There's a conflict of interest? Then turn it around on them

NEW YORK (AP) - PBS journalist Gwen Ifill, moderator of the upcoming vice presidential debate, dismissed conservative questions about her impartiality because she is writing a book that includes material on Barack Obama.

Ifill said Wednesday that she hasn't even written her chapter on Obama for the book "The Breakthrough: Politics and Race in the Age of Obama," which is to be published by Doubleday on Jan. 20, 2009, the day a new president is inaugurated.

"I've got a pretty long track record covering politics and news, so I'm not particularly worried that one-day blog chatter is going to destroy my reputation," Ifill said. "The proof is in the pudding. They can watch the debate tomorrow night and make their own decisions about whether or not I've done my job."

The day before the Joe Biden-Sarah Palin debate, columnist Michelle Malkin wrote in the New York Post about Ifill's book, saying "she's so far in the tank for the Democratic presidential candidate, her oxygen delivery line is running out."

In its online description of the book, Doubleday says that Ifill "surveys the American political landscape, shedding new light on the impact of Barack Obama's stunning presidential campaign and introducing the emerging young African American politicians forging a bold new path to political power."

The McCain campaign found out about Ifill's book in the last day or so, a spokesman said.

Ifill said Obama's story, which she has yet to write, is only a small part of the book, which discusses how politics in the black community have changed since the civil rights era. Among those subjects is Colin Powell, secretary of state in the Bush administration.

The host of PBS'"Washington Week" and senior correspondent on "The NewsHour" said she did not tell the Commission on Presidential Debates about the book. The commission had no immediate comment when contacted by The Associated Press. A spokeswoman for John McCain's campaign did not immediately return phone and e-mail messages.

Here's the thing. If Obama sins Ms. Ifill's book is a best seller and she goes on a big book tour with appearances on Opra, the Sunday shows and the morning news shows all to help promote the book.

If Obama loses she gets an interview on Olbermann and Air America then after a week the book hits the discount bins and it doesn't even earn back her advance.

In other words this stupid woman has a very large financial stake in Obama's election.

Add to this her mocking treatment of Sarah Palin ever since McCain announced her as his running-mate and you have a picture of a woman who has zero chance of coming anywhere within ten light-years of being "fair and balanced".

Despite this I DO NOT call for her to be replaced as the debate moderator.

The fact is that there is NOBODY that PBS would even consider (I mean really consider, not pretend to consider) for the post of debate moderator who would hate Sarah Palin any less than Ifill does or who would be any less biased than Ifill will be.

But with Ifill it is out in the open. Sure she says that she is going to ber even handed but no one believes her. Polls show that over 70% of the American people believe that Ifill will be attempting to help Biden win the debate.

Under these circumstances all Governor Palin will have to do to be seen as the winner is avoid running from the stage in tears. Thanks to talk radio and the blogs everyone watching tonight's debate will know about Ifill's massive conflict of interest. Every tough question she asks Mrs. Palin, even if it is totally legitimate, will be seen as proof of her bias just as will every softball she tosses Biden.

If PBS pulls Ifill and replaces her with another of their left-wing "journalists" the new person will just sit down with Ifill and study her prepared list of "gotcha" questions for the governor than ask them him or herself. Only the left-wing media will spin them as the perfectly appropriate questions of an unbiased reporter and all too many in the general public will swallow the lie.

Let Ifill stay and let her presence taint the debate in the minds of the vast majority of viewers. That way if Mrs. Palin does poorly, and she might if the campaign refuses to let her be herself and instead shackles her to the McCain talking points, most viewers will see it as the product of a corrupt process rather than a deficiency of the candidate.

And if the campaign has gotten the message and freed the Governor to be herself she will wipe the floor with Biden the walking gaffe machine and her victory will be seen as one achieved against almost insurmountable odds.

Once again the blind stupidity of the left is proving to be their own worst enemy.