 |
 |
| |
|
|
|
 Same Old White Guys Run the DebatesPosted on Aug 19, 2008By Marie Cocco A presidential campaign in which a prevailing theme is “change” makes it all the easier to see just how much things remain the same. Take the presidential debates to be broadcast this fall. The Commission on Presidential Debates plans three events, as usual, with one a “town hall” format featuring questions from voters, a recent custom on its way to becoming routine. Another tradition is firmly upheld as well: Three white men will be in charge of questioning Republican John McCain and Democrat Barack Obama on behalf of millions of American voters who, as a group, are less white and male than ever before. Gwen Ifill, an African-American who is moderator and managing editor of PBS’ “Washington Week,” drew the No. 2 spot. She will moderate the vice-presidential debate, as she did in 2004. I have nothing against Jim Lehrer, executive editor of “The NewsHour” on PBS, or Tom Brokaw of NBC, or Bob Schieffer, the host of CBS’ “Face the Nation.” But how about a dose of reality? Race and sex already have become flashpoints in this campaign. McCain’s age is an issue and Obama is sparking enormous enthusiasm among younger voters. So why are we stuck in a media rut with three white men, the youngest of whom, Brokaw, is 68? Including the vice presidential moderator, “We chose four people who we thought were qualified,” says Janet Brown, the commission’s executive director. “That doesn’t mean others are not.” Brown said the panel’s research into voter preferences led it to conclude that a single moderator, rather than a panel of questioners, makes the best format. There also is a preference for moderators with live television experience. As for the vice presidential debate being assigned to the sole female and person of color, Brown said the commission does not consider the job to be a lesser assignment. “Gwen is not seen as being any less important a moderator or having less important an assignment than any other moderator.” Using the commission’s criteria, it’s pretty darned simple to come up with the names of television correspondents who are experienced in the issues and have the requisite live coverage credentials. Katie Couric, the CBS News anchor, is one. Christiane Amanpour, the CNN correspondent who has reported live from dangerous conflict zones for two decades, is another. Andrea Mitchell of NBC also would fit the profile. Brown said the panel avoids naming network anchors as moderators because “they are such celebrities.” It’s awfully hard to see how Couric could be considered more famous than Brokaw, who, with his best-selling books and other projects, sometimes seems like a one-man industry. But never mind. The point is that the commission looked around and what did it see? The same old picture. Since the commission began running debates in 1988, only one female correspondent, Carole Simpson of ABC, has moderated a presidential forum. That was in 1992 and the format was a “town hall” meeting in which Simpson’s role was to facilitate questions from the audience, not ask them herself. Before his retirement, CNN’s Bernie Shaw moderated both a presidential and a vice presidential debate. Simpson, Shaw and Ifill are the only African-Americans who’ve had such high-profile roles. “Truth be told, even I would say there are not a lot of women on the level of the Brokaws and the Schieffers,” says Carol Jenkins, president of the Women’s Media Center. “It’s the networks that are so thin on women and people of color.” The center is petitioning the debate commission to add more representative moderators to this year’s lineup, not to eliminate a moderator who already has been announced. But Brown said that’s not likely because of the single-moderator format. Would more women, African-Americans, Hispanics or those of other ethnic backgrounds ask the presidential contenders dramatically different questions? Perhaps not. Once a campaign settles into the stretch, the issues that are dominating public discussion inevitably dominate the debates. Just once, though, I’d like to see the candidates pressed on how changes they propose to Social Security would affect women—the group most dependent on the program and most vulnerable to changes in it. I’d like not just to hear about our future military posture in Iraq, but about America’s responsibility to the millions of refugees the war has created. There is value in pursuing the same issues from a different perspective. But it seems that this year we are destined again to see them through the same lens. TAGS:
|
|
The Age of Paine
Email
Print
Share
BlinkList
del.icio.us
Digg
Facebook
Fark
Furl
Google
LinkedIn
Mixx
MySpace
NewsVine
NewsTrust
Propeller
Reddit
SphereIt
StumbleUpon
Technorati
TwitThis
YahooMyWeb
YahooBuzz
Jump to Comments
By Brooklyn718, August 22, 2008 at 11:04 am #
(Unregistered commenter)
It’s actually not totally about skin color. It is also about gender. The bottom line is there are qualified people out there who are not white men who could ask the same questions. But, I think we’d all like to see curve balls and sinkers instead of lame pre-approved questions. You don’t have to be a white male to do that.
Report thisBy voice of truth, August 21, 2008 at 12:13 pm #
Stephan - I agree, although I would like to see some balance. However, the point of the article was about skin color.
Report thisBy Stephen Smoliar, August 21, 2008 at 12:05 pm #
voice of truth, skin color is not the issue. The real issue, as issywise put it, is having the guts to rock the boat. To put things on a “level playing field,” so to speak, I have more confidence in Tavis Smiley rocking the boat than I have in Gwen Ifill doing so. Still, I would really like to see Tom Hayden asking some of the questions!
Report thisBy voice of truth, August 21, 2008 at 10:57 am #
Why does the color of the skin of the debate moderator matter?
Report thisBy Dennis Moss, August 21, 2008 at 1:28 am #
(Unregistered commenter)
It just all comes down to fairness. we teach our kids to share and to treat every one kindly. But when they get older these truths no longer apply. How would McCain feel about all the Questioners being black, from urban settings, from the major cities of the North and Midwest. Would that be fair to him.Doesn’t that pesent a different visual psychology to the viewing audience?
Report thisI know this is all new to the networks who have never had to think in these terms , but there’s the firth black American from a major political party running for president, who presents a whole different consciousness out there. Think about what is Just!
By G.Anderson, August 20, 2008 at 9:56 am #
Substituting predjudice for reason, is never a better way. No matter who is doing it, no matter what they look like.
Report thisBy tdbach, August 20, 2008 at 9:38 am #
G.Anderson: The voice of progress
Let’s not look for a better way; it just gets in the way of progress. My progress. Unfettered ascent up to my rightful place among the snow-white peak of American power. Who’s left behind? Men and women who may be my betters, but who by quirk of fate don’t look the part. Big deal! Such is life! Move along now…wait! Would you be so kind as to fetch me another cup of tea? Thanks!
Report thisBy Jon, August 20, 2008 at 7:52 am #
(Unregistered commenter)
You have ignored the fundamental social truth about America. It is that this country is owned and operated by and for the sole pleasure and use of the White Male Christian. ALL the rest of us are just visitors, passing through and only allowed to be here by permission and their non-existent White Male God. So if you don’t like them lying to you every day on every network and only presenting their theocratic values and visions of their reality you have only two choices - Love it or leave it.
Report thisBy G.Anderson, August 19, 2008 at 11:39 pm #
This article is the epitome of what is wrong with politics today.
When trading one predjudice for another is deemed ok, because it’s my prejudice, that’s right and yours thats wrong, then America will be easy to divide and rule by the right wing.
Life is not fair, and neither are politics. Deal with it.
Report thisBy cyrena, August 19, 2008 at 10:44 pm #
Oh SamSneddgar..What am I gonna do with you?
“..I mean, hes been to Hawaii, you know, and he doesnt TALK like a black stereotype…”
~~~
Since he’s actually more than ‘been’ to Hawaii, (born and raised there) maybe that’ll cut him a bit of slack, ya think?
And, for what it’s worth, I actually have a far different opinion of Gwen Ifill. I find her to be far more independent that the average ‘network anchor’. Have any of you ever actually listened to any of the interviews that she’s given herself? I think SHE should be questioning the Pres candidates.
All of that said, I’m with Herman Edward Schmidt. I don’t much care WHO asks the questions, though I don’t see Katie Couric as being taken seriously, but maybe that’s just because I don’t, and wasn’t Bob Schieffer one of the ones involved in that really horrendous debate between Obama and Hillary, where they wasted the first 30 or 40 minutes talking about flag pins? Or do I have him mixed up with somebody else?
Anyway, I ‘mostly’ don’t care who asks, but WHAT they ask. I wanna know the same stuff Herman wants to know. I also want somebody to bait McCain, so we can watch him lose it, and throw a raging temper tantrum fit. Maybe he’ll threaten to obliterate some other country like Hillary did with Iran.
Report thisBy Irm Fassbinder, August 19, 2008 at 7:34 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)
I would love to see Amy Goodman of Democracy Now do the debates. She is the best journalist to do this job and ask questions that are meaningful for America.
Report thisBy eric barth, August 19, 2008 at 4:18 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)
When you have “journalists” (regardless of color or ethnicity)who are multi-millionaires asking the questions in behalf of media corporations whose “news output” is advertiser-driven infotainment, you can expect the usual narrow range of loaded questions about permissible issues to discuss. To wit: Isn’t it true, Candidate X, that you are on the record as having seen a UFO?” Guess which of the two candidates in the race is most likely to defend tax cuts for the wealthy ($5 million a year and up,ha! ha!), preserve corporate tax breaks and their looting of the Treasury? Just one guess!!
Report thisBy Hilda, August 19, 2008 at 3:30 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)
one immensely more important trend is that there are a dozen major women-only colleges in the US, while ALL male-only colleges have been driven out of existence
Report thisby sexist organizations.
By P. T., August 19, 2008 at 12:09 pm #
Of the four debate moderators, one hundred percent are from the corporate or the corporate-backed (PBS) media.
Report thisBy Issywise, August 19, 2008 at 12:05 pm #
I’m with Stephen Smoliar: the biggest problem is that the persons chosen are chosen because they won’t rock the boat. The moderators were “agreed upon” by the campaigns: no wonder they are smooth empty suits who can be relied on to avoid the messy tackiness of asking questions outside the script.
As for diversity, recall that Sir Sidney Poitier was alone as a non-white movie star forty years ago. Look at the talent we get to enjoy now—a score of A-list minority stars, just because the commercial commandants of the media quit fearing a little that a little deviation from the norm would be unacceptable to the public. The media bosses’ conservative pursuit of optimal profits translates into a paternalism that is unneeded, offensive and counterproductive even for their own greedy profit seeking.
God doesn’t discriminate in the distribution of talent. When desirable high positions tend to be taken by only one type, somebody is discriminating.
Report thisBy Stephen Smoliar, August 19, 2008 at 11:00 am #
Having watched the HBO documentary on Helen Thomas last night, it occurred to me that I have yet to see one of these debates in which any really DIFFICULT question has been asked. I see this as a corollary to SamSnedegar’s point. However, it is not just those asking the questions whose strings are pulled by the American ruling class. They will be pulling the strings of all four individuals giving the answers, too! If this is political theater, then I am ready to go to the box office and demand a refund!
Report thisBy Big E, August 19, 2008 at 10:31 am #
someday,..... it would be nice to have a few ‘regular type citizens’ on the panel of moderators to get in on the questioning….... might be too dangerous for the candidates tho’..... they might be asked something real….
Report thisBy Herman Edward Schmidt, August 19, 2008 at 10:06 am #
(Unregistered commenter)
It is not so important to me who asks the questions, but what the questions are. Why are we spending as much as the rest of the world on defense? Why are we allowing Israel to dictate our policies in the Middle East? Are you for universal health insurance where each American is covered as a birthright? How will you rebuild America’s manufacturing base? How will you bring high speed telecommunications to all Americans? Energy? Infrastructure? I don’t care who asks those questions, only that they be asked. It is not happening now.
Report thisBy Big B, August 19, 2008 at 9:15 am #
If you want to see the true face of America just look at pictures of the house and senate floor. Take a snapshot of any state assembly or any boardroom or shareholders meeting, and what will you see? That’s right, you’ll see lots of WHITE PEOPLE! White people still have the money and the power and thus wield all the influence in the US. That’s why the corp media chose WHITE guys as there debate moderators (well, that and the undercurrent of racism that has always existed in America) This is what happens when the WHITE chickens rule the roost.
Report thisDon’t let some etimate of minority growth patterns scare you WHITEY, in 30 to 40 years all the minorities COMBINED will pass the number of WHITE folks, but since none of those minorities can get together to form a cohesive voting block, they will still be cleaning WHITEY’S house and office and delivering his pizza and mowing his lawn. Why? because WHITE MEN still run the show. And short of a second American revolution it will remain that way for the forseeable future.
Think Barry Osama will change things, Ha! I’m of German and Irish desent and he’s still whiter than me.
By Eileen, August 19, 2008 at 8:50 am #
(Unregistered commenter)
Maybe they just picked people with experience unlike Obama who has none.
Report thisBy reason, August 19, 2008 at 7:12 am #
We all know that prejudice and bigotry are factors in this election, and leading this article with “Same Old White Guys Run the Debates” is a great example of those facts. This article seems to encourage peoples prejudices and racial injustice.
Report thisIt does not matter whether the questions to the candidates come from black or white questioners; what does matter is that every effort is made to treat both candidates with respect and dignity while drawing out their ideas on matters of leading our country.
It seems to me that that the bias of media is flagrant and primarily motivated by its greed. As with the 2008 Olympics the media is more about “show biz” than presenting the facts about the candidates and their ideas.
By SamSnedegar, August 19, 2008 at 6:46 am #
Ifill is a sop to both the female and black voters, and Lehrer is pretty much the shoo-in, while the stand-in for Tim Russert turns out to be another Jack Welch creation, but this one can’t pwonounce his ahs . . .
look for all of them to do what their masters say and promote McCain while pointing out to voters who might not know it, that Obama is at least half black.
I mean, he’s been to Hawaii, you know, and he doesn’t TALK like a black stereotype, so the voters have to be made aware that this man cannot serve as our president because he is decidedly inferior—-as we consider ANY person with any taint of negroid dna.
Report this