2008 VP Debate: October 2nd, 9 PM EST

[Tresselbeliever]

Originally Posted by jimotis4heisman

do you guys want to know what youre going to say after this in synopsis?

fire away my friend.

[Best Buckeye]

Originally Posted by BUCKYLE

Is there going to be a bikini portion?

I agree Buckyle, there needs to be a Bikini portion , she is Hawt and no one would even look at Biden afterwards.

Hmmm is Gwen Ifill Hawt?
Or
Is Gwen an eyefull?

[daddyphatsacs]

I get the sneaking suspicion that the McCain camp might be trying to help "bury" Palin, lowering expectations to the point that if she can answer a sentence, she'll be doing just fine.

It could completely backfire though. I think that if Biden displays his intelligence in direct contrast to Palins, he has a chance to almost close the door on this race IMHO. People are expecting Palin to sound somewhat ignorant, if she comes across as clueless........well, hit the garage door on your way out.

[fourteenandoh]

so the moderator of the debate is writing a book about obama...

[JXC]

All the hype this debate is getting is either going to hurt her a lot or help her a lot. Really, nobody is even going to be paying attention to Biden. If she does well, people will be wowed because of the low expectations. But if she slips up or sounds stupid AT ALL, it will be blown out of preportion.

[generaladm]

Originally Posted by fourteenandoh

so the moderator of the debate is writing a book about obama...

Ann Coulter wrote a book about Bill Clinton, but I don't think she'd help him out in a debate. Just sayin'.

But seriously, just because a journalist writes a book about a particular public figure doesn't automatically mean that they will throw their integrity out the window to stump for them. While the book does appear to portray Obama in a positive light (at least according to her right-wing critics), it is described as being more concerned with the issue of race in politics, and features interviews with Colin Powell, Vernon Jordan, and Jesse Jackson. FWIW, Ifill has received plenty of criticism from the left for her percieved right leanings, particularly her social relationship with Condi Rice. I think it's sad that journalists are automatically judged as supporting the extreme views of one side, often just because of what organization they work for.

[fourteenandoh]

i've got nothing against the woman. i've never heard of her before today, but its a conflict of interest plain and simple.

['BusNative]

Originally Posted by fourteenandoh

i've got nothing against the woman. i've never heard of her before today, but its a conflict of interest plain and simple.

Given your concern, there are three ways she could approach her role in the debate:

1. Obvious Obama supporter
2. Obvious Obama opponent
3. Indifferent observer who is writing an academic book

There's no way to presume which way her work writing could affect her ability to ask some questions that will likely be scripted for her and possibly approved by campaign handlers.

[fourteenandoh]

it doesn't pass my smell test, but i guess i don't really care. i'm sure it won't be a big deal.


as for the questions,

"She said she will make her own decisions about what questions to ask, adding "the big questions matter."

['BusNative]

Originally Posted by fourteenandoh

it doesn't pass my smell test, but i guess i don't really care. i'm sure it won't be a big deal.

'Bus "Devil's Advocate" Native back again...

as for the questions,

"She said she will make her own decisions about what questions to ask, adding "the big questions matter."

Personally, I can only hope the big questions do indeed matter, but I hear ya

[generaladm]

Originally Posted by fourteenandoh

i've got nothing against the woman. i've never heard of her before today, but its a conflict of interest plain and simple.

I wasn't trying to imply you did, sorry if it came off that way. I wasn't aware of her Obama book until I read your post. In looking it up online, there are a lot of people hammering her for it. That's more of what I was responding to. I can see how you view it as a conflict of interest, but for national journalists, half of what they report probably conflicts with their personal views. We'll see how the debate goes, but at this point, I don't think there's any reason to think she won't conduct herself professionally.

[fourteenandoh]

Originally Posted by generaladm

I wasn't trying to imply you did, sorry if it came off that way. I wasn't aware of her Obama book until I read your post. In looking it up online, there are a lot of people hammering her for it. That's more of what I was responding to. I can see how you view it as a conflict of interest, but for national journalists, half of what they report probably conflicts with their personal views. We'll see how the debate goes, but at this point, I don't think there's any reason to think she won't conduct herself professionally.

i'm sure you are right, but aren't there plenty of people who haven't written books about either of the candidates? i guess that's what i'm getting at.

[billmac91]

Originally Posted by fourteenandoh

i've got nothing against the woman. i've never heard of her before today, but its a conflict of interest plain and simple.

Very interesting. I think that's garbage. They couldn't utilize someone who hasn't spent years researching and writing a book on one of the candidates?

Clear conflict of interest, and something that should be of note, IMO.

[generaladm]

Originally Posted by fourteenandoh

i'm sure you are right, but aren't there plenty of people who haven't written books about either of the candidates? i guess that's what i'm getting at.

I definitely see your point. It looks like they're picking the mods from the PBS pool, at this point.

[daddyphatsacs]

Originally Posted by fourteenandoh

so the moderator of the debate is writing a book about obama...

Ah yes, I am hearing a lot of this chirping coming from conservative pundits already........I can only imagine that blowholes like Rush and Hannity are doing the same. Seems like they are already setting up a counterargument if Palin does [censored]ty tomorrow.

I think it's actually a disadvantage for Biden. I just hope that the host doesn't go overly easy on Palin just keep from showing any "bias". Lord knows.........the Republicans always decry bias in the media, so it's not really going to matter though...... It's in page one of the playbook.