Gwen Ifill, Step Down!

So, the moderator of the Vice-Presidential debate Thursday night has a vested, commercial interest in the success of an Obama win. It's been announced, with only a couple of days before the debate, that her book, Breakthrough: Politics and Race in the Age of Obama.

"Oh, but she's fair, she's experienced, she's done this before..." Yeah, yeah, yeah, I've heard it all before. Even if she is as fair as Solomon and as balanced as Lady Justice herself, she still has a vested, commercial interest in the election of a running candidate.

I've heard some chatter about how the McCain campaign didn't know about the book - like somehow that matters. My question is, how incompetent is the The Commission on Presidential Debates? Did they not know about Ifill's book? Or did they just not care? Did they not think the fact that the moderator of the debate - the one who is responsible for framing the debate by the questions asked - who has a direct, personal, business interest in the outcome of the election - would be an issue? For goodness sakes, the woman's publisher is releasing the book on Inauguration Day!

Imagine for a moment if Brit Hume were set to moderate the vp debate, and he announced a book called, The Hero in Office: The Life of John McCain. My ears are already ringing at the caterwauling we would hear on the Left. And you know what? The Right wouldn't like it either. And you know what else? They would both be right!

Some would say that any complaining about this clearly bogus (or incompetent - you pick) decision by the Commission to allow Gwen Ifill to take the stage for tomorrow's debate is a sign of weakness or low confidence. To use a phrase I've heard a little bit this election cycle: Spare me.

I am so sick and tired of the Right being given a hot, steamy pile of dung and then getting chastised for saying, "Hey, this is a hot pile of crap!" Well, it is!

Look, nobody said life was fair - but Americans should absolutely expect - demand! - that certain things in their life be fair. These things include:

Media Presentations called "News Reports"
Debates
Elections
Judges
Job & Housing Opportunities
There's more, I know but you get my gist

The Commission on Presidential Debates should work swiftly to replace Gwen Ifill. Actually, Ms Ifill should step down citing a conflict of interest - but I wouldn't expect her to do such a magnanimous thing.

 

If you go to the website, you'll find it's kinda tricky to find out who is on the Commission. Well, here's a the list of people who are currently serving on their Board... (I've included links to explain who they are)
Howard Buffett 
John C Danforth 
Antonia Hernandez 
Caroline Kennedy 
Michael D. McCurry 
Newton N. Minow 
Dorothy Ridings 
Alan K. Simpson 
H. Patrick Swygert 

The person running this whole thing, apparantly is the elusive Janet H Brown - Executive Director. Her email address is: jb@debates.org; her Phone# is (202) 872-1020 . Why don't we take a quick moment to let Ms. Brown that giving the moderator job for a vice-presidential debate to somesone with a person money interest in the outcome of the election is a (a-hem) BAD IDEA.

Of course, after reviewing the Board, it's no great surprise that things are working out this way...

Here's a short piece Ms Ifill did recently to promote her book...

The Breakthrough: Gwen Ifill - The most amazing videos are a click away

Who might be a good replacement? Well, how about Brit Hume? Hugh Hewitt? Fred Barnes and Mort Kondrake? Chris Wallace? Ben Stein?  Joe Lieberman?

If you have a suggestion, let me know!

Ms. Executive Director, if you're too busy, email me directly at cosmoxgram@gmail.com, leave your direct phone number so I can get the pertenant details, and I'll set the new moderator up myself. Heck, I'll even pay for the plane tickets! (if anybody else would be willing to chip in, let me know...)

As the Democrat nominee likes to say a lot: Enough is enough. And I, for one, have had enough.