color of the Candidates skin.

[schog]

girlygirl mentioned there would be civil unrest if Obama is not elected. I don't understand why you assume that this means it will only be Blacks that cause the unrest. Don't you think that there would be Whites who also might be upset that he loses? Why do some of you always assume that if a Black person votes,s/he is only voting for Obama because Obama is black, too? But those same people never get upset that White women vote/d for Palin or Hillary because they are white, or that Whites are voting for McCain because he is white, or that some Whites would never vote for Obama because he is Black? Why not just leave race out of it??

Also, do the research. At least since 1976 (which is aas far back as I researched), Blacks have OVERWHELMINGLY voted democrat:
1976 Carter - 82%
1980 Carter -82%
1984 Mondale -91%
1988 Dukakis - 89%
1992 Clinton - 83%
1996 Clinton - 84%
2000 Gore - 90%
2004 Kerry - 88%

Last time I checked, they were ALL WHITE.

[realspirited]

Well, I wasn't surprised by Palin's lack of integrity at the VP Debate - remember, she's a maverick & she does what she wants...like getting us into another war if McCain wins. Fact is, she's not taking care of her home state and the native people there. So, her "blowing off" Ms. Ifill is not surprising. Its just Palin's way of doing things, you betcha. Frankly, I have great respect for Ms. Ifill and very little respect for Palin on any level. Oh, and it looks like the "drill, baby, drill" has hit a snag in Alaska, with the "critical habitat for polar bears" protection: http://www.adn.com/news/alaska/story/547990.html

[Miss Lola]

She's a mavericky kinda maverick, you betcha!

[SavePalin]

We want Palin to become President. We want Evangelicals on the Supreme Court to stop you whining, lying liberals. We all know McCain will not make it to the second term. Palin will be a Christian President. That is what this country needs. We need a Christian God running this country. Vote Republican.

[davibaby]

God doesn't have a denomination... what you need is an education.

[RG5626]

If you liked Christian Presidents, must have loved Jimmy Carter and not been crazy about Reagan. I'd say between McCain and Obama, Obama seems the more Christian to me. Palin says all the right things about gays and abortion to make the fundamentalists who prefer the Old Testament to the New Testament happy, but that has little to do with being a Christian.

[davibaby]

what???

vote Obama/Biden

[Provit2me]

Please God bring back those smart people who created the constitution. The people who specifically said 'seperation of church and state' because these 'church" people are really getting on my nerves - Please God hear our prayers and if the extremist "church" people don't like living in a world of tolerance and SEPERATION OF CHURCH AND STATE let them create their own country and leave us real Americans ALONE. Amen.

[DS3M]

Are you for serious? Internets don't like that.

[DramaMartini]

Palin supporters said she answered questions she wanted to and that made her a strong and independent woman. Well, I have news for you. She stuck to the issues she'd been rehearsing all week. She had no answers of her own. Strong and independent? Stupid and incompetent is more like it.

[davibaby]

that's right!!!

[KevinFitzz]

You should have stood up and said," Answer my question or we will move on! " A moderator should "moderate".

[SeagirlX]

Totally lacks moderation skills and has been compromised anyway with the news of that book. She feared the McCainiacs would spin her if she put her foot down on that Palin character. Love Ifill, but she should have been pulled as soon as she was compromised. She can say what she wants on TV. She should just be accountable. When you're accountable and you make mistakes, it's easier to forgive than when you blame other people or circumstances. TAKE OWNERSHIP...geez.

[wbramh]

Gwen Ifil could have stopped Palin by cutting her off with a simple "answer the question at hand."
The candidates are not supposed to pick the question they want to answer.
Only a very weak moderator would lose that kind of basic control.

[davibaby]

maybe that's why they picked her....

[qmmp]

I for one think Gwen did a good job should she have put more umph into SP yes at the same time i think just letting SP go on and on showing America once again she doesn't know a thing was fine.

SP and her band of followers thinks she did something and she did, she made sure more and more people realize that we need BO/JB in office because McCain Palin are clueless and rude.


Ms. Ifill hasn't a thing to worry about Sara Palin should hope one do to be 1/8th of the intelligents proud women Ms. Ifill is i won't even say SP should hope for 1/8 if Ms. Iffil's brain she'd get through life with so many laughing at her.

[yhgtup]

As an AA professional woman, I've always been a fan of Ms. Ifill because of her outstanding journalism skills. However, I was extremely disappointed in the way she failed to take control of the debate. She allowed Sara Palin to disrespect her as moderator, & basically give her usual rhetorical "stump speech" as indicated. If the two positions were reversed, & Palin was an AA female running for V.P, an AA female would not have been allowed to get away with such a stunt. Giving a "shout out", & the eye blinking B.S would have outraged Americans. Let alone, NOT answering the questions, & TELLING the moderator she wasn't going to answer her questions.

[redvers1899]

That's funny Dwight, "the appearance of a conflict of interest'". I notice that they didn't replay the part of the SNL skit that showed her hawking her Obama book. THAT would have been funny to see Gwen comment on. I think Palin was a horrible choice for the republican party vice pres candidate, but it was a great strategy move to get a VP that is more qualified than the Democrat's Presidential candidate. Palin's lack of experience and inability to state what her policies would be only serves to highlight Obama's greater lack of experience and inability to state what his policies would be. He's just been sidestepping the questions a bit longer so we've become used to it from him. Palin is just fresh meat. By the way I'm republican, but since there are no republican candidates this time around I'll have to go with whoever seems that they'll sell out the American citizen the least. I still can't tell who that'll be.

I have to ask, why are democrats who label themselves bleeding hearts all seem so vicious, hateful, and angry all the time on these posts., and why do they fight against the execution murderers but rally in favor of the execution of babies? I'm not being sarcastic, i really can't understand the train of thought there.

NJ13, that was funny!! "Ifill is a highly respected non-partisan reporter as are all PBS reporters"

[kimbari]

Would you PLEASE send me whatever it is you're smoking. I'd like to get high, too.

[vietveter]

I have to ask, why are democrats who label themselves bleeding hearts all seem so vicious, hateful, and angry all the time on these posts.,

It is because of the complete disregard of all things human the Republican party

has shown for the last eight years. This has been a terrible time to be an American.

We have reached our limit of abuse.

[DaveNorthwest]

Is this for real or is it sarcasm?

[Provit2me]

Hmm? 1. I didn' t see you answer any of the questions below. 2. It looks and sounds like the pot calling the kettle black. Your post is just as vicious as those you claim to be vicious. Stones? Glass houses? You? - get the picture?

[courageunderfire]

David Gregory was accurate saying that she was only rhetorical and not substantive. That is it, in a nut shell, she doesn't have a substantive cell in her body. I truly believe that she is unable to answer the questions put to her because she lacks not only the knowledge but the substance to give an answer.
When you think about it, isn't that in the play book for the Repub's? Answer all questions with rhetoric and not with substance? Seems that way to me. Gwen you did a good job, but this is par for the course. She blew you off because she honestly lacks substance...

[pinkfirefly]

Gwen Ifil handled it perfectly, and good for her that she spoke honestly about it on MTP, calling it what it simply was. If she'd confronted Palin during the debate or exerted any more pressure than on Biden (though clearly deserved as Biden was answering the questions and respecting debate rules) she would have been pounced on, and played into the script of those critics questioning her impartiality because of "the book".

[TimboM]

Why would Palin want to answer questions? Can't you see that she has God in her heart? Isn't that enogh for you people?

Look at www.dearfirstdude.blogspot.com for Todd's ideas about dealing with the Russian menace.

[no1gram]

This site can't be for real--can it??? Joe McCarthy is is hero -- that's the mental capacity we're dealing with here.

http://www.dearfirstdude.blogspot.com/

[Hedonist88]

She could have insisted on having her question asked.

For how long are people (esp the media) goint to allow themselves to be bullied into submission by the Republicans?

People go about saying they fight for Freedom. The USA is all about freedom. But the media are prisoners of those in power. It's a shame

[saami]

It's called: "Excuse me, Governor Palin, you are not answering the question. If you cannot stick to the subject matter, we will ask that you refrain from speaking." SHUT HER DOWN!!!
Have you not noticed when there is any panel discussion or interview where a conservative, especially a neocon, they talk as fast as they can and as loudly as they can and essentially shut out any intelligent conversation and the hog the entire show. Stoop being polite to theses asses.

[DaisyDooks]

I approve this message. :-)

[gwhizz]

Exactly. Not that hard, really.

[Saidas]

Gwen did the same thing with the Geroge Bush interview in 2004. She softballed the questions and didn't call him on anything. I sent an email to PBS saying that I've heard Barbara Walters give much harder hitting and in depth interviews than Gwen. She could have easily asked Palin to answer the question just like Jim Leher did repeatedly. Even though neither Obama nor McCain answered his question, at least the point was clearly made that they weren't going to.