What That McCain Article Didn’t Say

[robcon]

Source: NY Times

What That McCain Article Didn’t Say
By CLARK HOYT Published: February 24, 2008

...I think that ignores the scarlet elephant in the room. A newspaper cannot begin a story about the all-but-certain Republican presidential nominee with the suggestion of an extramarital affair with an attractive lobbyist 31 years his junior and expect readers to focus on anything other than what most of them did. And if a newspaper is going to suggest an improper sexual affair, whether editors think that is the central point or not, it owes readers more proof than The Times was able to provide...

...The pity of it is that, without the sex, The Times was on to a good story. McCain, who was reprimanded by the Senate Ethics Committee in 1991 for exercising “poor judgment” by intervening with federal regulators on behalf of a corrupt savings and loan executive, recast himself as a crusader against special interests and the corrupting influence of money in politics. Yet he has continued to maintain complex relationships with lobbyists like Iseman, at whose request he wrote to the Federal Communications Commission to urge a speed-up on a decision affecting one of her clients.

I asked Jill Abramson, the managing editor for news, if The Times could have done the story and left out the allegation about an affair. “That would not have reflected the essential truth of why the aides were alarmed,” she said.

But what the aides believed might not have been the real truth. And if you cannot provide readers with some independent evidence, I think it is wrong to report the suppositions or concerns of anonymous aides about whether the boss is getting into the wrong bed.

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/24/opinion/24pubed.html?ex=1361509200&en=85644dbb5b58ecc4&ei=5124&partner=permalink&exprod=permalink

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I agree with Hoyt: it was SwiftBoating. No one on the record said McCain had an affair, but the Times carried the story in the second paragraph anyway...

"...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."

[fasttense]

1. Oh come off it.

Poor McCain? The right winger who hugged bush and still does his bidding, can't get a break? The man claims to be free of the influence of lobbyists and he's writing letters left and right to get lobbyists what they want. Sure there was no sex involved, poor guy, so unfair. If you believe that, I've got a bridge to sell you.

[bemildred]

2. This guy just noticed lies, speculation and bullshit in what passes for "News" these days?

:rofl::rofl:

[Historic NY]

3. Perhaps its was also a story made to make him a virile and....

energetic prospect. Where are his words on the matter? He did dump his first wife for a younger money bag.

[ShockediSay]

4. McCain reminds me of a reformed alcoholic

I read the article carefully and what seems to continually happen

is that he jumps on one bandwagon big time, and slips heavily

on to the other

e.g. campaign financing reform, vs a weaseling on his use of
federal financing

e.g. railing against lobbyists but taking their $ when it suits
him, and staffing his campaign with lobbyists, using
their corporate jets etc

e.g. blowing off the conservative base, then sucking up to them

couple with that a temper that has had a history of being explosive,


I don't think the guy's got the mental stability we need in the
President's office, especially at his age

[Kingofalldems]

5. Big McCain fan?