The New York Times has a shameful hit piece out on McCain that accuses him, without definitive evidence, of carrying out an extramarital affair eight years ago with a telecom lobbyist that had business before his committee. It presents a couple of questions about his conduct…essentially, whether he provided his alleged mistress any preferential treatment or disclosed a free ride on her corporate jet. But it is thin gruel.
What is significant is that the sources for this article are former McCain staffers that contacted the Times in December, before the primaries started. They clearly intended to derail his nomination not destroy the candidacy of the Republican nominee, which is what this article threatens to do now.
The McCain campaign issued a statement late tonight.
Mr. McCain’s presidential campaign issued the following statement Wednesday night:
“It is a shame that The New York Times has lowered its standards to engage in a hit-and-run smear campaign. John McCain has a 24-year record of serving our country with honor and integrity. He has never violated the public trust, never done favors for special interests or lobbyists, and he will not allow a smear campaign to distract from the issues at stake in this election.
“Americans are sick and tired of this kind of gutter politics, and there is nothing in this story to suggest that John McCain has ever violated the principles that have guided his career.”
This statement doesn’t deny the affair, although both McCain and the lobbyist denied it to the Times reporters covering this story. Nonetheless, I think it’s a thin story. I wouldn’t have published it. Frankly, I don’t care about infidelity, and that is not even proven here. To show preferential or unethical behavior, more reporting needs to be done. The Times will take a well deserved hit for publishing this piece.
