NYT Defends McCain Piece

[sabra]

Source: MSNBC

From NBC's Domenico Montanaro

The New York Times is defending its story on McCain. Here's a statement from Bill Keller, executive editor of The New York Times, released by the paper today:

"On the substance, we think the story speaks for itself. In all the uproar, no one has challenged what we actually reported. On the timing, our policy is, we publish stories when they are ready.

" 'Ready' means the facts have been nailed down to our satisfaction, the subjects have all been given a full and fair chance to respond, and the reporting has been written up with all the proper context and caveats. This story was no exception. It was a long time in the works. It reached my desk late Tuesday afternoon. After a final edit and a routine check by our lawyers, we published it."

Read more: http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2008/02/21/688130.aspx#comments

[habitual]

1. Rec for the fact that THEY ARE NOT DENYING IT

and everyone can see their non-denying denials... so transparent.

[Qutzupalotl]

7. In fairness, McCain said the story was not true at his press conference

this morning.

But his statement of "outrage" last night did not contain a refutation of the charges.

And there is still no explanation as to how this story got started if there is no truth to it, so I'm inclined to believe it.

[superkia]

10. I am inclined to believe it just because the media seems to be...

on a mission to defend McCain non stop on it. Usually they will run with trash as long as it is supported by their puppet masters agenda and for some reason every station is up in arms defending McCain? I hope that more comes out to either prove or disprove it. More reason that these politicians need to get rid of these damn lobbyists anyways, I think we the people should be the lobbyists for what takes place in America not some hired gun.

[Tempest]

2. And the Times endorsed McCain

Once you tell the rightwingnuts that, their heads explode.

[Hawaii Hiker]

5. Yeah, that shows how much they disliked Romney & Huckabee, if they

endorsed McCain...I guess they had to endorse someone for the Republican primary....They should have said for the republican primary we endorse & just left the page blank!.....

In the immortal words from Sgt. Hartman from the film Full Metal Jacket, "You are all equally worthless". . No better comment applies for the Republican 2008 presidential candiates....

[Qutzupalotl]

6. Much as I hate to do their thinking for them,

they could say that the Times endorsed him KNOWING that this story would come out after he was practically the nominee.

Of course, if the story is true, it's not the Times' fault for printing it.

[Tempest]

9. McCain's campaign convinced them to hold the story

The Times got tired of holding and let it go.

[Roland99]

3. I'm not buying this one from the NYT...not this time.

Unless they have a crapload more yet to divulge, this is a non-starter, imo.

[Winterblues]

17. What part are you not buying?

The part that the story was researched and vetted and all persons involved notified with plenty of time to respond. Or the part about McCain in bed with lobbiest "Big Time".Do you really think one of the Keating Five is a "straight shooter"?

[Roland99]

23. Their story that they didn't sit on it. And...

Why weren't the former McCain workers named? Why isn't the reason for their "disenchantment" known?

And the media is spinning like it he was having an affair when it was workers that were only concerned about airs of impropriety.


To me, this one just stinks... *shrug*

[Staph]

4. McCain piece?

That's a rather rude name for Ms. Iseman!


:evilgrin:

[Binka]

8. Snorting Here!

:hi: Love it!

[aint_no_life_nowhere]

11. Has the McCain staffer spoken to the media?

I'm talking about the ex-staffer, the allegedly disgruntled staffer, who suspected Izeman of being McCain's girlfriend in and told her to stay away from the campaign in 2000. Has he been interviewed yet?

[inMD]

12. Why would they endorse a candidate when they had this info

ahhhh, who cares. Go Obama.

[Fluffdaddy]

13. Why not? He was the best of the Wing-Nuts :)

[BobbyVan]

14. Nothing to see here folks - I'm more worried about Rezko.

Hillary is the only option.

I'll bet the media is sitting on all sorts of Obama bombshells -- they're just waiting for the fervor to die down.

[Fluffdaddy]

15. Unfortunently Sen Hillary is done for. what makes me feel a little better is

The wing-nuts are really getting nervous about Obama.

[BobbyVan]

16. I think the wing-nuts secretly want Obama

He's peaking, and pretty soon he's going to be held accountable for his lack of accomplishments. These media narratives don't last forever, and the media will get tired of writing the "Obama is the Second Coming" stories (in fact, they're already tiring of this narrative). Hillary ain't the prettiest candidate out there, but she can get things done, plus she's been thoroughly vetted.

[SpiralHawk]

18. "Fer sure, lack of accomblashment is reel issue. Smirk." - Commander AWOL

"I mean, look at all I've accomblashed. I was the heero of 9/11 by reeding My Pet Goat, I did a heckuava job savin the people of the Gulf Coast from Katrina (smirk), I kept gas prices low (smirk) and I cut taxes for the wealthee. Smirk. Not to mention my outstanding WMD lies to launch the Oil Profits Crusade that has only cost Ameriker 4,000 dead soldiers. Smirk."

- Commander AWOL

[Fluffdaddy]

19. ALL True. But I don't see anyway she can win now. Obama just over powered her.

What a surprising campaign. I'm a Big Hillary support and got hell here on DU for being so..............but she's done :(

[BobbyVan]

20. not so fast, she's still in this!

Here's some interesting analysis:

We forget that even today, Sen. Clinton leads in both Ohio and Texas.

If she were to win both, and carry that momentum to Pennsylvania, again she will have won the key states in play in the November election — California, Florida, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Texas. It would be no small thing to end the primary season with the biggest states and the most recent victories.

And if that were so (much of course would depend on the margin of victory), there is no reason to think that free-floating delegates could not be persuaded or coerced to her candidacy.

[fascisthunter]

22. Wow... Bad News for a Republican and You Try to Smear Obama

[jzodda]

21. So much smoke but no fire

I read the article three times and its like reading something from the enquirer. I am disappointed in the NY Times in that from my read they should have had far more hard evidence before going with something like this. All this does is HELP McCain, it does not hurt him one bit. They are using the article for fund raising already. The idea is to keep the wingnuts at home in November, not rally them to McCain out of spite.

Somebody point to me some real investigative journalism in this story, not unnamed he said/she said this or that. Give us receipts, documents, emails, financial records, etc. All this is junk reporting and far below the Times standards.

[Anarcho-Socialist]

24. If the same had been reported of Obama or Clinton

Tweety would have been knocking one out on air, and we'd hear about it non-stop on the corporate media.