Gwen Ifill on Stage at GWU

(Top) Frank Sesno interviews Gwen Ifill and (right) they watch Eugenie Pete describe what Barack Obama's swearing-in meant to her.


By the Queen of Free

Utterly charming, comedic, uplifting, inspirational, engaging, informative, confident, knowledgeable, and captivating.

Can you tell she is quite likable? Gwen Ifill for public office! (Hey Gwen: I know a Secretary's spot which is open!)

On Thursday night Frank Sesno CNN special correspondent and director of the public affairs project at George Washington University’s School of Media and Public Affairs masterfully interviewed Ms. Ifill who had plenty to tell to keep the “sold-out” (seats were free but all taken) listeners (it was taped for radio) on their ears.

She was much more talkative (of course) and animated (of course) than she is on THE shows. She came to promote her new book: The Breakthrough: Politics and Race in the Age of Obama, and she told a lot more.

The book contains interviews with black politicians and a look behind their scenes: How did they do it? So many, she said, were told “it’s not time for you yet.”

Race ceased to be an issue in last year’s presidential campaign after The Rev. Jeremiah Wright was shut up. She said Barack Obama never wanted to bring up race as an issue but Wright forced his hand.

About President Obama's term so far: He's figured out how hard it is to come to Washington which is "complicated. Every president says he's going to change Washington." And "one thing we all know: Honeymoons end." She said she never thought Obama would be elected. Her predictions "are always wrong," she said.

Two days before Gwen Ifill moderated last fall's vice-presidential debate between Joe Biden and Sarah Palin (a clip of the "Saturday Night Live" takeoff on the debate was screened during the interview), she fell at home coming down stairs and broke her ankle.

She received hundreds of questions to ask the debaters, "about 99% of them for Palin." She said the key to crafting questions for debaters is to try to steer them from their pat answers and get them into new arenas. As for the 2004 vice-presidential debate, John Edwards was "over-rehearsed and Dick Cheney just didn't care."

When asked about the dearth of female politicians in her book, she said few under age 60 exist, sadly.

She began her journalism career as an intern at the Boston Herald American where a crude note addressed to her about her race led to her hiring. Never one to look back and wallow in self pity, she said she seizes circumstances as opportunities to use for her own betterment.

Later working at the Washington Post and covering the Department of Housing and Urban Development, Ms. Ifill said she likely is the only Post reporter to cover that beat who actually lived in public housing at one time.

A clip showed a black lady on Inauguration Day, Eugenie Pete (unsure of name), who caught Ms. Ifill’s attention. She beamed when describing Ms. Pete who was practically unable to speak amid her emotions about the momentous day and what it meant for blacks.

The crowd of about 300 was approximately 20% students (based on a show of hands) with the rest, alumni, a smattering of faculty, and the remainder, interested bystanders. Probably two-thirds of attendees were female. Ms. Ifill graciously answered several questions from the audience.

After the interview we happily partook of varied and delicious desserts and beverages at a reception while Ms. Ifill signed about 250 books.

Thank you, GW! A fitting way to launch Presidents' Day weekend and to recognize Black History Month, too.