by Andrew Zajac and Jill Zuckman
Here's our recap of where we were at the end of yesterday with the Sen. John McCain-New York Times story and what McCain's former adviser, John Weaver, told us in an e-mail exchange.
February 22, 2008
WASHINGTON
Sen. John McCain on Thursday adamantly denied having an affair nine years ago with a Washington lobbyist, and his presidential campaign sought to use the furor over the insinuation of one in a New York Times story to shore up his standing with conservatives and raise campaign cash.
McCain advisers worked furiously to turn the spotlight onto the Times, denouncing the story as "shameless," "a total fabrication," "nonsense" and "a smear" by "the biggest liberal newspaper in America."
By midafternoon the Arizona Republican's campaign had e-mailed a fundraising appeal declaring that McCain was under attack by "the liberal establishment and their allies at The New York Times."
McCain said he considered the lobbyist, Vicki Iseman, a friend like many others in the lobbying community, but that he had no romantic relationship with the then-31-year-old lobbyist, nor had he taken any positions specifically to benefit her clients.
"I'm very disappointed in The New York Times piece. It's not true," said McCain, who appeared with his wife, Cindy, at a news conference in Toledo, Ohio.
Iseman could not be reached for comment. The Times story said she denied any affair with McCain.
The Times story did not directly assert a romantic relationship between McCain and Iseman, but quoted anonymous staffers expressing concern that one might have been developing.
A similar story by The Washington Post, posted hours after the Times' report was released, described a friendship between Iseman and McCain, but did not suggest an affair.
The stories have been sharply criticized by some journalistic observers because they rely on unnamed sources to suggest the possibility of an illicit relationship. Time magazine's managing editor, Rick Stengel, told MSNBC that he wouldn't have run the story.
Both stories included statements by John Weaver, formerly a top McCain strategist, that he met Iseman to warn her to stay away from his boss, who was gearing up to seek the 2000 Republican presidential nomination as a critic of cozy relationships between special interests and lawmakers.
"Her comments, which had gotten back to some of us, that she had strong ties to the Commerce Committee [headed by McCain] and his staff were wrong and harmful and I so informed her and asked her to stop with these comments and to not be involved in the campaign," Weaver said in an e-mailed response to questions late Thursday from the Tribune.
At his news conference, McCain said he knew nothing of a meeting between Iseman and Weaver.
In his e-mail to the Tribune, Weaver said, "I did not inform Sen. McCain that I asked for a meeting with Ms. Iseman." But Weaver did not respond to a follow-up query about whether he told McCain about the meeting after it occurred.
Weaver, who left McCain's campaign when it was foundering last summer, said he still supports McCain.
The Times' article was rumored for months to be in the works, and the online Drudge Report on Dec. 20 reported that McCain had hired lawyer Robert Bennett to help deal with the Times.
The Times editorial page has endorsed McCain for the Republican nomination, but McCain allies said the long incubation of a story that did not deliver either an admission of an affair or proof of one suggested an agenda to discredit McCain.
"They knew they didn't have a story and something provoked them to run a story they didn't believe in," said McCain senior adviser Charles Black.
Times Executive Editor Bill Keller stood by the story. "On the substance, we think the story speaks for itself," Keller said in a statement.
McCain's chief GOP rival, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, said McCain is "a man of integrity," and added, "I take him at his word."
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Comments
As things stand now, this is going to strengthen McCain. No proof of lobbying favors, and the sex aspect is paper thin yet offensive--people don't want to see a good man and his family dragged through the mud on such wispy charges--insinuation of the opportunity for the appearance of illicit sex is not the same as illicit sex. He has someone to fight, always good for McCain. It seems to have rallied the right as nothing else could.
The Times isn't the Enquirer--if they have more, I'd have expected them to use it by now. Accusation of infidelity -> denial -> money shot published. Same with the lobbyist favor. Maybe there is a lot more, but publishing something this thin doesn't reflect well on them.
Posted by: Deborah | February 22, 2008 8:48 AM
Rush Limbaugh and Laura Ingraham aren't surprised that the same liberal media which pushed McCain on the Republican party is now dumping on McCain now that McCain has the GOP nomination sewed up and is facing a liberal Democrat.
"You're surprised that Page Six-type gossip is on the front page of The New York Times?" Limbaugh asked as he began his radio show. "Where have you been? How in the world can anybody be surprised?"
Limbaugh said earlier in an e-mail to Politico that the Times article about McCain’s relationship with a female lobbyist was a clear case of "the drive-by media ... trying to take him out."
Laura Ingraham, another influential conservative radio host, asserted that the Times waited until McCain was on the brink of the Republican presidential nomination and now is seeking to "contaminate" him with an article that she calls "absurd" and "ridiculous."
CBN.org, the website of the Christian Broadcasting Network, calls an attack by the Times "a conservative badge of honor."
Ironically, a potentially damaging article about McCain may help bond him to conservatives, who are relishing the fact that he now needs them.
"Is he going to learn the right lesson from this?” Limbaugh asked. “The lesson is that liberals are to be defeated."
Limbaugh wrote in an e-mail to Politico: “The story is not the story. The story is the drive-by media turning on its favorite maverick and trying to take him out. The media picked the GOP's candidate, the NYT endorsed him while they sat on this story and is now, with utter predictability, trying to destroy him.”
Limbaugh added: “This is what you get when you walk across the aisle and try to make these people your friends. I'm not surprised in the least that the NYT would try to take out John McCain. Predicted this, in fact, way back in the early 2000s. Sen. McCain courted the media, cultivated them, even bragged that the media was his ‘base.’ I cringed when I heard it because the media turning on McCain was as predictable as the sun rising in the morning.”
See the whole article at www.politico.com, a website the Swamp often cites as a source.
Posted by: Bruce | February 22, 2008 8:57 AM
Keller stands by this NY Lying Times story much like the paper stood by the false articles and sources of one Jayson Blair.
Not even the National Enquirer would print such unsubstantiated trash.
And the derelicts in the media wonder why readership numbers continue to drop, viewership numbers continue to drop and media companies are losing money. Until the journalism world begins operating as it should -- as unobjective, nonbiased sources of information -- most folks will continue to fall away.
When members of the media call those who are against illegal immigration, "illegal immigration HARDLINERS" because they do not believe illegal immigrants should get tax rebate checks, which puts 85 percent of the country in that category, the public will tune the liars and distorters in the media out. When media outlets report false stories such as the CBS National Guard memos or now the BS McCain-Lobbyist Affair item, they do nothing but harm themselves. Trouble is, most in the media either are oblivious to the damage they are doing or don't care because their own personal agenda supercedes their obligation to be reporters of fact.
Posted by: John D | February 22, 2008 9:15 AM
I think this was a huge mistake by The NY TImes. Now the right wing of the GOP is defending McCain with every breath they can muster. Basically the NY TImes just awoke a sleeping giant. These people were not going to come out in full force for McCain but now they will. Remember Obamabots these people are the reason GWB is in the White House for a 2nd term. If they can get GWB re-elected then there is nothing they cant do. As the pro-Obama press turns its attacks form Hillary and onto McCain they will unite behind him even more. If they made a horrible president in Bush look good enough to be re-elected imagine what they can do for a WAR HERO liek McCain.
Posted by: Vinny | February 22, 2008 9:24 AM
It sure looks like Cindy McCain could be Ann Coulters younger sister.
Posted by: pd | February 22, 2008 9:30 AM
Is it any wonder their stock is in the toilet?
How about a new slogan for the NYT "Not Fit To Print Any News?
Posted by: Paul Jaeger | February 22, 2008 9:32 AM
You're right Vinny!
Don't mess with a true American War Hero....Thanks NYT.
Paulo
Posted by: Paulo | February 22, 2008 10:39 AM
Why don't John D or Bruce comment on the Washington Post article? Why are they only attacking the NY Times?
Posted by: jackson | February 22, 2008 11:06 AM
Don't mess with a true American War Hero
Paulo
Posted by: Paulo | February 22, 2008 10:39 AM
HE WAS CAPTURED! If that is heroic, than the term hero has lost all meaning. Stop cheapening the word.
Posted by: sam | February 22, 2008 11:30 AM
Thank you, NYT for uniting the base. With the Columbia Journalism-Review, WaPo and Seattle P-I all saying the story had serious flaws what we're seeing here could be the beginning of the end for Bill Keller at the Times. Gossip is not news and you can't print just any gossipy accusation under the guise of "we're only asking questions."
Posted by: Jeff | February 22, 2008 11:33 AM
Don't mess with a true American War Hero....
Right, like John Kerry!
Posted by: Paul | February 22, 2008 12:04 PM
http://hickeysite.blogspot.com/2008/02/john-mccain-nyt-flap-builds-mccains.html
The strange political family of John McCain Grows!
Posted by: Pat Hickey | February 22, 2008 12:08 PM
Sam, you are the epitome of how disgusting the Left is. McCain could have left earlier than he did, but chose to not leave his comrades behind. He fought for this country, defended this country. That is a hero.
You and your blithering worthless ilk on the Left really are the worst mankind has to offer. The man who burned his two sons alive is more worthy than the puke that is the Left.
Posted by: John D | February 22, 2008 12:46 PM
Jeff/Bill,
What about the Washington Post article? You haven't commented on that yet?
Posted by: jackson | February 22, 2008 12:54 PM
"CONSERVATIVE PARTY SPEAKS"
"BREATHTAKING ABUSE OF THE CONSTITUTION"
IS THERE ANYONE IN THIS PARTY THAT IS NOT GOING TO BE; HAVE BEEN, MAY BE IN THE FUTURE INDICTED ON CHARGES FOR SOMETHING?
IS THERE ANYONE IN THIS PARTY THAT HAS NOT, WILL NOT, AND CAN MAKE CLAIM TO NOT HAVING BROKEN THE LAW EITHER STATE, FEDERAL OR LOCAL?
IS THERE ANYONE IN THIS REPUBLICAN HOUSE, SENATE OR CONGRESS THAT WILL BE, MIGHT BE, OR DEFINITELY WILL BE IMPLICATED IN A SCHEME AGAINST THE "CONSTITITION OF THE UNITED STATES"
WHY, YOU ASK WHY.
WE ARE OUT OF ALL "I DON'T RECALL" HALLWAY PASSES.
WE ARE OUT. I MEAN IT, WE ARE ALL OUT. JOHN JOHN!
SO GO BACK TO YOUR "LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE" BECAUSE WE ARE ALL OUT OF "I DON'T RECALL" HALLWAY PASSES.
QWEST COMMUNICATIONS WANTS TO KNOW WHY YOUR HOME STATE TELECOMMUNICATIONS COMPANY. "I DON'T RECALL" YES YOU DO.
Posted by: Roger Morris | February 22, 2008 1:08 PM
John D, He bombed civilians! He killed women and children in hospitals.
Posted by: sam | February 22, 2008 1:31 PM
Sam, McCain bombed women and children in hospitals? Wow,wee-wow-wow! McCain bombed hospitals.
Anyway, Sam, that does happen in war. It happened in WWI, WWII, Korea, Vietnam, etc.
But, I know, Sam, you probably consider Harry Truman a war criminal for nuking Japan in 1945, don't you?
Posted by: John D | February 22, 2008 3:02 PM
You don't know jack squat about my John D. I'm writing in Duncan Hunter becuase he is the only real Republican who was running this year. No I don't consider Truman a hero. Civilians are never a legitimate target, never. Nevermind, Japan attacked the United States and Vietnam did not.
Posted by: sam | February 22, 2008 3:50 PM
Japan attacked the United States and Vietnam did not.
Posted by: sam | February 22, 2008 3:50 PM
By your logic we shouldn't of fought Germany right Sam?
Posted by: Don B. | February 22, 2008 6:09 PM
If you think the New York Times is attacking John McCain, that’s nothing compared to what Iran is doing to attack his character. Check out this great blog post about the Iranian government claiming McCain is involved in a Jewish conspiracy!
http://jewishjournal.com/iranianamericanjews/2008/02/iranian-tv-commercial-ties-mccain-to.html
Posted by: George Menegatos | February 23, 2008 3:25 AM
By your logic we shouldn't of fought Germany right Sam?
Posted by: Don B. | February 22, 2008 6:09 PM
THEY DECLARED WAR ON US!!!!
Posted by: sam | February 25, 2008 11:35 AM