Former GOP Congressman Wants Gwen Ifill Booted From VP Debate

This is a rush transcript from "Your World With Neil Cavuto," October 1, 2008. This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated.

NEIL CAVUTO, HOST: All right, you know the deal. She has got a book coming out, Gwen Ifill, the woman who will be moderating tomorrow's vice presidential debate. That book, that comes out January 20 of next year, is about Obama nation.

So, one could argue, financially, as my colleague Brit Hume astutely pointed out in the last hour, there could be a clear conflict of interest. As he pointed out, as others have pointed out, Gwen Ifill is a terrific journalist and a great questioner, but there is that pall over her and there is that worry that she won't be fair, or at the very least the appearance that she won't be fair.

My next guest is calling to kick Ifill out as moderator. Former Republican Congressman of Indiana John Hostettler joins me right now.

• Video: Watch Neil Cavuto's interview

So, Congressman, you just think there is just too much there to have her there?

JOHN HOSTETTLER, FORMER U.S. CONGRESSMAN: Well, Gwen Ifill should recuse herself from the post of moderator for this vice presidential debate because she has a vested interest, economically, at least, in the success of the Obama-Biden ticket.

If Barack Obama is not elected on November 4, 2008, by 2009, January 20, 2009, the age of Obama will be over. She — she definitely has a vested interest in seeing Barack Obama being elected. And it does not matter, quite honestly, if it is at pro-Obama book or an anti-Obama book.

(CROSSTALK)

CAVUTO: Well, wait a minute. Wait a minute. If it was an anti-Obama book, would you still be here telling me what you're telling me?

HOSTETTLER: Well, the question we need to ask ourselves is, how are books that are pro-President Bush sold? They have very well. Why? Because he is President Bush.

Anti-President Bush books have sold well. Why? Because he's President Bush. There is not a lot of demand out there for books concerning the age of Mondale or the age of Kerry. These books sell well about President Bush, one way or another, because he is the commander in chief.

CAVUTO: If the League of Women Voters — I think they're the sponsor of these debates — if they don't remove her, should she just recuse yourself and say, look, so much fuss has happened here, I'm not going to do it?

HOSTETTLER: I believe she should.

And this happens all of the time, for example, in legal proceedings, where a judge removes himself from a particular case because of the perception of partiality one way or another. And I think — I think that this — as you mentioned, the word pall — I think there will be a pall over this debate and discussion...

CAVUTO: Well, maybe it goes the other way, Congressman, right? Maybe she gets — she will just grill Obama — I'm sorry — she will grill Joe Biden, but she won't Sarah Palin.

HOSTETTLER: Well, that would go against every instinct.

CAVUTO: So, you're just saying that there's enough there, just — the better part of valor, just get out?

HOSTETTLER: Exactly.

CAVUTO: Interesting. OK. We will see.

Congressman, thank you very much.

HOSTETTLER: Thank you, Neil.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

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