McCain camp goes after VP debate Moderator

[Ichingcarpenter]

The McCain camp is saying that veep debate moderator Gwen Ifill will have to answer for herself if she asks too many foreign policy questions Thursday night:


See video here, Link and video:http://talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/220563.php

[SuperTrouper]

1. They are already starting. I hope Gwen tells them to go and F**k themselves!

[DangerousRhythm]

42. I hope so too. If this were me being bullied I'd push against it.

It's the only way for her to maintain her integrity, not to give in to these fools. What a sham!

[ClarkUSA]

70. Let's push back! Send Gwen Ifill a nice message with this contact link ----->

Respectfully tell her to ask the hard questions Americans want answered (and suggest some yourself):
http://www.pbs.org/weta/washingtonweek/feedback.html

Suggest backup questions (as in the case of Gibson and Couric interviews) in case Palin tries to get away
with canned platitudes.

[FloridaGrl]

71. I guess being next to Russia

doesn't cut it anymore.

[intheflow]

73. Thanks for the link.

Here's what I sent:

I just want to remind Gwen and all who are working on this VP to remember that "deference" is something that royalty demands. There is no call for that in a free democracy, and the press is under no obligation to show deference to a candidate for office, *especially* a candidate for one of the most powerful elected positions in the country.

I understand that Ms. Ifill is getting some pressure from the McCain campaign to be nice to Sarah Palin in the upcoming VP debate. I, for one, believe Ms. Ifill should ask hard questions of both candidates, for if a candidate does not know the answer (or even have a coherent idea on the subject), the American people have the right to know that going into the election. If Ms. Palin cannot field difficult questions from the press in a debate, then she is not ready to assume command of the world's most powerful Army, run the world's largest government, or even hold regular press conferences should she have to assume the presidency.

[LibraLiz1973]

80. Just wrote

Thanks for the link!

[Sannum]

2. grrr.

Fuck them.

If she isn't able to answer the questions asked, then she does not need or deserve to be on the ticket.

[iceman66]

78. Agree 100%!

I don't see how any thinking person could disagree!

[LibraLiz1973]

3. What assholes

Dumbing down the country much?

[Epiphany4z]

4. one will be to many

[babylonsister]

5. I can't even believe this. Ifill hasn't opened her mouth yet and they're

already criticizing her for what she might ask? This reeks of desperation.

[Raschel]

87. She's a mean "colored" lady, that Gwen

Can't believe they're trying to intimidate the moderator. This is bullshit.

[tekisui]

6. I hope Gwen is listening and taken offense at it.

[Booster]

I'm beginning to think the McCain "cam" is worse than McCain.

I can't think of a one of them that isn't snarky, lying, spoiled littles sons of bitches. I love it when they say McCain and Palin don't speak for the McCain camp, like they're running for the offices.

[iceman66]

79. Well in a sense they are.

They are the ones who will be running the offices if their candidates are elected.

We cannot emphasize this enough: a McCain/Palin presidency will be RUN by lobbyists and right-wing extremists.

[calico1]

7. But Palin can see Russia from her house.

Doesn't that make her an expert?

I can only see Long Island.

:crazy:

[habitual]

8. blatent attempts to bully the moderator into asking the type of

questions that they want asked (or not asking the type they fear.)

[GreenPartyVoter]

51. Appears tht way

[PresidentObama]

9. Instead of attacking the moderator, shouldn't you just prep Palin on foreign policy?

Maybe her mock sessions aren't going well on foreign policy, and they're scared she'll look like shit next to the Senate Foreign Relation Committee chairman.

[GreenPartyVoter]

53. Yes, I do believe it is Palin's (et al) responsibility.

[Sebastian Doyle]

92. I suspect that Team McCain has found out far too late (unfortunately for them)

That trying to teach Sarah foreign policy, is a lot like trying to teach these guys how to sing.....



Maybe they can get her to lip-synch to some Repuke woman who actually knows politics, and call it "Wasilli Vanilli" :rofl:

[electron_blue]

10. "answer for herself"???? Is that supposed to be a threat?

I mean, really.

[blondeatlast]

21. It's a cue for the RW blogs to go after Ifill NOW in hopes they will scare her into submission.

My bet is that it will have the opposite effect.

[nxylas]

31. How long before Ifill's home address gets posted on Freak Republic?

Place your bets now.

[spanone]

11. NPR had a story on the 'biden gaffe prone' bs this am

in it they actually said 'on the campaign trail biden normally sticks to democratic propaganda' they actually used the word 'propaganda'

[riqster]

Yeah, I noticed that too.

Even NPR has turned into a neocon mouthpiece over the last 8 years. Sad.

[Schulzz]

12. Enough with the ready to lead questions! nt

[Jennicut]

13. Okay, I am about to have a hotheaded McTroll moment

What a bunch of utter aholes. All this demanding. Who the hell are they? We don't anoint leaders here, you actually have to work for it.

[blondeatlast]

14. WTF? They are pissed because an objective debate on a level playing field favors the better speaker.

Got it.

They are desperate, make no mistake about it.

[JuniperLea]

75. Well said...

You are clearly more eloquent than Palin! LOL! No offense... I know that covers a lot of ground!

:rofl:

Seriously though, this bit should hit a headline: "They are pissed because an objective debate on a level playing field favors the better speaker."

They can changed the "pissed" :)

[Sodan]

15. What is wrong with these people - different format, preconditions etc..

FFS - just show up and have a nice chat with Joe - he's a nice guy ;)

[BklynChick]

16. why shouldn't she?

[gateley]

17. Don't they realize they are embarrassing themselves? This race

has become such a sham and a GAME because of these assholes. I take the future of our country seriously. Apparently they don't.

[SemiCharmedQuark]

18. She's terrible on the economy too. Maybe they should only ask them about being a Hocky Mom.

[ecstatic]

58. exactly. nt

[Alter Ego]

19. If we have Gwen Ifill's email anywhere I suggest we flood her

with emails of support.

[1corona4u]

27. You can contact her here

http://www.pbs.org/weta/washingtonweek/feedback.html

[bunnies]

20. Well, they cant accuse Ifill of being sexist...

they have to come up with something to complain about! IMHO, all this does is prove that the McCain camp knows Sarah Palin is an idiot. She should be able to answer ALL the questions. Dumbasses.

[bushisanidiot]

22. Wow, they sound scared and unprepared! No one threatens debate moderaters

like that before a debate! Show me one Presidential or Vice Presidential candidate who's ever done this to a moderator before.

The repukes want special rules for Palin and the press should NOT give it to them.

She should be treated as if she's well versed in ALL the issues just as they've done to all other candidates running for POTUS and VPOTUS in the past!!!

[1corona4u]

23. Uhm, HELLO?

WTF? Isn't Palin on the ticket as VP? She needs to know foreign policy, which she clearly doesn't! I doubt anything has been said at all as to what the questions will be.

These rightwing asses are just trying to shove this bitch down our throats, with ZERO accountability.

[bigtree]

24. she's good friends with the Bushes

. . . and Condi

[ellacott]

39. That's what made their comment worse

They probably didn't have to threaten her. She was probably going to be easy with her. Hopefully this has caused Ifil some offense and she does her journalistic duty.

During the last VP debate she wasn't that easy on Cheney. She was actually easy of both Edwards and Cheney.

[bigtree]

47. she's so bound to the administration philosophy that she uses it as her guide

. . . her base of understanding. Whatever she accepts as truth about the republican administrations cloud any judgment she might demonstrate in her questioning.

[TNMOM]

25. I hope Gwen asks her about the second coming, and the role of Israel in it

[Lucky 13]

26. The foreign policy exchange...

Ifill: "Senator Biden, considering Delaware's embarassing lack of proximity to any foreign nations, how can you possibly consider yourself an expert on foreign policy?"

Biden: "Are you fucking serious with this?"

Ifill: <whisper> "Sorry Joe, I was threatened."

Palin: "I can see Russia from my house!"

[Schulzz]

32. hahaha

She should really bring up that Russia thing in one of her questions :rofl:

[AspenRose]

63. ROFL

:rofl:

[Ichingcarpenter]

28. Sarah: Name 6 things that are sharp and 6 things that are round

Senator Biden:
Senator Barack Obama has embraced a proposal by Henry Kissinger, former Secretary of Defense Bill Perry, former Secretary of State George Schultz and former senator Sam Nunn to declare our nuclear deterrent a relic, and move toward eliminating our arsenal of weapons. How fast would you do that, Senator?

[Lucky 13]

35. !

:rofl:

[TheCowsCameHome]

29. Palin is ready for the real tough questions, like

"where did you get those lovely eyeglasses?" or other Hannity-like softballs.

[Kerrytravelers]

30. So, would a Palin VP tell foreign leaders not to ask her certain questions. Will a list be provided?

Wow. Just wow.

[terrya]

33. Guess that "debate camp" was a big fucking waste of time.

[remember2000forever]

34. Sarah, Can You Point To Russia on a Map? (Hint: It's Close To Alaska)

[Lucky 13]

37. More like: Sarah, can you point to ALASKA on a map?

[remember2000forever]

45. One Of These Things, Aren't like the others.........(Song)

[csziggy]

49. Oh she can probably find Alaska on a map. Let's hope she can't find Washington DC

[TheBigotBasher]

82. Sarah

can you point to a map?

How old is the earth?

What shape is it?

[Lucky 13]

88. Maps are for elitists.

[Supersedeas]

Schmidt's brownshirts have an interesting view of the democratic process, no?

[firedupdem]

36. Unlike those freaks, I was taught not to hate people...

well, it's not working! I am really beginning to hate every last one of them! We're dumbing it down now!? Unbelievable.

[moriah]

38. Did I mistabulate?

I went over the 2004 VP debate.

I counted 9 questions about foreign policy, and 11 about domestic policy.

http://www.debates.org/pages/trans2004b.html

Can someone confirm? I'll go over the 2000 debate later.

[FVZA_Colonel]

40. Threaten the moderator.

A surefire strategy for victory. I wish the McCain campaign well.

[blondeatlast]

44. And let there be no mistake, that threat came DIRECTLY from Rick Davis' replacement,

Nancy Pfotenheur, a paid representative of the McCain campaign.

[w4rma]

41. They are scared of the debate and are looking for *any* advantage to help them get through it. (nt)

[blogslut]

43. It was Doocy and skinny neck

Let em crank up the bullshitometer on that crappy network. Fox News has become quite the competitor to the Comedy Channel.

Hey, Nancy! How is Rick Davis these days? Why is he so invisible? Do you feel a little like the understudy that got her big break because the star token female flapped yer yap once too often? How about that husband of yours? Ain't he an interesting fellow?

[blondeatlast]

74. She's certainly more presentable, but Davis was way better at the attack dog thing.

I heard he was getting odles of money from one of the players in this whole economic meltdown--has to be just a rumor spread by LW blogs, there couldn't possibly be any truth to it. Could there?

I knda miss the nasty old bastard, really.

[blogslut]

81. Not a rumour

Rick Davis most absolutely was a lobbyist for Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac and when http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/22/us/politics/22mccain.html">that news hit the MSM - he disappeared and Johnny McSame suddenly had a come-to-jesus moment and "suspended" his campaign.

Loan Titans Paid McCain Adviser Nearly $2 Million

By DAVID D. KIRKPATRICK and CHARLES DUHIGG
Published: September 21, 2008

Senator John McCain’s campaign manager was paid more than $30,000 a month for five years as president of an advocacy group set up by the mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to defend them against stricter regulations, current and former officials say.

Mr. McCain, the Republican candidate for president, has recently begun campaigning as a critic of the two companies and the lobbying army that helped them evade greater regulation as they began buying riskier mortgages with implicit federal backing. He and his Democratic rival, Senator Barack Obama, have donors and advisers who are tied to the companies.

But last week the McCain campaign stepped up a running battle of guilt by association when it began broadcasting commercials trying to link Mr. Obama directly to the government bailout of the mortgage giants this month by charging that he takes advice from Fannie Mae’s former chief executive, Franklin Raines, an assertion both Mr. Raines and the Obama campaign dispute.

Incensed by the advertisements, several current and former executives of the companies came forward to discuss the role that Rick Davis, Mr. McCain’s campaign manager and longtime adviser, played in helping Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac beat back regulatory challenges when he served as president of their advocacy group, the Homeownership Alliance, formed in the summer of 2000. Some who came forward were Democrats, but Republicans, speaking on the condition of anonymity, confirmed their descriptions...

A 2004 photograph from a report by the Homeownership Alliance, an advocacy group for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, shows John McCain with Ken Guenther, a former chairman of the group, left, and David Lereah of the National Association of Realtors.

[blondeatlast]

85. Oh, I know. My humor is a little dehydrated today. He stinks to high heaven. nt

[blogslut]

91. It's all good

:hi:

[Chorophyll]

46. Threatening a debate moderator

Seems like a brilliant idea. Just one more brilliant idea in a campaign that has been chock-full of brilliant ideas. Oh, those brilliant, lovable Repugs.

:sarcasm:

[Batgirl]

48. Wouldn't they have kept a little more dignity by just putting a horse head in her bed?

That way they can send their threatening message without looking like frightened pantywaists.

Oh I forgot. Republicans don't have a problem with blatantly working the refs, in this case preemptively, because they lack the embarrassment gene.

[WCGreen]

50. Is that a threat...

Wh is she going to have to answer to...

Some beefy guys in trench coats knocking at her door...

Ms. Ifell, we mean this with no disrespect, but yous need to ask questions, you know that won't, how should I say 'dis, won't result in yous fallin' down an elevator shaft. I meant no disrespect...

[Cessna Invesco Palin]

52. McCain: THIS ELECTION IS ALL ABOUT FOREIGN POLICY AND NATIONAL SECURITY!

Just don't ask my VP nominee about any of that stuff.

[Schulzz]

54. Haha, exactly.

McCain: Obama does not understand foreign policy, but please don't ask my VP about it either :rofl:

[Buck Rabbit]

55. This is all about lowering the expectations.

She will be crammed up to her eyeballs with foreign policy info and talking points and they will have an escape for the "I can see Russia" flub prepared. She'll sluff that subject off in some 10 word prepared spin, and that will be the end of it.

You could tell when she took that question from the grad student at the restaurant in Philly, that she now knows where Waristan is and that they have economic problems in the region. They have stuffed her with factoids. By Thursday she'll be a walking Cliff Notes of the CIA world factbook.

[City Lights]

56. Another absurd stunt destined to fail. nt

[ecstatic]

57. WTF? Doesn't McShame want the voters to decide based on foreign policy

McPlain is a 72 yr old heartbeat away from being CiC.

[BattyDem]

59. Is there ANY topic Palin is well-versed in?

Seriously ... foreign policy, economics, national security, energy, global warming, health care, women's rights, gay rights, education, etc. She has memorized about a dozen vague, "GOP talking point" responses to various topics, but she never gives any details. There's never an in depth discussion about anything. So ... WTF does she want them to talk about during the debate? :shrug:

[central scrutinizer]

60. 90 seconds can be an eternity if you only have 20 seconds worth of soundbites

[AspenRose]

61. Why are they THREATENING the *black female* moderator?

Did they threaten Jim Lehrer? Brokaw? Schieffer?

Those bastards better watch their step.... :mad:

[Raschel]

89. They wouldn't pull this crap if it was a male moderator

I think they're afraid that Joe's too good and won't come off looking like the bad guy. All he has to do is let Palin hang herself.

So the next person in line is the moderator. Yeah, that's it. The questions weren't fair.

But I know that they wouldn't pull this with a male. And as an aside, I wonder if Palin's ever talked to a Black person before. This could be quite unsettling for miss redneck.

[Bake]

62. "Have to answer for herself?"

What the hell kind of threat is THAT, anyway?

Bake

[Shardik]

64. Duce, you idiot, the e is silent when you say forte in reference to an area of expertice.

Check your dictionary. The way you said it refers to music.

[creeksneakers2]

65. They'll trash Ifill no matter what.

She's black, female and wrote a book about race relations improving. Part of the book is about Obama. There is no way in hell that the right wing isn't going to trash her.

[MrScorpio]

66. It's a patent admission by the McCain camp that she's ill-suited to by VP

They know that they're fucked and they're crying foul for effect

[olkaz]

67. This is a major tactical error for the McCain campaign.

They're already going into this with a neophyte, but to now incur the wrath of the moderator? Very foolish.

I can't wait to see how this plays out.

[npincus]

68. Smart move!!!!

what a royal-A-HOLE! Just for that, I hope Ifill asks a tone of FP q's. Schmuck... right, try to bully the moderator, that'll work!

[Vinca]

69. Ideally, they want a "debate" where Palin has been fed the questions

weeks in advance so she can be programmed to say the correct thing.

[LynneSin]

72. WTF!!! This is what Presidents and Vice Presidents do

They answer all sorts of questions.

When will the world wake-up and realize this woman is NOT qualified to be even GOVERNOR of a state with less than 1 million people let alone Vice-President of the united states. This isn't a fucking Disney movie!

[NYC Liberal]

76. She should ask whatever she wants. Then when they complain,

what'll it look like to the American people when McCain whines "They asked about foreign policy! How dare they!"?

They won't be able to complain without making Palin look even more horrible.

[butterfly77]

77. Somehow..

they will bring her race into it..

[Proud Liberal Dem]

83. So now they're trying to intimidate a debate moderator

Have they no shame? This seems pretty disgusting to me. It's one thing to bash the press (hell, we do it a lot here ourselves) but attempting to intimidate the moderator of a debate seems utterly scary and despicable.

:wow: What chutzpah!

[Proud Liberal Dem]

84. So now they're trying to intimidate a debate moderator

Have they no shame? This seems pretty disgusting to me. It's one thing to bash the press (hell, we do it a lot here ourselves) but attempting to intimidate the moderator of a debate seems utterly scary and despicable.

:wow: What chutzpah!

[Lucky 13]

90. Utterly scary and despicable... and utterly predictable.

[crankychatter]

86. she'll be getting heat from inside pbs too, from bush appointees - nt

[No Elephants]

93. Ifill can answer for herself very easily. "Um, it's a Vice PRESIDENTIAL debate, Stupid!"

[jillan]

94. Well then maybe mcasshole should have picked a vp that could actually answer questions.

Unbelievable!

[AZBlue]

95. They make Bush & his campaign staff look decent and fair.

Who knew that was even possible?