The New York Times had a front page story today in which they detailed a supposed inappropriate relationship between John McCain and a lobbyist during McCain's failed bid for the Republican nomination in 2000. The story claims that members of McCain's staff had to intercede to end the relationship for "his own good". While both parties involved have denied that there was a physical relationship between them (McCain most recently in a press conference this morning), the article hints that their relationship may have been more than just friendly.The story is based on a "number" of unnamed inside sources from the McCain camp. This story has apparently been in the works at the NY Times since January. In fact it was leaked on the Drudge report and McCain denied any wrong doing at that time. The lobbyist has also denied that she had any time of physical relationship with McCain. McCain's record of voting in the senate from that time period also does not have any red flags that would show that he was being unduly influenced by any outside forces.
So the NY Times, the gold standard of American daily papers, decided to run what amounts to a rumor, on the front page today. They might as well have turned into the NY Post and run a real tabloid headline. How about "Lobbygate: McCain caught in sex scandal", or "Mac in the Sack: McCain gets caught with his hand in the cookie jar". I have no idea if this story will turn out to be true, but neither do the editors of the NY Times. Unless they have some real evidence of inappropriate behavior, they should not have run this story. To sully the reputation of a public figure based on innuendo and conjecture is National Enquirer territory. There have been reports that The New Republic was about to publish a story about the in fighting that had been taking place over this story and so the NY Times felt that they needed to get to press with it before that story came out.
The NY Times may eventually produce information to support this story, but to publish it at this point was a mistake. This isn't fact based, it's rumor based. The NY Times should not be in the rumor business. What's next, Brittney Spears rehab stories? All the news that's fit to print? I think not.
1 comment:
Do not forget that the New York Times endorsed McCain, before the nomination was locked up. Now that he is the nominee, his cheerleaders in the MSM are going to turn on him. The kid gloves will disappear to reveal an iron fist.
They had the story in January but their Trojan Horse candidate had not quite wrapped up the nomination. This is only the beginning.
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