Ifill's Conflict of Interest?

Matt: It strikes me that almost any MSM moderator has a "conflict of interest" when it comes to treating the Republican/conservative in the race fairly. They're conflicted by their own ideology and personal wishes.

That remains true for Gwen Ifill. The only difference now is that, one could argue, she also has a financial (along with an ideological) interest in seeing Barack win.

So, in a sense, she has dual incentives, but her financial interest in the outcome of the race hasn't changed the nature or the fact of the pre-existing, foundational (ideological) interest. And what it has done is brought the ever-present ideological conflict into sharper relief.

In the end, most of the MSM couldn't be more in the tank for Barack if they did have a financial interest in the race's outcome. That's why you have to respect former ABC reporter Linda Douglass at least a little bit -- she just went ahead and got a job with the campaign, out in the open. Many reporters haven't been that honest.