N.Y. Times' McCain story looks shoddy (Dow Jones Commentary)

Dow Jones Marketwatch ^ | 02-21-2008 | Marketwatch.com

[montag813]

Commentary: Insufficient sourcing weakens paper's argument

NEW YORK (MarketWatch) - The New York Times' front-page story on John McCain on Thursday was an example of shoddy journalism.

The piece raised the possibility that McCain had had a fling with a lobbyist 31 years his junior. It offered no legitimate basis, other than the whispers of unnamed sources - the most questionable form of reporting in a democratic society.

McCain said in a televised press conference Thursday morning from Ohio that the story was "not true" and added that he was "very disappointed" in the Times. McCain was no doubt worried that the speculation would hurt his chances of rallying evangelicals and other conservative Republican voters who have been cool or downright hostile to his campaign so far.

The Times' story is weakened by insufficient sourcing since it is based on anonymous sources. Because the paper didn't name them, it opens the possibility that a former McCain aide is using the Times to get revenge on the presumptive Republican candidate or help one of his political enemies.

[mainerforglobalwarming]

Just take out McCain from the headline and you have a standing review of all the NYT crap.

[goldstategop]

I love how the MSM is finally turning on John McCain. Hey, John - how does it feel to discover you are no longer the Media's Favorite Republican? TM They probably are looking for the other shoe they can drop on him.

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus

[dforest]

I wonder if McCain opened the fortune cookie that says “Lie down with dogs, wake up with fleas”?

[Lockbox]

Guess “Gray Lady” is out and “Enquiring minds want to know” is in...........

[E Rocc]

The Boston Globe's reporting that the Slimes doesn't have anything they didn't have months ago....which likely makes the timing of this the real story.

I'm no McCain fan by a long shot but he's ten times more suitable than Hellary, Obama, or Huckabee and a hundred times more electable than the latter.

-Eric

[goldstategop]

Lie down with the MSM dogs and if you're a Republican running against a Democrat, they will be loaded to bear against you. They held back to allow stupid GOP voters to nominate McCain and then they sandbagged him. This was entirely predictable from the moment he had clinched the GOP nomination. His cheerleaders would pick up their pom-poms and go and work for the other team.

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus

[goldstategop]

You're kidding, right? They don't really love this guy now that he's no longer in their camp. If this is what they do to a RINO, imagine what'd they do to a conservative.

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus

[montag813]

.which likely makes the timing of this the real story.

I agree with another poster who said the NYT released this in retaliation for Cindy McCain's jab at Michelle "'Aint too proud to be a beyotch" Obama.

[tobyhill]

My 9 year old comes home with better school yard gossip than this.

[dforest]

I would wager there is probably much more out there. He has been in DC a long time. Thats one of the problems with long time Senators running for POTUS.

This is probably the first shot across the bow. Who knows what else is out there?

[willgolfforfood]

Yeah, and no matter how you slice it, some of McCain's time and limited election funds are going to be spent countering this.

What the Times has done here is abysmal, in line with Dan Rather's smear of 4 years ago. But there is still some poetic justice in the fact that McCain will have to use funds for his election to counter this.

He would have a LOT more money available to persue this election, if it wasn't for his McCain-Feingold bill of a few years ago.

[tumblindice]

He didn’t do it.
But if he did do it, it simply wasn’t sex.
OK, so it was sex, but he didn’t do it.
Alright, he did it, but everyone does it.
Concluding with:
There must be something wrong with you: Why do you hate McCain?

(Jeepers, it’s deja vu all over again!)

[America-The-Great-1967]

Regardless of the target of the story, the timing of this article so early in the political season is not going to have much effect, unless the allegations are true. Almost looks like the Times wanted to get this story out of the way. Very sloppy IMHO.

[YHAOS]

The sky is black with chickens coming home to roost. The NY Times has been sitting on this story for eight years.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

I think they were afraid another outlet had a McCain hit piece ready to go.

[apocalypto]

The story is weak, but John McCain’s response was really weak. Not the words of an innocent man. He is disappointed at the story? What kind of answer is that? iirc, he did not deny adultery, only not with this woman. He also appeared sedated or is he running out of steam?

[Just mythoughts]

I thought it might have more to do with his vote in the senate now for ‘government’ wiretapping.... whereas he has given the appearance he was against it before ... the story is about telecoms industries and that is who McCain was wheeling and dealing with.... Just so happens there was this gal McCain liked to spend a whole lot of time with outside the Commerce committee hall.

Now is it not just one bit interesting that a Senator on and chairing of all things the Commerce committee in the holy Senate body would not learn anything about economics????

[smith288]

A story like this, no matter if true or not, just screams of dirty politics.

My first reaction was “well who didnt expect this to start?” and not even care about the story itself. I dont think the story is going to have much impact at all except generate talk in political circles. *yawn*

[detective]

This is like a lovers quarrel. John McCain has been in love with the MSM. He constantly panders to them and tries to curry favor with them. The MSM don’t like McCain but figure him for a “useful idiot” to use against conservatives and Republicans so they string him along and pretend they like him. Now that McCain is going to be the Republican candidate the MSM will try to destroy him. And McCain will be like a jilted lover who is continually “dissappointed” to use his word.