Is Ifill Out As Veep Debate Moderator?

There's word today that PBS anchor Gwen Ifill may be removed as moderator of Thursday's vice presidential debate between Democrat Joe Biden and Republican Sarah Palin because of Ifill's new book, out on Inauguration Day, that praises Barack Obama.

Ifill's impartiality and credibility have been under attack this week, as word of the book's existence became known.

The McCain-Palin campaign was not aware of it when they agreed to Ifill as the moderator, a spokesman told Fox News' Greta Van Sustern.

Whether the Republicans have lodged a formal request is speculated, but not known.

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Will Ifill's Obama Bias Show In Veep Debate?

By Bob Unruh/© 2008 WorldNetDaily ~ The moderator of Thursday's vice presidential debate between Democrat Sen. Joe Biden and GOP Gov. Sarah Palin is writing a book, to come out about the time the next president takes the oath of office, to "shed new light" on Democratic candidate Barack Obama and other "emerging young African American politicians" who are "forging a bold new path to political power."

Gwen Ifill, of the Public Broadcasting Service program called "Washington Week," is promoting "The Breakthrough," in which she argues the "Black political structure" of the civil rights movement is giving way to men and women who have benefited from those struggles over racial equality.

Ifill declined to return a WND telephone message asking for a comment about her book project, and whether its success would be expected should Obama lose. But she has faced criticism previously for not treating candidates of both major parties the same.

During an earlier debate event she moderated, when Democrat John Edwards attacked Dick Cheney's former employer, Halliburton, the vice president said, "I can respond, Gwen, but it's going to take more than 30 seconds."

"Well, that's all you've got," she told him.

Ifill told The Associated Press Democrats were delighted with her answer, because they "thought I was being snippy to Cheney." She explains that wasn't her intent.

But she also was cited in complaints PBS Ombudsman Michael Getler said he got after Palin delivered her nomination acceptance speech at the Republican National Convention in Minneapolis this year.

The complaints cited Ifill's "dismissive" look during her report on Palin's speech. According to Getler, some complaints also said she wore a look of "disgust" while reporting on Palin.

Read the entire column at www.worldnetdaily.com.

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