PBS journalist Gwen Ifill is scheduled to moderate tonight’s vice presidential debate. Yesterday, news broke that Ms. Ifill has a book scheduled for release on Inauguration Day. The title of the book is “The Breakthrough: Politics and Race in the Age of Obama.” The book refers to Mr. Obama’s “stunning” campaign. The book is a conflict of interest. Ms. Ifill had two choices: (1) Disclose the book (which she did not); or (2) Don’t serve as moderator. All the other dismissive pooh-poohs appearing here and there are rationalizations. There are only two ways to manage a conflict: Don’t or Disclose.  Ms. Ifill herself pooh-poohs those of us who worry, always, about conflicts, “The proof is in the pudding. They can watch the debate and make their own decisions about whether or not I’ve done my job.” First, it’s a bit late to fix bias once the debate is over. That’s why journalists are required to disclose their conflicts upfront. Second, doing her job is not the issue, the conflict is. The fact that Ms. Ifill has to offer her assurances about impartiality is the proof in the pudding. Ms. Ifill may well be the most professional and objective journalist that has ever lived. I will give her that as an unassailable proposition. She still has a conflict of interest. Disclose or don’t. When you didn’t disclose, that “don’t” takes on an inevitability.Â
“If anything, she’s got to be really careful with her questioning of Sarah Palin,” was the observation of Professor Thomas Patterson of the Kennedy School of Government. That’s the point. Ms. Ifill should not need to exercise caution in questioning either Governor Palin or Senator Biden. She is the moderator. She should ask questions that are pointed, tough, and relevant. With the problem of this conflict and the cloud of an undisclosed conflict, the good professor has just explained why we worry so much about conflicts. There are only two choices on conflicts: Don’t or disclose. Ms. Ifill has carved out her own exception with rationalizations and assurances that she is above the fray. When it comes to conflicts, no one is above the fray. That’s why we have rules, in everything from journalism to government: don’t or disclose. Ms. Ifill has done neither. Â