Inside PBS Blog

A REQUEST OF GWEN IFULL

In the up-coming VP debate, I would like to request that you treat both candidates as absolute equals -- and hold them to the high standards you would expect of a potential VP or Presidential candidate.

With our country in the precarious position that it is in, it would not benefit any of us if more allowances were made for Governor Palin than those already granted to her team.

Gwen, you are a highly intelligent, highly intellectual public figure. Please do not let the forces of anti-intellectualism influence you.

September 29, 2008
Gwen Ifill's Responsibilities (Ronald Goldfarb)
@ 11:14 am
"… Thursday's debate between the vice presidential candidates … is sure to prompt particular interest in the performance of Palin, whose limited exposure to tough questions has been criticized by opponents and supporters alike."
- The Washington Post, Sept. 29, 2008

Next Thursday, when Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin (R) and Sen. Joe Biden (D-Del.) square off in the vice presidential debate, it could be Saturday Night Live v. Famous Television Bloopers. An obviously over-her-head candidate will be debating the more experienced king of faux pas. The entertainment level should be high. But so much is at stake that moderator Gwen Ifill has a profound responsibility.

The fear is that because Sarah Palin seemed so out of her league in the Katie Couric interview (whose importance was escalated because there have been no others, so sheltered has Gov. Palin been), she won't be cross-examined at the same level as all other high-level national political candidates. She must not get a pass, or soft treatment.

This is not to say Ms. Ifill should give Gov. Palin a hard time. But she must - given the potential consequences of Palin's possible power if her team is elected - be given the same rigorous scrutiny all other candidates at this level have received. So far, that has not been the case. She has been in protective custody, quarantined by her political managers for fear she will be seen to be what she is - an attractive woman who should not have the power of vice president of the United States. ABC agreed to Palin's manager's terms to get the first interview. Katie Couric's brief questioning was limited and gentle; but it showed Gov. Palin to be out of the vice presidential league. There may not be any other unscripted interviews after Thursday if Gov. Palin's political team keeps her in its witness protection program.

The choice of a vice presidential candidate is the first important decision a presidential candidate makes. He must be judged by it. Sen. McCain took a rash and reckless risk in choosing his running mate in order to appease the extreme-right evangelical Republicans. That worked. But part of that risk must be for him, and her, to be judged by prevailing professional standards. Gwen Ifill may be the only one who has the opportunity to assure that is done. Ms. Ifill cannot be blamed for being sexist. She is a demonstrated, high-quality professional journalist. If she questions Gov. Palin as, say, Edward R. Murrow or Tim Russert, fair and tough journalistic greats, would have, the American public will owe her a great debt. As the public's representative, Ms. Ifill should question and cross-examine Gov. Palin and Sen. Biden with equal rigor - no more, no less.
That's all the American public asks, and it is what it deserves.

Visit www.RonaldGoldfarb.com.

Be fair and firm.
I'd love to know if Sara's daughter is going to wear white...

I would like Gwen to ask the following questions during the vice-presidential debate:

1. MomsRising members are tracking all of the candidates' speeches, tallying any mention of issues that impact moms. See their tallies at www.momsrising.org/candidatesbingo. If you plan to watch the presidential debate tomorrow, September 26th, you can tally the issues, too! Get your scorecard at www.momsrising.org/bingocard -- and keep an eye out for opportunities to get involved as the campaigns continue!

2. Our questions:

* Right now, the birth of a child is the number one cause of a "poverty spell" in America, and 1/4 of families with young children are living in poverty. Do you support a policy to provide paid family and medical leave to parents following birth or adoption of a new child?

* Nearly 1/2 of all full-time, private sector workers in the U.S. have no paid sick days. Do you support a policy to provide paid sick days for workers to use when they or their children get sick?

* In most American families, both parents work outside the home. Please tell us what your administration would do to help parents secure excellent, affordable childcare?

* Studies show that moms are paid 73 cents and single moms are paid about 60 cents to the dollar for doing the exact same job as men. Do you support the Fair Pay Restoration Act and the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act?

* A child is born every 41 seconds without healthcare. What kind of Health Care Policy could Americans expect in your administration?

I agree that Ms. Ifill should be fair and firm. Any appearance of grilling will seem to be bullying.

But I would like to see the Governor asked about her belief that humans and dinosaurs walked the earth together, and how she was 'healed' by an African minister who believed in witchcraft.

Drudge has a headline that Ms. Ifill is writing on book
on Senator Obama. If that allegation is true she should immediatly be withdrawn as moderator for the Vice Presidential debates.

Hi Gwen,

Good luck coming Thursday moderating the VP debate.

Can I suggest 2 questions to ask Joe Biden?
Here it goes:

Senator Biden,
While Senator Obama was State Senator in Illinois he opposed and voted against a bill that would have stopped the practice that when a baby had survived an abortion, to in those cases at least...... save his or her life and allow it to live.
Testimony was heard from nurses how they had held those babies in their arms in utility rooms, listening to their cries...till they died.
But still, Senator Obama voted against that bill. How, as a confessed Catholic do you feel about that?

Furthermore. Planned Parenthood's founder, Margaret Sanger, in her own words in her own book stated that she was a great admirer of Adolf Hitler and his methods of dealing with the quote "Jewish Problem". That she saw abortion as an excellent way how to deal with the, quote her words, "Negro Problem". That she envisioned an abortion clinic in every black neighborhood (which is indeed the case now) to so abort the black population out of existence.
My question to you is:
How is it that you and Senator Obama, himself African American, accept large campaign contributions (blood money) from Planned Parenthood?

How is that Democrats in general who think of themselves as against discrimination and racism are so FOR abortion under the disguise that it is about "choice"? And that those who are against abortion are instead so often portrayed as "intolerant" and "extreme". How do you reconcile all this, Senator Biden?
Has not popular culture, that says that it is "none of a man's business", enabled man to simply walk out the door saying "adios", taking no responsibility whatsoever, and making the problems of teenage pregnancies worse, resulting in 50 million abortions since Roe vs Wade?

End of my suggested questions.

Woow Gwen, if you ask those questions you could make a name for yourself.

Good luck...and yes I am holding my breath!

As a European, I was quite disappointed by the first debate. The questions - that are of paramount consequence - were sketchy.

I am fluent in Arabic and an expert on the Middle East,

Here are three instances where the opinion of the candidates would have been decisive in forming an opinion on their understanding of the TRUE situation:

1.- The Surge.
The surge in fact played in Muqtada al-Sadr's advantage. This is the reason why al-Sadr kept a low profile. It is pure wishful thinking and a total misunderstanding of the situation to expect that the surge could defeat the Mahdi army. Had Muqtada al-Sadr's chose not to keep a low profile the surge would have been a blood bath. Just bear in mind how Israel's mighty military machine had been unable to defeat Hezbollah in Lebanon. Hezbollah and the Mahdi army are trained by the same Iranians.
The surge worked because al-Sadr wanted it to work as it did the dirty work for him and consolidate his position. This is a FACT.

2.- The War in Iraq.
So much can be said, so much has been said, yet the simple truth did not come out during the debate:
Bush destroyed one of the ONLY strong and secure secular fortress in the Middle East. A fortress that stood against theocracy, terrorists, and Islamic fundamentalism.
As a result, Bush's invasion handed over Iraq on a silver platter to Iran - once their mortal enemy. Now the boundaries of Iranian's expansionistic ambitions have reached the frontier of Saudi Arabia and of (helpless) Jordan, thus Iran is virtually on the frontier of Israel. The geopolitical repercussions are huge! This problem has NOT been deal with.

3.- The Georgia situation.
The direct question to any candidate MUST be: Why did Saakashvili choose to invade South Ossetia on August 7th? After all, Georgia has recognized the autonomous status of the Republics of Abkhazia, Adjara, and… South Ossetia
Why provoke Russian's retaliation? Did Saakashvili expected that Russia would NOT respond when he knew that Russian troops were massed at the frontier? Were there any of the 130 special American "advisers" involved in this decision? Would Russia have invaded if Georgian troops would not have moved in South Ossetia first? Many questions that are FACTUAL!
One must NOT forget that we need Russia if we want to achieve any progress in this troubled times, especially in the Iranian and Middle East quagmire.

I have many, many other questions, but these three are essentials. We, outside the USA are eager to hear the answers, because it is not only the future of the USA that is in balance, but the future of the world. We are in Europe on the front line!

We would like to see these questions included in the next debates, particularly the Palin-Biden debate.

A great question to ask is the following:

Senator Biden,

Much has been made about the Bridge to Nowhere in Alaska. Funding thereof was approved by Congress before Sarah Palin was Governor.

Senator Biden, you and Senator Obama both voted FOR that bridge at that time. And you did so twice! Can I ask you why?
Did it have to do with a Quit Pro Quo wherby you received funds for your own 120 million dollar bridge in Delaware that connects 2 beaches?

Also, after Katrina hit the New Orleans area, a bill was introduced that would have diverted the funds for the Alaskan bridge to repairing bridges around New Orleans. You voted against that bill. Can I ask you why, did you not want to help Katrina victims?

End of questions.

Oh but wait, what am I doing? That would be too much of a "gotcha" questions for a Democrat!
Gwen: Correction DO NOT ask those! Gotcha questions should only be addressed to Sarah Palin. Again do not ask these!

Suggested question:

Senator Biden,

You voted against further funding of the war in Iraq. In effect saying that we should negotiate terms of surrender with Al Qaida. This was before the "surge" proved to be very successful.
Even Senator Obama recently admitted that yes, the surge was working. Do you now regret your position and see your folly?

Also: You and Senator Obama recently stated that you both for a step up of the war in Afghanistan.

Eventually, as Vice President and with a vote in the Senate would you support a Democrat resolution that would stop funding the war in Afghanistan?

Proposed question:

Senator Biden,

The first Bill- Out Bill was a disaster. We now know that.

Democrats loudly complained in front of the cameras that Senator McCain had broken up a perfect deal, by flying in and messing it up.

Do you not want to give credit where credit is due to, to0 Senator McCain, and admit that now a much better deal for the American tax payer has been negotiated, THANS TO Senator McCain?

That is sad to see that now again, Democrat leadership stands in front of the cameras loudly proclaiming that it was thanks to THEM. While THEY were the ones in the first place who pressured Republicans to just sign here and sign there, and to do it "now", waisting up to 1 Billion dollars!

"In all, 16 presidents were governors first. A few of them were not governors in the modern sense of the term; that is, they governed territories rather than states. Andrew Jackson acted as military governor to the Florida Territory and as governor to the Northwest Territory in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. William Harrison governed the Indiana Territory for twelve years at the beginning of the 19th century. Lastly William Taft served as Governor-General in the Philippines at the beginning of the 20th century."

So why would you even ask the question if Sarah Palin is qualified? What's the point? Many governors have been elected President. Some good, some not. Would you be asking this if she were not female?????????????????

Do you and the world really think we are this stupid?

I wish that McCain and Palin had won the election...Then maybe we would not be facing a national debt that has no chance of ever going away.