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McCain Scandal Brewing?
The New York Times has posted an article, being hotly reported on MSNBC, that might have Republican presidential candidate John McCain in hot water:Early in Senator John McCain's first run for the White House eight years ago, waves of anxiety swept through his small circle of advisers.The article goes on to say that both McCain and lobbyist Vicki Iseman deny any romantic relationship, and describes McCain's fall and redemption from the S&L scandal. One on-the-record source, John Weaver, acknowledges attempts to separate the two, but attributes it to concerns over the appearance of unethical political conduct, not a romantic relationship.
A female lobbyist had been turning up with him at fund-raisers, in his offices and aboard a client's corporate jet. Convinced the relationship had become romantic, some of his top advisers intervened to protect the candidate from himself - instructing staff members to block the woman's access, privately warning her away and repeatedly confronting him, several people involved in the campaign said on the condition of anonymity.
Update: Drudge had this in December:
Just weeks away from a possible surprise victory in the primaries, Republican presidential candidate Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz has been waging a ferocious behind the scenes battle with the NEW YORK TIMES, the DRUDGE REPORT has learned, and has hired DC power lawyer Bob Bennett to mount a bold defense against charges of giving special treatment to a lobbyist!
But the anonymous sources tell a different story, later in the article:
In interviews, the two former associates said they joined in a series of confrontations with Mr. McCain, warning him that he was risking his campaign and career. Both said Mr. McCain acknowledged behaving inappropriately and pledged to keep his distance from Ms. Iseman. The two associates, who said they had become disillusioned with the senator, spoke independently of each other and provided details that were corroborated by others.A story like this requires a lot of reading between the lines, which puts it, in my view, in dicey journalistic territory. To level devastating, yet ambiguous, allegations at a Presidential candidate using anonymous sources doesn't pass the journalistic test. If these two sources observed specific behavior that led them to conclude that a romantic relationship existed, the reporters should have either made them describe it, or leave it out of the story.
The only other explanation is that The Times has more, but is holding it back, perhaps to protect the famously well-liked-by-the-press McCain. Either way, shame on them. If you have a story, report the story. If not, dig a little deeper.
What if these two anonymous insiders had a "feeling" that McCain had murdered someone? Would The Times have printed that with no corroboration, and nothing to corroborate? I "have a feeling" the Jets are going to win the Super Bowl, should I call the New York Times sports desk?
This story is already exploding all over the internet, and will no doubt be flogged to death, at least for a few days. Hopefully, the story of the story will get some attention, too.
Update: Also from Drudge's Dec. 20 report:
The drama involves a woman lobbyist who may have helped to write key telecom legislation. The woman in question has retained counsel and strongly denies receiving any special treatment from McCain.Now, Drudge's story is even more thinly sourced than The Times', except, A. He's Matt Drudge, not the New York Times, and B. the Times story now partially corroborates Drudge. If what Drudge says is true, then double the shame on the Times for holding the story.
Recent Comments
(Page 1 of 10)Pete9:40PMFeb 20th 2008
No finger waving "I did not have sex with that women." No semen stained dress?
Bill Clinton set the bar so low who cares.
Pete9:41PMFeb 20th 2008
No finger waving "I did not have sex with that women." No semen stained dress?
Bill Clinton set the bar so low who cares.
Agnes9:42PMFeb 20th 2008
Let's see the spin really start to come into play.
Des Welks9:44PMFeb 20th 2008
We want a clean race. Let's keep rumors out of the campaign.
wsksmith9:47PMFeb 20th 2008
Do we have nothing better to do with our time than read about the private lives and what's under the sheets of others?
Everyone has a skeleton in the closet, and I do mean everyone? What's next? The media needs to get a life and report factual news......
Perhaps next they'll announce that Martians have invaded the US, oooops! that's already happened long ago
Gerald Smith9:49PMFeb 20th 2008
Who cares? The candaties will be Bloomberg vs. Gore
wes9:51PMFeb 20th 2008
Bill Clinton's approval rating went up during his sex scandals so why not try it for McCain?
Gerald Smith9:52PMFeb 20th 2008
Who cares? The canidates will be Blomberg vs. Gore anyhow.
Kate9:52PMFeb 20th 2008
I agree with Pete! This is nothing compared to Clinton's blow jobs and cigars!
Karen Peters9:54PMFeb 20th 2008
McCain has poor character and is lacking personal and marital morality. He cheated on his first wife with his current one, and he cheated on this one as well, eight years agon. Now I know why he suddenly switched from being anti-Bush policies to pro everything Bush said. At the time I thought and said to others, that the Bush people have something, some secret about McCain that they are using in a threat/blackmail so he will support their agenda. It must have been the affairs and this new one in particular. He caved in to blackmail by the Bush-Cheney camp, and he is fundamentally dishonest and mean-spirited. No one want more of the war and more of the misguided policies of the Bush-CHeney administration. McCain is a fraud.
Lina9:55PMFeb 20th 2008
my2centsworth9:34PMFeb 20th 2008
----------------
These allegations purported by this Larry Sinclair are absolutely false. I did my homework and found that he has given zero proof and absolutely few details about his life to support any sort of credibility. He appeared on the Jeff Rense show, a conspiracy theory radio show that lends credence to such stories as “Monica Lewinski was an Israeli Operative, sent to bring down the Clinton White House.” Larry “cancelled the interview at the “The Right Perspective” Radio show with the excuse that he had rush to the emergency room or whatever bullshit story he made up. Never mind the fact that he was on YouTube all night.
Lina9:56PMFeb 20th 2008
My2centsworth (Cont’d)
------------
And, even funnier, Larry Sinclair says he filed a civil lawsuit on February 11, 2008 against David Axelrod and the Obama campaign for illegally investigating him and “slandering” him. I do have a serious question, Larry. I googled the address listed on the court papers,(they are public record) I matched up the address and my question is why do you live in an “elderly and assisted care facility?” The Gateway towers are Section 236 HUD subsidized low- income housing. Occupancy requirements: Elderly and handicapped. So, exactly what kind of “handicap” are we talking about here? Anyone care to guess? Enough said!!
Karen Peters9:57PMFeb 20th 2008
An amoral creep and a liar and cheater, that is what McCain really is.
Lina10:02PMFeb 20th 2008
A little McCain Tidbit
His wife Carol raised their kids while he was in Vietnam. She was in a bad car accident and became crippled. Apparently, having a crippled wife and being poor didn't fit into Johnny's goals, so...he found a beautiful heiress}
"While still married to Carol, McCain began an adulterous relationship with Cindy. He married Cindy in May 1980 - just a month after divorcing his crippled wife."
Nice guy, Eh??
PJ10:06PMFeb 20th 2008
This is why Huckabee stayed in the race.
It is going to be Huckabee - Obama.
SrewdriverSrewdriver10:16PMFeb 20th 2008
You guys should get a life. Journalism has become crap.
s10:20PMFeb 20th 2008
this is just a pile of gargage. what next dummys?
Pat10:22PMFeb 20th 2008
When Obama gets elected we will more to worry about than stories like this!
Matt10:26PMFeb 20th 2008
McCain, his wife and daughter, Meghan, all have the same complexion as the zombies in the original B&W horror classic "Night of the Living Dead". Eerily, Meghan looks like a pasty Lindsay Lohan (her idol?). I'm afraid to see pictures of the other kids! When I heard about his fling I thought great - maybe he's not one of the undead. But Ms. Iseman has the same ghost-like appearance as the rest of his clan. Who wants a First Family (and First Mistress) that all look like the Addams Family? Way too spooky for me!
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anne9:39PMFeb 20th 2008
I disagree with most of Mr. McCain's political positions and absolutely do not want him to be our next president.
However, his past, present or future romantic life holds no interest for me and has no bearing on my vote in November.
I hold that same opinion for any candidate - or past president(s)- who shall be nameless!