UPDATE: Cover It Live is overwhelmed. If you can't get in the live chat because it is at capacity. Go Ahead and head over to our chatroom on Blog Talk Radio. I have opened it even though we are not on the air.
As we did last week with the debate between John McCain and Barack Obama, we will be live blogging the Vice Presidential debate between Joe Biden and Sarah Palin. If you were bored with last week's debate, you weren't hanging with us in our live blog! Come back at the start of the debate and kick it with us and then follow us over to our podcast at blogtalkradio.com/blackwomen. We'll be chatting and debating the debate...all in good fun! To call in to the podcast call 646-478-4750.
Join us tonight right here during the vice presidential debate for our live blogging and then follow us over to the Black Womens' Roundtable over on Blogtalkradio.com/blackwomen. We always have an entertaining post-event podcast. To participate in the show, you can call 646-478-4750. We are simply the best post-debate analysis out there :) or so I'm told.
Either way, you can wait anxiously to guess which guest will be muted first. Last week we were over at talkshoe, this week we're back in our normal slot on BTR. Oh yeah, I am running the boards tonight so I will be in control of the mute button!! Who will be sent to the podcast corna'??
Gwen Ifill Moderator Drama
Okay and now for the latest in the Gwen Ifill melodrama. If you don't know, Gwen Ifill is moderating tomorrow night's vice presidential debate between Joe Biden and Sarah Palin. She also has a book coming out which covers Barak Obama among others. The book is available for sale on Amazon.
A few weeks ago, there was a story (a rather silly story, actually) about whether African-American journalists could cover Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama and maintain their impartiality. Now there’s a growing stink (from some conservatives) about whether PBS journalist Gwen Ifill, who’s black, can moderate Thursday’s vice presidential debate between Sen. Joe Biden and Gov. Sarah Palin because Ifill has a book coming out on Obama.
The book, which will be available on Inauguration Day, is titled, "The Breakthrough: Politics and Race in the Age of Obama." The publisher says “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.” Chicago Tribune
And from Sandra Rose:
Gwen Ifill is confident that Mr. Obama has the election in the bag. But should the moderator of such an important debate show such blatant bias towards one party? Couldn’t she wait until after the debate to announce this book of hers?Apparently, Ifill doesn’t care if we know she’s biased. She has faced criticism before for not treating candidates of both major parties the same.Sandra Rose
Well Gwen has responded to the furor
"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."Associated Press
My prediction, no matter what she does tomorrow, the fact that the story is now about this book instead of the fact that she is the only woman and only person of color who has been selected to moderate a debate has already done damage. I mean with titles like this ,Is VP Debate Moderator Gwen Ifill In The Tank For Obama?, people will be focussed on whether or not she is biased vs. whether or not she is doing her job. Heads, Gwen Loses. Tails, Gwen loses. But in any case, the moderator of the debate is unlikely to have any affect on the outcome of the election and the good news, now everybody knows Gwen has a book coming out. Controversy is good for book sales.
I know I promised no more election posts, but this was just strange. For those who don't know, Joe Biden is Barack Obama's running mate. You might not know who Biden is because he's been blown completely off of the news radar except for when he says and does incredibly odd things like tell a wheelchair bound man to stand up at a campaign rally.
Biden had an awkward moment during a rally in Columbia, Mo., Tuesday. At the start of his remarks, he pointed out several state lawmakers in the audience for praise. When he got to Chuck Graham, a state senator from Green Meadows, Biden urged the lawmaker to “stand up Chuck, let ‘em see ya.” Ben Smith's Blog, Politico.com
But Graham, who is in a wheelchair, can’t stand up - a fact Biden quickly picked up on.
“God love ya, what am I talking about,” Biden said. “You can tell I’m new,” he quipped, asking the audience to stand up for Graham instead.
That was a smooth recovery, but what about this most recent case, he says about Hillary Clinton, "Quite frankly, she might have been a better pick than me."
I THINK that he was attempting to pay Hillary a compliment, but in this environment where the chattering class is basically saying the Obama campaign should have picked Clinton, Biden's comments only add fuel to that fire.
During the Q&A session after Biden's stump speech, a local voter brought up the former Democratic presidential candidate for the first time this week. "I am very pleased that Obama chose you over Hillary," he told Biden, as the crowd erupted with applause (a surprise, given that the Granite State was the site of Clinton's first primary win). As Biden struggled to shush the masses, the questioner rattled off a litany of unrelated points, veering from Freddie Mac to the "disgraceful ... Mexican wall." Eventually, Biden cut him off and came to Clinton's rescue.The only question is whether he did too much rescuing. "Make no mistake about this," said Biden. "Hillary Clinton is as qualified or more qualified as I am … She’s qualified to be president of the United States of America and equally qualified to be vice president of the United States of America. And quite frankly, it might have been a better pick than me."Whoa. Did we just hear Joe Biden express ... humility?We have no idea if the Delaware senator was sincerely saying that Clinton would've been better equipped to battle the Barracuda, or if he simply went a little overboard in rising to her defense. But if it was the former, Biden's not alone. Over the past few days, a number of prominent scholars, Republicans and even Democrats have taken to wondering what might have been. Newsweek
Holy Wacky Soundbyte Machine! Obama chooses Joe "Bright Shiny and Clean" Biden as his running mate. For those who aren't familiar with Joe Biden, he has a penchant for saying interesting things.
So much so that blogger, Queen of Spain has penned this open letter to Joe Biden. Hat tip to JJ Politics for the link:
Hi.
I’m Erin. I’m no one really, just another voter with a blog.
Seems you’re going to be our next Vice President.
Good job.
I need you to do something for me though, ok? It’s something I’m pretty terrible at-but I’m guessing with all your experience you’ll be ok.
Don’t say anything stupid.
I know, mistakes happen. And your record and years of service make you more than worthy for this position.
But Dude…between you and I….you say some crazy sh*t every once in a while. Queen of Spain
You have to read the whole letter and the hyperlinks. He does say some pretty idiotic things at times.
There is something poignant about Obama choosing a man who's presidential campaign began and ended with him calling Obama Bright, shiny, clean and ARTICULATE(because it is a miracle every time WE manage to make our subjects and verbs agree and throw in a little diction on the side- Hallelujah its a miracle!).
So this selection was not a "game changer"--- McCain can basically choose whomever he wants for VP- i am gong to go out on a limb and say he'll choose a "movement conservative".
PPS: Acolytes, JoBama is a really bad nickname. Sorry, it just is. O'Biden has a nice ring to it. Y'all keep working at it, y'all will get it right eventually...OR NOT!
UPDATE: I failed to mention a very important point about Joe Biden. He is responsible for the Violence Against Women Act of 2000.
Thursday, October 2, 2008 at 7:40PM