Do you think a person who is writing a book

[Minihorses101]

Additionally, there was a poll on LB not long ago (back porch) to see what TV news source most of us prefer and Fox News got nearly as many votes as all the other sources combined.
See: http://www.miniaturehorsetalk.com/index.php?showtopic=99230

Yes I have seen that poll, thank you for pulling it out and letting me do some research.

~60 people voted, 28 voted for Fox (obviously)

~34 voted for other channels.

~186 people looked at this thread while logged in.

~now that is probably people checking in more than once, seeing that there are only 60 votes not 186.

~This does not include people who don't have an account, people who are not logged in, therefore do not have an a chance to vote on the poll.

~There are 5369 registered user names on LB.

~Only 60 of them voted

~If you do this equation 60/5369 you get the number 0.0117527 when you move the decimal places 2 to the right you get the number 1.1.

~1.1 is the percentage of user names who voted out of the WHOLE forum, on this particular poll.

~If you want to take it down to the percentage of people who voted for Fox, it is 28/5369 it is .52% (.53% if you want to round up)

~For CNN - .15%

~For MSNBC - .02%

~For HLN - .02%

~For local ABC - .06%

~For local CBS - .09%

~For local NBC - .05%

~Other - .26%

.52% of people out of this whole forum voted for Fox,

I'm not saying that they all come on LB, I'm guessing more than half only come online once in a while or not at all.

Technically (in computer geek terms) what I am trying to say is that .52% is not nearly close to "most of us".

[SIZE=8pt]~There is also the factor of which someone has more than one account. I know I have one. I never use it (I don't even remember the password), but it is there and that gives me 2 votes on a poll like this.[/SIZE]

 

[tagalong]

*steps around all the poking and prodding and baiting and gets back to the actual topic*

I am not sure it will really matter. The debate (as requested) is not allowed to be a truly free-flowing one that requires a lot of heavy moderation. Plus it will be almost impossible to favour one side over the other without being blatantly obvious.

From the synopsis of that book - it seems to address the issues of race and religion and not focus on Obama per se... he is just the prime example of what she is writing about...

If she was noting the issues of age and military experience/influence she might have included McCain in the title...

 

[AppyLover2]

If I'm not mistaken I think she didn't tell people about the book when they were considering her for the moderator position. I may be wrong!

 

[bingo]

Additionally, there was a poll on LB not long ago (back porch) to see what TV news source most of us prefer and Fox News got nearly as many votes as all the other sources combined.
See: http://www.miniaturehorsetalk.com/index.php?showtopic=99230

Yes I have seen that poll, thank you for pulling it out and letting me do some research.

~

I'm not saying that they all come on LB, I'm guessing more than half only come online once in a while or not at all.

Technically (in computer geek terms) what I am trying to say is that .52% is not nearly close to "most of us".

[SIZE=8pt]~There is also the factor of which someone has more than one account. I know I have one. I never use it (I don't even remember the password), but it is there and that gives me 2 votes on a poll like this.[/SIZE]

Ok that was a lot of math but thank you for taking the time to do it and to put these LB polls into perspective for us!

 

[Danielle_E.]

This was also mentioned on the U.S. news stations yesterday.

The below is taken from "The Globe and Mail"

Moderator wrote book on ObamaSIRI AGRELL

October 2, 2008

John McCain and his Republican running mate Sarah Palin have not shied away from blaming negative coverage of their campaign on the "elite liberal media" and "gotcha journalism."

So they will likely be ready to pounce on Gwen Ifill, the PBS journalist who will moderate tonight's vice-presidential debate, after it was revealed that she has written a book about Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama.

Breakthrough: Politics and Race in the Age of Obama, will be released in January, 2009, around the time the next president will be inaugurated in Washington.

The book, which examines the lives of four black politicians, was first announced several months ago and has been publicly discussed by Ms. Ifill.

But that did not stop some from suggesting that the moderator of Washington Week and senior correspondent for The NewsHour would have a conflict of interest in tonight's debate.

"Does this help ... if she has written a book that's favourable to Senator Obama?" Mr. McCain asked yesterday. "Probably not. But I have confidence that Gwen Ifill will do a professional job."

Ms. Ifill was praised in 2004 for her job moderating the vice-presidential debate between Dick Cheney and John Edwards.

"I think she was the best moderator in 2004 of the debates," said Allan Louden, a professor of politics at Wake Forest University in North Carolina.

"My guess is that this won't go anywhere because Ifill's skilled enough that she'll pull it off as really even-handed. But if anything goes wrong, obviously they're going to say: 'You're biased.' "

A PBS spokesperson said yesterday that Ms. Ifill's book has been public knowledge since before she was announced as moderator for the debate.

 

[OhHorsePee]

It doesn't seem to bother either candidate but I still do not see how she can be 100% biased. If Obama wins they have estimated that her book will make over $350,000. I just wish they would have more time and just find someone else.

 

[Jill]

Minihorses, I must point out a major flaw in your calculations. The number of views represents each time a person looked at the thread. I'm sure many, including myself, looked more than once to see where it was going in terms of numbers. Each glance tracks up another number... so if I looked at it 20x, that's 20 hits attributable just to me.

[SIZE=12pt]Did you have any input into the topic question?[/SIZE]

 

[SunQuest]

...but I still do not see how she can be 100% biased...

Laughs... Fran, you mean UNBIASED don't you?

You are right. She will be biased, and by publishing the book is using (and promoting) Obama. Yes, she could have used another person's name in the title, or better yet, used no one's name. IMO, she should not be moderating as she has a financial stake in the debates as look how it has gotten people talking about her book. Truelly a conflict there.

 

[OhHorsePee]

LOL Yes, I did mean unbiased. Thank you!

 

[littlesteppers]

Anybody seen O'Reilly?? I like Millers way to approach it..Palin should bring a copy of the book and have the moderator sign it..during the debate..best if there is a gotcha question..say..Oh hang on..almost forgot..will you sign this for me??

 

[SunQuest]

Anybody seen O'Reilly?? I like Millers way to approach it..Palin should bring a copy of the book and have the moderator sign it..during the debate..best if there is a gotcha question..say..Oh hang on..almost forgot..will you sign this for me??

Ooohhh that would be way to good! That would be perfect! LOL.

 

[bingo]

Has anyone read this book? Of course it is not out yet but it is my understanding this book *as it pertains to him* is not about Obama as much as it is about this time in history where a black man has been a serious contender for President.

As such I can see why his name is in the title as no one else really even fits into that catagory.

Without anyone reading the book there is no way anyone can say she is biased or not. She is a professional with more then enough creditials to moderate this debate.

Either VP canidate should be able to stand up and stand out in a positive way tonight. I think it is a bit to early to be crying unfair. JMHO

 

[littlesteppers]

In my humbled opinion it has nothing to do with reading the book..she will make waay more profit if Obama wins this election..therefor she should have excused herself or at least ask- before she was considered -if the book would be a problem.

Wonder if somebody wrote a book about alaska would be hosting..what would you say than??

 

[Jill]

Nah, the book's not about Obama. Just because his name is THE name in the title. That doesn't really mean it's about him

Nor does it mean it won't sell well if he's not elected (if he's not -- we won't be hearing a blip about him in the years to come -- he will be "done"!).

 

[Southern_Heart]

I think it is not appropriate to have her as the moderator.

I don't know how they think this debate is going to be a fair competition. It is ridiculous to think that she can be totally fair.

I am sure everyone will be watching her very close. I know I will for any unfairness.

Hoping that they get someone else at the last moment to take her place..

 

[Cathy_H]

as it pertains to him* is not about Obama

.......... Most of us know that. She could have put the " Presidential election year 2008 " & people would KNOW to whom she was referring - BUT wait the book is not about Obama is it so must get his name in the title???????? ..... We also have a woman running as VP - why was THAT not included? Why was Hilliary not included ?????? If the title had McCain in it, the democrats would be all over it insisting that the author step down. Even if she is unbiased and treats Palin fairly it still is not right............. Moderator has a book to sell = put your guy's name in the title then moderate the vp debate = be fair and balanced and get viewers respect = viewers want to know more so go buy the book = moderator gets a fat bank account = moderator must know what she is talking about = her man becomes president!

 

[LowriseMinis]

If I understand correctly:

McCain had the ability to reject her as moderator, and he did not. In fact, I just found this here. "(UPDATE: John McCain just told Fox News that he has no problem with Ifill moderating the debate. "I think that Gwen Ifill is a professional and I think she will do a totally objective job, because she is a highly respected professional," he said.)" http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/washington...r-grows-ov.html

And no, she did not specifically mention the book when she was asked to moderate, however the book's been available for pre-order since before Palin was even pinned for the VP nomination: "Although Malkin raised the topic of Ifill’s impartiality the day before the debate, the PBS journalist said that Time magazine noted she was writing a book in August, and that it has been available for pre-sale on Amazon.com. The book also is mentioned in a Sept. 4 interview she gave the Washington Post." http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26978194/

So the book was never a secret, and anyone 'vetting' the moderator would have known about it.

 

[kaykay]

Heres the publishers blurb

n THE BREAKTHROUGH, veteran journalist Gwen 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.

Ifill argues that the Black political structure formed during the Civil Rights movement is giving way to a generation of men and women who are the direct beneficiaries of the struggles of the 1960s. She offers incisive, detailed profiles of such prominent leaders as Newark Mayor Cory Booker, Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick, and U.S. Congressman Artur Davis of Alabama, and also covers up-and-coming figures from across the nation. Drawing on interviews with power brokers like Senator Obama, former Secretary of State Colin Powell, Vernon Jordan, the Reverend Jesse Jackson, and many others, as well as her own razor-sharp observations and analysis of such issues as generational conflict and the "black enough" conundrum, Ifill shows why this is a pivotal moment in American history.

THE BREAKTHROUGH is a remarkable look at contemporary politics and an essential foundation for understanding the future of American democracy.

About the Author

GWEN IFILL is moderator and managing editor of Washington Week and senior correspondent of The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer. Before coming to PBS, she was chief congressional and political correspondent for NBC News, and had been a reporter for The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Baltimore Sun, and Boston Herald American. She lives in Washington, D.C.

 

[OhHorsePee]

See, there is no way she should have been a moderator. Of course, that is just my opinion on the matter. I think it is the same as if Bill O'reilly done it. LOL

 

[littlesteppers]

Well I am stepping out on a limb..I think it will actually be in Palins advantage now that the cat is out the hat..

Ifill was invited to FOX and didn't even answer..maye she is busy re writing the questions..