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White House Blasts 'Bombshell' Press Attacks on GOP

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February 22, 2008 1:08 PM

ABC News' Ann Compton Reports: With unexpected vehemence, White House spokesperson Scott Stanzel took the New York Times to task Friday morning for "try(ing) to drop a bombshell on the Republican nominee" by publishing allegations involving Senator John McCain, R-Ariz.

Responding to a question from the press, Stanzel asserted, "I think a lot of people here in (the White House) with experience in a couple campaigns have grown accustomed to the fact that during the course of a campaign, about -- seemingly on maybe a monthly basis leading up to the convention, maybe a weekly basis after that, the New York Times does try to drop a bombshell on the Republican nominee."

On Wednesday, the Times published a story linking McCain, the likely 2008 Republican nominee, to a Washington lobbyist.  The Arizona Senator blasted the story and the paper, insisting, "It's not true."

Conservative talk radio hosts from Rush Limbaugh to Sean Hannity -- not usually McCain fans -- joined the chorus, ripping into the Times but also not letting McCain off the hook.

"If you let the media make you, you are subjecting yourself to being able to let the media destroy you," Limbaugh said on his radio show.

For their part, the McCain camp is breathing a sigh of relief, seemingly having succeeded in their effort to brush back the story, even turning it into a fundraising opportunity.

The White House, cued by President Bush, has largely stayed on the sidelines of the 2008 presidential race.  The President's father, former President George H.W. Bush, endorsed McCain last week and the current President has said would campaign on behalf of the party nominee, if asked.

In an interview with ABC News anchor Charlie Gibson last year, Bush ventured briefly into the '08 political arena, predicting Senator Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., would win the Democratic nomination but lose the general election.

"I think she's a very formidable candidate," Bush told Gibson, "and one of the interesting things that she brings is that she has been under pressure. She understands the klieg lights."

Clinton is locked in a tight battle with rival Senator Barack Obama, D-Ill., for the Democratic nomination.  The pair participated in a relatively civil debate on Thursday and will square off once more before critical primary votes in Ohio and Texas on March 4.

An ABC News/Washington Post poll released Thursday shows Clinton up over Obama in Ohio, but locked in a dead heat in Texas.

McCain appears to have a numerical lock on the Republican nomination but one rival remains: former governor Mike Huckabee insists his goal is a deadlocked Republican convention in September.

ABC News' Rick Klein and Ed O'Keefe contributed to this report.

February 22, 2008 in Bush, George W., Hunter, Duncan, Kucinich, Dennis, Romney, Mitt, Tancredo, Tom, Thompson, Fred | Permalink | User Comments (92)

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I see the usual suspects are doing everything they can to save the biggest Democrat in the Republican party... Shocking!

Posted by: cba | Feb 22, 2008 1:24:21 PM

Come Come now, all this is what we must expect - The Politics Of Hope.

A New Path. This is Obama '08 at work, proving how much political change he is going to give, us what kind.

Rejoice, the master is spreading the love.

Posted by: 2009 Where Are You? | Feb 22, 2008 1:24:53 PM

SHOCK THE NATION HUCKABEE! Texas hasn't had a stand so let the votes decide not the media.

Posted by: regionfive | Feb 22, 2008 1:37:27 PM

Attacking the NY Times is republican modus operandi but did you repubs remember to thank them for being embedded and supporting your infinite war game???? Tank You...Judith tell em honey!!!!

Posted by: daddyblue | Feb 22, 2008 1:38:31 PM

So what? The Republican party targets the media and the New York Times. The GOP are the biggest bunch of whining hypocrites! Here's an idea for Republicans - STOP COMMITTING CRIMES AND THE MEDIA WON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO REPORT! LOL Buch of corrupt whiners!

Posted by: Joe Derrane | Feb 22, 2008 1:39:36 PM

what do they expect?? The GOP are easy targets they are all Corrupt!

GOP = Ship of Sinking fools.. It's about time.

Posted by: orenishi | Feb 22, 2008 1:40:12 PM

The White House sure wasn't complaining about the NYT when Judith Miller was parroting their lies about Saddam's WMDs... Poor widdle Republiclowns just hate it when the truth comes out! LOL

Posted by: Steve R | Feb 22, 2008 1:41:21 PM

If Obama should be elected president, you will certainly see a lot of change because he doesn't have the slightest idea of what he's doing.

Posted by: BTL musings | Feb 22, 2008 1:43:19 PM

BTL Musings - I'm willing to take that chance. After all the GOP doesn't seem to know what it's doing anymore either. And, frankly, after the last 8 years, I'm willing to vote for ANYONE other than a Republican. Face it, the GOP has totally disgraced themselves with their arrrogant and divisive partisanship, their gross incompetence, their corruption, their greed and their complete abdication of their governmental duties. I was an independent, but the GOP lost me after their absolutely disgraceful handling of the Katrina disaster. I am proud to say that I will NEVER vote for a Republican again for as long as I live. Even if Abraham Lincoln came back from the dead I would tell him to switch parties before I could consider voting for him. Sorry, but that's just how I feel. The GOP is an absolute disgrace and disaster and they need to be given a "time out" to think about what they've done!

Posted by: Kelly Hong | Feb 22, 2008 1:49:01 PM

It's time to draw the lines and come out and attack all republicans for what they have done to our country. All the republicans need to be put out of office now. If you are sick of their lies and crimes come out and say it every chance you get. I HATE REPUBLICANS. ARREST BUSH AND CHENEY and indict rumsfeld and ashcroft and rove and limbaugh and hannity and all the rest of these liars and criminals as accessories to commit crimes against out constitution and our country. I'm sick of all of them. Rendition them. They let 911 happen

Posted by: Tom Canavan | Feb 22, 2008 1:50:31 PM

Republicans should all just shut the hell up and hang their heads in shame after the last eight years. They have completely disgraced themsevles at every turn and have lost the right to complain about ANYTHING.

Posted by: JIm Cates | Feb 22, 2008 1:54:20 PM

Maybe because the Republicans are the ones getting caught.

But I guess the press reporting ANOTHER GOP representative (from Arizona, no less) was indicted on 35 counts of money laundering, mail fraud, wire fraud, etc etc is another example of the press picking on repuglicans.

Posted by: JL | Feb 22, 2008 1:55:56 PM

well Stanzel, it's caused by what your Republican President did to this country and to the world. what are you complaining about?

Posted by: Xiaer | Feb 22, 2008 1:56:01 PM

So it's okay for Republican media outlets like Fox News and Newsmax to spread lies and smear and swiftboat Democrats, but it's not okay for non-partisan News outlets to report possible Republican scandals? What a bunch of freakin' whiners and hypocrites! Hey GOP - if you can't take it, don't dish it out you damn crybabies!

Posted by: Dr.Roboticus | Feb 22, 2008 1:56:55 PM

Even if Abraham Lincoln came back from the dead I would tell him to switch parties before I could consider voting for him. Sorry, but that's just how I feel. The GOP is an absolute disgrace and disaster and they need to be given a "time out" to think about what they've done!

Posted by: Kelly Hong | Feb 22, 2008 1:49:01 PM
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I love it!! I'm like you, an Independent and I too won't vote Republican for the rest of my life, and I'm very healthy and expect to live a long time!! But the part about the GOP thinking about what they have done is an oxymoron. They can't think!

Posted by: jon sid | Feb 22, 2008 1:57:05 PM

Gosh, if the Whitehouse and John Mcain get the vapors and fainting spells over an article by the New York times, how will they ever be able to fight Al Quida?

Posted by: AppeaseThis | Feb 22, 2008 1:57:44 PM

Can't wait for McCain to take the oath of office.

Posted by: OverTheTopInTexas | Feb 22, 2008 2:00:22 PM

Now... Why would the White-house think this? Why would the supporters of the administration with the LOWEST APPROVAL RATING IN U.S. HISTORY think they were being "targeted"? Hmmmmm? Any takers out there? May I suggest that just maybe.. juuuuust perhaps they are deflecting their inadequate leadership skills onto a specter of their creation that will help explain why their leader now sits at a miserable 19% approval rating... it's just a hunch... just a guess.

Posted by: RW | Feb 22, 2008 2:02:06 PM

So the press has it in for Republicans. Well, if the Republicans quite screwing up maybe the press would leave them alone. I guess the White House just forgot about Tom Delay, racial controversies of Trent Lott and George Allen, the scandals and criminal activities involving such people as Bernard Kerik, Duke Cunningham, Bob Ney, Jack Abramoff, Mark Foley, lawyergate, David Vitter, Larry Craig, Newt Gingrich. etc. Are the Democrats saints? No, but the Republicans took over and made the Democrats look like a bunch of rookies at such activities. They developed it into an art form.

Posted by: methinks60 | Feb 22, 2008 2:04:15 PM

There are very few things on which I agree with President Bush, but 90% of the news media wants Barack Hussein Obama elected so badly they can taste it! ABC is no exception. The big difference this time is that the bias is not so much anti-Republican as it is STRONGLY pro-Obama. It's not even pro-Democrat... they just want Obama in the White House, regardless of what it takes.

Posted by: rmberryman | Feb 22, 2008 2:05:18 PM

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