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To: Neeka who wrote (271581)	10/1/2008 3:35:40 AM
From: Neeka	4 Recommendations Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 794330

ELECTION 2008 VP debate moderator Ifill releasing pro-Obama book Focuses on blacks who are 'forging a bold new path to political power' Posted: September 30, 2008 8:35 pm Eastern By Bob Unruh © 2008 WorldNetDaily Gwen Ifill The moderator of Thursday's vice-presidential debate is writing a book to come out about the time the next president takes the oath of office that aims 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 "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 the 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 a vice-presidential candidate debate she moderated in 2004 – when Democrat John Edwards attacked Republican Dick Cheney's former employer, Halliburton – the vice president said, "I can respond, Gwen, but it's going to take more than 30 seconds." (Story continues below) "Well, that's all you've got," she told Cheney. Ifill told the Associated Press Democrats were delighted with her answer, because they "thought I was being snippy to Cheney." She explained that wasn't her intent. But she also was cited in complaints PBS Ombudsman Michael Getler said he received after Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin delivered her nomination acceptance speech at the Republican National Convention in St. Paul, Minn., earlier this month. Some viewers complained of a "dismissive" look by Ifill during her report on Palin's speech. According to Getler, some also said she wore a look of "disgust" while reporting on the Republican candidate. At that time she said, "I assume there will always be critics and just shut out the noise. It is surprisingly easy." Ifill, who also works with her network's "NewsHour," is making preparations to moderate this week's debate between the two candidates for vice president, Palin and Democratic Sen. Joe Biden.. She told BlackAmericaWeb.com she thinks debates "are the best opportunity most voters have to see the candidates speaking to issues." She said she is concerned only about getting straight answers from candidates. "You do your best to get candidates to answer your question. But I also trust the viewers to understand when questions are not answered and reach their own conclusions," Ifill told BlackAmericaWeb. "Four years ago, when neither John Edwards nor Dick Cheney proved capable of answering a question about the domestic epidemic of AIDS among African-American women, viewers flooded me with reaction," she said. She said she will make her own decisions about what questions to ask, adding "the big questions matter." In the Amazon.com promotion for her book, Ifill is described as "drawing on interviews with power brokers," such as Obama and former Secretary of State Colin Powell. In an online video promoting her book, she is enthusiastic about "taking the story of Barack Obama and extending it." It focuses on four people, "one of them Barack Obama of course," she said. "They are changing our politics and changing our nation," she said. On Amazon.com, Ifill is praised for her "incisive, detailed profiles of such prominent leaders as Newark Mayor Cory Booker, Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick, and U.S. Congressman Artur Davis of Alabama." "Ifill shows why this is a pivotal moment in American history," the review says. She told AP her view of Obama: "I still don't know if he'll be a good president." She also describes how she met him at the 2004 Democratic convention and since then has interviewed the Illinois senator and his family. She also boasted that by the time of the debate, "I'll be a complete expert on both" Palin and Biden. The debate will be held at Washington University in St. Louis, which has posted information about the evening's events online. Ifill's profile there describes her as a longtime correspondent and moderator for national news programs and includes her service as moderator of the 2004 debate between Edwards and Cheney. However, there's no mention of her upcoming book. Nor does the website for the Commission on Presidential Debates, which is organizing the meetings of the candidates, mention her book. wnd.com

To: Neeka who wrote (271581)	10/1/2008 4:37:07 AM
From: goldworldnet	2 Recommendations Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 794330

House Speaker Pelosi Accused of Earmarking Funds for Husband’s Benefit, Media Mum By Noel Sheppard May 8, 2007 - 12:00 ET newsbusters.org If Democrats had accused former House Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-Illinois) last year of earmarking funds that could help real estate investments owned by his wife, would the media have reported it? Probably on the front pages of every newspaper, and as the lead story of all of the evening news programs, right? Well, the Associated Press published a story Monday about current House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-California) possibly earmarking funds that would benefit her husband's investments around the San Francisco Bay. Yet, the media showed virtually no interest (emphasis added): Republicans are accusing House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of including a provision in a water redevelopment bill that could benefit property her husband owns in San Francisco. […] Republicans raised the issue more than two weeks after the bill passed the House. Pelosi's measure would authorize 25 (m) million dollars to improve San Francisco port areas, and also would put some areas off limits to navigation so cruise ships could dock. Her investor husband gets rental income from four buildings in a nearby commercial district. Even though this originally appeared on the AP wire at 4:38 PM EST Monday, it appears that none of the cable or broadcast television networks bothered to share the story with their viewers. Furthermore, although most newspapers did run the story at their respective websites Monday evening, I have been able to identify only one major print publication that bothered to include this in Tuesday’s edition, the New York Post (emphasis added): "The appearance is obviously not good, and she needs to be forthcoming about how this impacts her financial interest,"Rep. Jeb Hensarling (R-Texas) told The Post. […] Pelosi's office confirmed that she got the provision included in a water-resources bill, which passed the House April 19. But House financial-disclosure documents reveal that Pelosi's husband, Paul, owns four commercial real-estate properties near the Embarcadero, which is home to many restaurants and hotels. The properties earn combined rental income of more than $3 million. One of the properties is 5,400 feet away from the redevelopment site. […] Speaker Pelosi's role in pushing the project came to light because of new disclosure requirements passed by the Democratic House requiring members to declare when they get special "earmarks" tacked onto legislation. Democrats put the rules in place after calling to reform Congress in the wake of a series of lobbying scandals and questions about other land deals. Former House Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.) was criticized for getting more than $200 million earmarked for a highway near Illinois property he owned. The $15 billion water-resources bill comes up for debate in the Senate this week. Hmmm. So, this will be debated by the Senate this week, but only the Post felt it was necessary to report? Well, not only the Post, for Congressional Quarterly published this late Monday evening regarding the matter (emphasis added): “Situations like these are precisely why conservatives have stressed that transparency is the best way to make the system work,” said Brad Dayspring, spokesman for the Republican Study Committee. “The public can make up their own mind about Speaker Pelosi, the earmark and whether it benefits the businesses that she profits from in the area, but the key is that they are aware of it.” […] Pelosi submitted forms to the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee certifying that her support for the waterfront project does not create a conflict of interest. In her disclosure form, Pelosi said repairs to Pier 35’s substructure were needed “to enable full cruise ship use of the pier.” The pier, an old cruise line hub, is located several blocks from two commercial buildings owned at least in part by Pelosi’s husband, Paul. “If Tiger Woods teed a ball up at Pelosi’s million-dollar rental property, he could easily hit the earmark in two strokes, with a slight draw to avoid the water,” said a senior Republican aide. “I don’t see how the Senate can let these projects stay in the bill with an ethics cloud hanging over them.” Paul Pelosi has an interest of between $1 million and $5 million in each of the properties and draws annual rental income between $100,000 and $1 million from each, according to the Speaker’s 2006 financial disclosure forms. The Speaker got a $20 million earmark for the same waterfront redevelopment project placed in a bill in July 2005, but the measure died. The following December, her husband increased his interest in one of the properties in question for an amount between $1 million and $5 million, according to financial disclosure forms. CQ identified that this moves to the Senate on Tuesday. Yet, virtually nobody has bothered to report it. Once again, what would the media have done last year if this involved former Speaker Hastert or former Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tennessee)? —Noel Sheppard is the Associate Editor of NewsBusters. * * *