I never (well, hardly ever) get tips via email on stories to blog, but good grief, a bunch of you want to hear my take on the NYT John McCain story.
Well, sorry to disappoint. I just got back from sticking a thermometer in the ground outside, and I’m happy to report that Hell has not, in fact, frozen over. I do, however, agree with John Cole’s comment here:
I hate stories like this and have no desire to write about it. Unless they have info about him doing something illegal with the lobbyist, this sniffs of nothing more than a driveby smearing. You shouldn’t cheat on your wife, of course, but if you do it shouldn’t be front f****** page news. I don’t like this at all.
I will, of course, write about this if it turns out there’s any there there, but in the meantime, I think Jim Geraghty says it best:
No identified sources? No on-the-record sources? All we get is “according to two former McCain associates,” presumably that reference to one Senate, one campaign. Are these sources some folks he fired who might have an axe to grind? Or are these people who have no reason to lie, or to paint a more salacious picture than warranted?
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And this prompted Olbermann to put the “BREAKING NEWS” banner on MSNBC? Right now they’re running, “New York Times report links McCain to female lobbyist Vicki Iseman.” Hey, perfectly vague term to insinuate that the Times has the goods on an affair.
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As far as we can tell, back in December, the article looked like an unfair, thinly-sourced hit piece on a possible Republican nominee; now it looks like an unfair, thinly-sourced hit piece on the likely Republican nominee.
Yep. Right now it seems to me this story may be more about the New York Times than it is about John McCain. Until there’s more clarity here, I’ll refrain from commenting on the affair angle.
Filed under: Election 2008, John McCain, Media, Politics, Republicans
Captain’s Quarters has some information on this as well.
http://tinyurl.com/2fzsws
Gotta say it looks like the story is a complete fabrication to me. Of course, hardcore lefties are frothing at the mouth over it and pronouncing McCain’s doom.
John McCain’s supposed virtue — his much-venerated incorruptiblity — stems primarily from the fact that he was once proven to be so thoroughly corrupted that even he recognized it.
I’ll be the other four Senators among the “Keating Five” must just shake their heads and chuckle at the sheer chutzpah when they read quotes like this one from Sen. McCain: ““I’ve never done any favors for anybody — lobbyist or special interest group — that’s a clear, 24-year record.”
That’s not straight talk. That’s a lie.