Gwen Ifill caved.

[pamela]

The McCain camp's whining worked once again. Ifill did not ask a single follow-up question or even attempt to make Palin ANSWER THE QUESTION that was originally asked.

I like Gwen Ifill but it was clear that she was trying so hard to avoid the cries of bias that she simply didn't do her job. There might as well not have even been a moderator. Palin was allowed to discuss any subject she wanted. She was allowed to completely ignore the questions. What a confusing, sham of a debate.

I'm so sick of the media caving into McCain's whining.

[polichick]

1. Yep - she was afraid to do her job. The whackjob dismissed her and the rules.

[qazplm]

2. if its clear

and the polls show that it was, and you say it was, then what worked exactly?

[nini]

3. huh? She didn't favor either side

Isn't that what she was supposed to do?

[msallied]

9. I think she was impartial and did a good job.

:shrug:

[Tigress DEM]

27. Impartial was good. Letting Sarah off the hook for not answering questions..

I think that is what the big deal is about.

What I am worried about is who broke her leg and did they make her give the questions out in advance?

[anigbrowl]

30. Pffff

The moderator's there to moderate, not interrogate. as for you thing about breaking her leg, give me a damn break.

[Tigress DEM]

39. Look, we know mcsame got the questions in advance once...

We know these people do the same thing over and over again especially if it works.

I'm not accusing. I'm just saying it's a worry.




Redirecting someone to answer the question that has been asked is not interrogation. I mean supposedly Sarah came to the debate knowing there would be questions to answer. Answering those questions is part of participating in the debate.

I didn't say Gwen should have gotten two cops a heat lamp and a hungry grizzly bear to MAKE her answer the questions, I just think pointing it out it reminds the audience the question was not answered and in some debate circles that's part of evaluating the debate.

Least where I come from it is.

[ej510]

4. They always give in to the Gop.

[TexasObserver]

5. Yes. she was aw-ifill

[msallied]

6. I think Ifill didn't need to do much.

It was clear she wasn't answering the questions and the media is harping on it all over the place. I think the theme tonight was allowing Sarah Palin the rope to hang her self. Or the rope to allow the American people to hang her. It worked. Do you see anybody actually jumping to vote for John McCain because of tonight's debate? Only the deluded. lol

[BlueIdaho]

7. Worst debate moderator since Gibson/Snuffaluffagus.

I expected someone to hold a mirror under her nose.

[msallied]

10. Oh come on! That's really pushing it.

The Gibson/Steph debate was pure gotcha moderating. In fact, I wouldn't even call that moderating. I think Ifill did a fine job of implying that Palin wasn't answering her questions. And the media isn't missing it.

[PresidentObama]

8. I noticed this too--She wouldn't give Biden to respond.

[ecstatic]

I'm glad the bias issue is off the table. Let Failin have this mini-victory

at the end of the day, it changes nothing: She is still ignorant and unprepared.

[ShortnFiery]

11. Gwen Ifill didn't have a choice. She did what she had to - nothing else would have help us anyway.

Face it, our M$M is controlled by 'a few" men who are a LARGE CONGLOMERATE and very pro- GOP (at least for the Executive Branch).

Gwen did what she had to do. I don't blame her.

[casus belli]

12. Sadly, I kind of agree

We had wondered if her softballs and lack of follow up had anything to do with the charges levelled by the McCain camp before the debate regarding Gwen's upcoming book.

[Barack_America]

13. I was seriously disappointed in the lack of follow-up questions...

If you're not going to insist your questions be answered, what's the point in asking them?

[democracy1st]

14. her questions were so weak

[Marsala]

15. It wouldn't have worked anyway

Palin would have flat out refused to answer the question and gotten "points" for being a "maverick".

[rvablue]

25. Who is giving her "points"

Seriously, where were all DUers tonight?

The polls from CNN and CBS both say that Biden won the night.

Were you watching the little monitor thing at the bottom of CNN.

Every time she went off on one of her off question diatribes, the meter dropped.

Jeebus! Even Tweety was going after her tonight.

Maybe everyone was just in a rush to get to the keyboards.

At best, this was tie, which does NOTHING for McCain.

[Beregond2]

16. I don't think so.

The format really only allows for the moderator to ask the question. And by allowing Palin to continually blather on about different topics enitirely, she gave her enough rope to hang herself. Clearly the public saw it that way, even if the media are bending over backward to say otherwise.

[Frank Booth]

17. Yep. She's a wuss.

[Ichingcarpenter]

18. Study what she did with her journalism before the Iraq War started and 9-11

And her follow ups on the Iraqi War.

She was never that DEEP ever.

[rvablue]

23. Did you drink too much wine tonight

because for the life of me I cannot understand this post.

Is it in reference to Palin or Ifill.

Please explain.

[Ichingcarpenter]

28. Ifill........ do a search on her history...... and your innuendo reflects your bullshit

We knew it was crap...... rvablue........ did you?

Now..... lets play a game.......
How stupid do you think you are?

I'm ready to play your insulting games.

[yellowcanine]

19. Well she did ask the Cheney question which clearly tripped up Sarah.

And Biden hit it out of the park. And no one can say it wasn't a fair question but she probably knew that would happen.

[TexasObserver]

20. Gwen Ifill: "MAILED IT!!"

[KittyWampus]

21. Bullshit. Ifill ran the debate ACCORDING TO THE RULES. DU'ers as usual ignore reality

[anigbrowl]

33. Seconded, big time.

[BeyondGeography]

22. No surprise there...she's a good little MSM soldier

Devoid of spirit. I find her rather sad, actually.

[Ichingcarpenter]

26. For such a 'great' journalist' ......... follow her path to the war

She did nothing........... and totally lacking in substance.

I like her better than Charlie though

[BeyondGeography]

34. Yeah, me too...but she is totally cowed by the establishment

She doesn't cross over into outright antagonism toward progressives like Capital Gains Gibson, though.

[Kind of Blue]

24. Really? I though Ifill was perfect in that

she let, as they say, "Sarah be Sarah." I heard her many times ask Biden for a response and that's when he gave his best liners, such as "Past is Prologue," "Maverick, he is not." Palin discussing anything she wants is just a continuation of her dumb ass interviews. I mean, even though she strung the sentences together it was still, what the hell is she talking about?
From what I understand a debate means getting to the truth of the matter and Sarah was the confusing, sham of a debater. Not the debate or the moderator, in my opinion.

[anigbrowl]

29. No, I'm happy with that

Notice for example how Palin kept coming back to energy. It doesn't bother me at all that Ifill didn't call her on this - instead the audience realized for themselves that she didn't have answers for a lot of the issues and just kept trying to steer the discussion back to territory where she was comfortable...although there were some follow-ups like 'OK...but what about the question I asked? More near the start of the deabte.

I thought Ifill was terrific, and the complaints here on DU are ridiculous. It's Biden's job to hit the opposing candidate, and he did fine at that.

[msallied]

36. Thank you! I don't know exactly what they were expecting here.

IT's not like she was bending over backward to kiss Palin's ass. And Biden didn't NEED any help. She was an impartial moderator who did a fine job. I guess the "gotcha" thing is okay if it's used against Republicans. Never do people think that if we give the greenlight to do that kind of shit to them, then they have that same greenlight to do it to us.

[jpgray]

31. I thought this initially as well, but in my view the format was the real enemy

[nomorewhopper]

32. i totally agree with the original post. gwen caved. SOFTBALL CITY n/m

[avaistheone1]

35. I think Gwen Ifill in years past was one of the best debate moderators.

But she really fell down on this debate. She never held Palin accountable when Palin repeatedly didn't answer the questions.

Folks, this is the only time we get to hear our vice presidential candidates be confronted on the issues and the moderator was not present in my mind.

[xchrom]

37. ifill was awful. nt

[AnnetteFun]

38. What's the point of a debate moderator then?

I'm serious. Is the moderator just there to ask questions and then just allow the debaters to ignore the topic and go off on his/her own talking point? For example, ask a question about bankruptcy laws, get an answer about energy. The moderator can't do anything about that? Really, the questions were softball and there was no follow-up whatsoever. Seems pointless to even have a moderator, if that's his/her role.

[frickaline]

40. She wasn't moderating, she was babysitting (must have been chatting on the phone for most of it) n/t