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McCain Campaign Responds Angrily to Report Questioning Ethics
February 20, 2008 4:12 PM
ABC's Ron Claiborne and Tahman Bradley Report:
Presumptive Republican presidential nominee Arizona Sen. John McCain's campaign responded angrily tonight to an article in the New York Times about his ethics, and specifically to reports that McCain had a relationship with a female lobbyist eight years ago that some on his staff were concerned appeared inappropriate.
The Times reports that Vicki Iseman, with the Washington DC firm Alcalde and Fay, represented telecommunications businesses that had business before McCain's commerce committee. The Times reports that a former campaign adviser was instructed to keep Ms. Iseman away from the senator at public events. The paper says another unnamed McCain aide met with the woman at Union Station in Washington, DC to ask her to stay away from the senator.
According to the New York Times, these advisers were "convinced the relationship had become romantic."
The Times article also revisits McCain's involvement in the Keating Five scandal, in which McCain and four other senators were accused of lobbying banking regulators on behalf of a political associate who ran a failed Savings and Loan.
The McCain campaign tonight accused the New York Times of lowering its standards and engaging in a "hit and run smear" campaign.
McCain campaign advisor Charles Black accused the New York Times of shoddy journalism, telling ABCNews, “The New York Times is playing the National Enquirer. They chased around this gossip story, chasing rumors which are false for the past three-and-a-half months.”
Black says the Times only chose to publish the story when it learned another news organization, The New Republic magazine, was preparing a story about the Times' decision to hold back publication. "The New Republic stampeded them into running this story, which is shoddy journalism, which is a smear of John McCain," Black said.
Here is the full statement from McCain Communications Director Jill Hazelbaker:
"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."
February 20, 2008 in Political Radar | Permalink | Share | User Comments (174)
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You'd think this would make Democrats like McCain even more, now he's just like Bill Clinton, at least I think he is. But that depends on your definition of "is"
Posted by: Dennis | Feb 20, 2008 4:52:25 PM
This is just the tip of the iceberg with McCain...MANY SKELETONS in that musty old closet. Why he'd ever run for president...or anybody would let him...I don't know. This PROVES he's crazy. And it proves the GOP is just as incompetent as they've proven themselves to be these past twenty years.
Posted by: wilder5121 | Feb 20, 2008 4:52:35 PM
Can't do your usual blaming of the Clintons on this mud. McCain brings up Obama's financing and BOOM this story.
I respect John McCain but Condi Rice would take care of the "talking" head Obama.
Posted by: Maria | Feb 20, 2008 4:53:26 PM
wow... obama would have crushed mccain in november with out this story but now obama might pitch a shut out. mccain is just an old cheating warmonger.
Posted by: tom | Feb 20, 2008 4:56:48 PM
GO ROMNEY!!!!!!!
Posted by: John | Feb 20, 2008 5:08:41 PM
Obama looks clean but he isn't
Posted by: plainsmm | Feb 20, 2008 5:18:46 PM
This is out of line like it was out of line with bill. If it isn't political leave it alone , none of my business
Posted by: Carol | Feb 20, 2008 5:20:17 PM
Here we go..the Liberal press cannot wait to start throwing mud, but heaven forbid Obama be touched...he's the second coming of Christ...or is that Allah?
Posted by: Angus | Feb 20, 2008 5:38:11 PM
Is anybody surprised by all this coming out about McCain? "Those who forget the past are destined to repeat it?" McCain was one of the "Keating Five," from the S&L debacle that cost the nation billions.
Posted by: Randal Rudder | Feb 20, 2008 5:39:25 PM
If McCain has anger management issues, Obama will be merciless in the debates, just to see if he can get him to blow. Now that will be some fun TV.
Posted by: Hey Scoob | Feb 20, 2008 6:09:52 PM
I do not care about Sen. McCain's sex life and his marriages and whether or not he married his present wife because of her money and political connections. I DO CARE about his involvement in the Keating-5 Scandal which cost all of us millions. I DO CARE about his bending the truth re: involvement with accepting favors, money or other compensations for preferential treatment. Those who know him and worked with him in the past seem to agree that he does NOT have the temperment to be the President...he has a short fuse and moves his mouth before his brain---his latest statement
that we will be in Iraq for 100 years is an example. I can't believe he'd
have said this if he understood deficit spendingfor expendible war material,
diplomacy while endorsing Bush's War, taxes and those other gems. My Republican Party is making another drastic mistake. GOD HELP AMERICA!!
of
Posted by: Wiley Willy | Feb 20, 2008 6:11:38 PM
Come on! As a disclaimer, I am a Barack Obama support. But, that said: NY Times? !? Come on!! While I can see reporting on the Keating Five business - or rather, dredging it back up - but the lobbyist thing? Come on! You are/were a serious media outlet and this is just sad. Rise above it, everyone. This election is NOT about personal scandals, if they even happened; it's about healing our country with positive change and bringing all of us HOPE!
Posted by: Tbo | Feb 20, 2008 6:15:32 PM
Boring! I think is called "Drive By Journalism." Whatever!
Posted by: Zoe | Feb 20, 2008 6:16:47 PM
Interesting. Apparently this is also a coordinated effort from not only the NY Times rumor mill but from The New Republic.
I predict there will be some blowback from this smear story against The New York Times and The New Republic.
Posted by: Thunderbolt | Feb 20, 2008 6:17:06 PM
This makes me want to vote for McCain even more. Don't go critisizing a man who served his country and proudly watched as his son went to war in Iraq, too. Serving your country trumps everything. Mccain 08
Posted by: Kitty | Feb 20, 2008 6:19:12 PM
America BICKERS and then goes to bed... I bet this nation would really get somewhere if we could just weed out the superfluous ragging and blind patriotism. There is no innocent party. The Dems DROPPED THE A-BOMB back in the day in what was perhaps the most gruesome and random act of inhumanity ever carried out.... and the GOP have become nothing more than an organized mob who enlists the patriotic rage of the disenfranchised to fuel a military complex that it uses to carry out resource conquests that enrich the BIG backers of their party. BOTH parties have been guilty... but at this point in time, the GOP are at an all time low. I would NOT trust ANYONE from that party for another 2 decades at best. That party MUST change. It has become an extreme right-wing tool who approach international invasions (aka "war") as casually (and recklessly) as one might approach a bar fight. STAY AWAY FROM THE GOP! Maybe in a decade or two... but right now THEY ARE POISON!
Posted by: RW | Feb 20, 2008 6:19:41 PM
"Republican presidential candidate John McCain said President Bush should veto a measure that would bar the CIA from using waterboarding and other harsh interrogation methods on terror suspects." and this is what the GOP wants to elect? nothing but a Bush clone.
Posted by: Patriot2008 | Feb 20, 2008 6:20:27 PM
This what the Republicans moral and coservative and family values ? And they want this charecter to be their representative.
Ron Paul will represent the Republicans much better.
Posted by: Tariq Ahmed | Feb 20, 2008 6:21:43 PM
After Enron collapsed the executive assitants did a spread in playboy. If the lobbyists collapse will they do likewise? The funny thing about all these people lying isn't the fact they are lying but rather the fact the people that are being lied too are liars as well and are somehow indignant. I'm just naive I guess.
Posted by: Rick | Feb 20, 2008 6:23:24 PM
This story is the Obama campaign trying to get Mc Cain off his back, and warning him about future 'swift boat' attacks. Its done now as he and michelle have made some gaffs, and the last thing he needs is to fight both Clinton and Mc Cain on 2 fronts.
The republican media is doing everything it can to squash it. I suspect there should be a fresh new Rezko story up on fox soon.......
Posted by: tomdavie | Feb 20, 2008 6:27:35 PM
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