The Long Run-Up; Behind the Bombshell in 'The New York Times' (New Republic vs NYT)

The New Republic ^ | 21 February 2008 | Gabriel Sherman

[SE Mom]

Last night, around dinnertime, The New York Times posted on its website a 3,000-word investigation detailing Senator John McCain's connections to a telecommunications lobbyist named Vicki Iseman. The controversial piece, written by Washington bureau reporters Jim Rutenberg, Marilyn Thompson, Stephen Labaton, and David Kirkpatrick, and published in this morning's paper, explores the possibility that the Republican presidential candidate may have had an affair with the 40-year-old blond-haired lobbyist for the telecommunications industry while he chaired the Senate Commerce Committee in the late-1990s.

Beyond its revelations, however, what's most remarkable about the article is that it appeared in the paper at all: The new information it reveals focuses on the private matters of the candidate, and relies entirely on the anecdotal evidence of McCain's former staffers to justify the piece--both personal and anecdotal elements unusual in the Gray Lady. The story is filled with awkward journalistic moves--the piece contains a collection of decade-old stories about McCain and Iseman appearing at functions together and concerns voiced by McCain's aides that the Senator shouldn't be seen in public with Iseman--and departs from the Times' usual authoritative voice. At one point, the piece suggestively states: "In 1999 she began showing up so frequently in his offices and at campaign events that staff members took notice. One recalled asking, 'Why is she always around?'" In the absence of concrete, printable proof that McCain and Iseman were an item, the piece delicately steps around purported romance and instead reports on the debate within the McCain campaign about the alleged affair.

[SE Mom]

Here's the "breathlessly" awaited piece from The New Republic about the motivation of the NYT and why they waited to release the McCain story..

[SE Mom]

ping

[Greg F]

Tempest in a tea pot.

or

since it is the NYT and TNR

A tempest in a pee pot.

[SE Mom]

read the whole thing- fascinating!

[SE Mom]

ping

[elizabetty]

Maverick and Iseman?

[goldstategop]

The MSM will destroy any Republican candidate. With his own foolish sponsorship of McCain-Feingold, McCain is trapped by the anti-free speech restrictions he helped to craft. It couldn't happen to a more deserving candidate.

"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

[fullchroma]

Don’t people who are actually having an “affair” take measures to avoid the appearance of having one? This reeks of nonsense .

[sageb1]

I read that about 15 minutes ago. Media fight.

[sageb1]

“The MSM will destroy any Republican candidate.”

The MSM may destroy itself first.

[SE Mom]

Dontchaloveit? I can’t stop grinning...

[tobyhill]

***One recalled asking, ‘Why is she always around?***

Probably because the company she worked for did more than lobby for Telecom companies.

Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Institute
Alger County, MI
Alion Science and Technology
Alliance for Responsible Atmospheric Policy
Alonzo Mourning Charities
American Coastal Coalition
American Pacific
Ansul Incorporated
Arcata Associates
Arison Family Trust
ART of Leadership
Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers
Atlantic City School Board, NJ
Barr Financial Group
Bay County, Florida
BearingPoint, Inc.
C4SI, Incorporated
CACI, Inc.
Carnival Foundation
Carnival Long Beach
Cernium, Incorporated
CH2M-HILL
Children’s Services Council of Palm Beach County
Chippewa County, MI
Christian Network, Inc.
City of Atlantic City, NJ
City of Aztec, NM
City of Boca Raton, FL
City of Clearwater, FL
City of Cocoa, FL
City of Dallas,TX
City of Deerfield Beach, FL
City of Delray Beach, FL
City of Hampton, VA
City of Hialeah, FL
City of Hobbs, NM
City of Homestead, FL
City of Key West, FL
City of Lake Mary, FL
City of Lauderdale Lakes, FL
City of Lauderhill, FL
City of Maitland, FL
City of Melbourne, FL
City of Miami, FL
City of North Miami Beach, FL
City of Oldsmar, FL
City of Oviedo, FL
City of Pembroke Pines, FL
City of Petaluma, CA
City of Plantation, FL
City of Rio Rancho, NM
City of Riviera Beach, FL
City of San Rafael, CA
City of Sanford, FL
City of St. Cloud, FL
City of Treasure Island, FL
City of Virginia Beach, VA
City of Winter Park, FL
Clark Construction
Coalition for Natural Health
Columbia Union College
Community Rehabilitation Center
Computer Sciences Corporation
CONMED, Inc.
Contra Costa County, CA
Cruise Lines International Association
Dow AgroSciences LLC
Dr. David Wu on behalf of Master Wan Ko Yee
Duval County Public Schools, FL
Dynamic Animations Systems, Inc.
Earth Technologies Forum
Earthshell Corporation
EC-MAC
Edward Waters College
Fairfax County Water Authority, VA
Fairfax County, VA
Falcon Safety Products
Fire Fighting Foam Coalition
Florida Inland Navigation District
Foundation for Indiana University of Pennsylvania
Fred Olson Caribbean, Ltd.
Fresno County, CA
Friends of the NC State Museum of Natural Sciences
Glendale Community College
Global Technical Systems
Golden Gate Bridge Hwy & Transportation District
Grand Valley State University
Halon Alternatives Research Corporation
Halon Recycling Corporation
Hawkeye Community College, IA
Hendry County, FL
HFF, Inc.
Hillsborough Community College, FL
Hillsborough County, FL
Hispanic Broadcasting
Homer Center School District, PA
Houston Independent School District
Hudson Technologies, Inc.
i2Telecom
International Climate Change Partnership
ION Media Networks
Jacksonville Aviation Authority, FL
Jacksonville Port Authority, FL
Jovon Broadcasting
Kansas Gaming Limited
Lake County, FL
Las Vegas Convention Authority, NV
Lea County, NM
Liquidmetal Technologies, Inc.
M&M Energy
M.R. Beal and Company
Manatee County Port Authority
Marin County, CA
Marion County, FL
Melbourne Airport Authority, FL
Mendocino County, CA
Mercy Ships
Miami HEAT Academy
Miami-Dade County Public Schools
Miami-Dade County, FL
Michigan Capital Fund for Housing
Monroe County School District, FL
Mosaic Fertilizer Company
National Motor Freight Traffic Association
Navajo Agricultural Products Industry
New Energy and Development
New Mexico Tech, NM
Noblis
Okaloosa County, FL
Operation Warm
Orange County, FL
Orion Refining Corporation
Orlando-Sanford International Airport, FL
Osceola County School Board, FL
Osceola County, FL
Owens-Illinois, Inc.
Palm Beach Community College
Palm Beach County School Board, FL
Payment Programs Management Corporation
Point Coupee Parish School Board, LA
Port of Miami, FL
Potomac Partners DC on behalf of Grologo
Prince George County, VA
Referentia Systems, Inc.
Religious Broadcasters
Rio Rancho Public Schools, NM
Riverside Hospital, Washington, DC
Ross Baruzzini
S.Seminole & N.Orange County Wastewater Authority
Saga Communications, Inc.
San Bernardino City Unified School District, CA
San Juan County, NM
Sandoval County, NM
School District of Philadelphia, PA
Select Remedy
SemGreen
Seminole County, FL
Silver Companies, VA
SMI, Inc.
Sonoma County Parks and Recreation, CA
Sonoma County Water Agency, CA
Sonoma County, CA
Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit District, CA
Stevens Institute of Technology
SYKES Enterprises
Tampa Port Authority, FL
TerreStar Networks
Thompson, Cobb, Bazilio & Associates
Total Living Network
Town of Jupiter, FL
Town of Windemere, FL
Transportation Agency of Monterey County, CA
Trex Enterprises
Tulare County Association of Governments
Tulare County, CA
U.S. Awami League
University of Nevada - Las Vegas
University of Texas Pan American
Univision
VFIM, Corp.
VSE Corporation
Washington Policy Analysis
Washington Workshops
Waste Control Specialists
West Coast Inland Navigation District, FL
Westbury Union Free School Dist., NY
WILL Interactive, Inc.

http://www.alcalde-fay.com/client_list/

[Just mythoughts]

Well there is at least the evidence that McCain and his criminal lawyer were able to suppress something way back when and who knows if what was finally printed is what the real story is. NYTimes does have a reputation to maintain after alll they did endorse this guy... no other ‘republican’ could have kept them silent this long.

[The Ghost of FReepers Past]

I can’t help but think the timing had everything to do with drawing attention away from Michelle Obama saying she hasn’t been really proud of her country for her entire adult life until right now.

[UCFRoadWarrior]

And the lefties and neo-liberals will in the GOP will keep telling us to “grow up”, “get in line”, and “shut up” while they keep pushing McSoros down our throats

The bad part is that this NYT story pales in comparison to what we already know about McSoros. It will get uglier

[SE Mom]

Not an unreasonable perspective :)

[tennteacher]

Any media outlet that becomes the news instead of reporting it is immediately suspect.

[The Ghost of FReepers Past]

What surprises me is how long they are willing to place several reporters on a story that is clearly little more than staff gossip. This is the same paper whose editorial board told us repeatedly how a President's sex life is his own business. Obviously they wanted to spin it into being about more than sex, but just as obviously, they couldn't do it and were left with nothing but gossip. So they saved it until one of the Democrat candidates needed a distraction from the unpatriotic comments of his own wife.

I may be the last person in the world who thinks this, but I do think character matters. That said, the NYTimes is on record saying it doesn't. So this story reads like this to me: "We at the NYTimes are big fat hypocrites."

[advertising guy]

I’m holdin my opinion so far...checking something still

[epluribus_2]

I am not so sure Hill and Co. want stories of infidelity swirling around the new for too long. Too many bad memories of blue dresses. Obama may be quietly pleased for the development. The ladies love Hill but squirm a bit when reminding how she attacked the accusers and let Bill off each time as he used and discarded women like toilet paper.