Backpedaling At The Times, Or, Where Has The Romance Gone?

I am finally reading the Friday Times account of McCain's Thursday press conference and denial of the Times hatchet job and a couple of things make me think the Times is backpedaling on the sex scandal part of their non-story [and the Times Saturday story reinforces my point; see UPDATE].

First, the follow went to Elisabeth Bumiller, who seems to be on the regular McCain beat, rather than to any of the reporters bylined on the original tale.

Secondly, Ms. Bumiller does not seem to want to admit that it was the Times that presented this as a sex scandal - here we go, with emphasis added:

TOLEDO, Ohio — Senator John McCain on Thursday disputed an account in The New York Times that top advisers confronted him during his first presidential run with concerns about his ties to a female lobbyist.

...

Asked if he had ever had a romantic relationship with the woman, Vicki Iseman, Mr. McCain responded, “No.” He described his relationship with Ms. Iseman as that of “friends” and said he last saw her “several months ago” at an event.

Mr. McCain’s wife, Cindy, stood at his side throughout the news conference....

The couple were responding to an article on Thursday that said Ms. Iseman’s recurring appearances in 1999 at fund-raisers, in Mr. McCain’s office and at campaign events had alarmed some of his top advisers, prompting several to warn him that his association with her could threaten his reputation as a scourge of special interests. The Washington Post also reported on Thursday that members of Mr. McCain’s inner circle of advisers had confronted him directly about his ties to Ms. Iseman.

Mr. McCain said he had never been involved in such discussions. “I don’t know if it happened at their level,” he said. “It certainly didn’t happen to me.”

Wait a second - where did the allegation of a romantic entanglement go?  Other than noting a question at the press conference, it has disappeared - nowhere does Ms. Bumiller acknowledge that the Times itself reported on allegation by two disgruntled former staffers of a romantic link.

If the Times has that angle nailed down, as editor Bill Keller claims, they ought to be able to instill in Ms. Bumiller enough confidence to repeat the allegation.  Gutless.

UPDATE:  On Saturday Ms. Bumiller describes the story's effect on McCain's fund-raising.  What story?  Well, this story:

...an article about Mr. McCain’s close ties to a female lobbyist who did business before the senator’s committee.

Folks inclined to read between the lines are left to imagine that the lobbyist's gender can only be important for one reason.  Is that sexist?  Can't be, or the Time wouldn't have run it.

Comments

[SteveMG]

Again, from the original story, para #2 as in two, as in at the top, as in this is what we read, not the jump to A-22.

Convinced the relationship had become romantic, some of his top advisers intervened to protect the candidate from himself — instructing staff members to block the woman’s access, privately warning her away and repeatedly confronting him, several people involved in the campaign said on the condition of anonymity.

The Soviets one year issued their annual history book with a razor and alternate page for the readers to add right before the section on the Bering Sea.

Seems that right before the Bering Sea section was a section on Beria, Lavrenti. That had to be removed.

Old Beria (the person, not the section) had gone into disfavor and, presto, disappeared.

Literally, and, well, literaturely.

[Terry]

I see that in the two days since this story was published, the share price of the NYT has dropped some 10 percent, while the overall market was relatively unchanged. That plunge in the Times share price translates to nearly $300 million of lost market value to the NYT shareholders.

I wonder to what extent, if any, this share price plunge is a reflection of the marketplace's "value debit" to the worth of the NYT brand resulting from the disastrous McCain story they foolishly published. Already, it ranks up there with the Judith Miller WMD stories and the Jayson Blair fiasco.

[Br]

So, Georgia was McCain and Murdoch was hated by dems who set him up to lose the TV station and be forced to sell the 10 stations in the US dems didn't like and the set up the guy who was not doing a coup and have him die?

Georgia and Murdoch is all dems, including the dead billionaires. The real question everyone was asking was who was the case officer? Plame? Those people were rich.

[Other Tom]

OK, so my last prediction--which was rather recent--was that Hillary wins Wisconsin.

Got that one out of the system. Here's the next, and you can take this one to the bank:
McCain gets more than 300 electoral votes against Obama.

[Porchlight]

Well, here's an odd end to the evening. My husband just called me outside to hear the faint strains of Obama speaking at the TX Capitol building downtown (a couple of miles from here). The words weren't clear, but the voice and inflection, and the audience roar in response, were unmistakable.

We're used to hearing music drifting up from downtown concerts and such, but that was bizarre.

[Jane]

Oh my gawd porchlight, that sounds downright scary.

OT How many electoral votes are there?

[Porchlight]

Jane, I believe 538 total, 270 to win. This is a fun site to play around with - you can click the states to display different electoral scenarios, or use the drop-down menu to show past elections.

270 To Win

[Porchlight]

And yes, it was kind of creepy. My husband said (jokingly) "it's historical, this is like hearing Lincoln." I said he could listen to Lincoln if he wanted but it was too damn cold to stand outside in bare feet and I was going inside.

[Sue]

it was too damn cold to stand outside in bare feet

Not to worry, once the Messiah is elected president, you'll be able to afford shoes.

[JM Hanes]

Sue:

My new favorite site, Barack Obama Is Your New Bicycle, will tell you all the different ways Barack is already working to make your life better. Just refresh the page for one dose of good news after another.

[clarice]

It appears that Keller et al are surprised by the ferocity of the reaction against their pinheaded move.
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/5563681.html

[Topsecretk9]

Not to worry, once the Messiah is elected president, you'll be able to afford shoes.

OK. I spit at this. Good one Sue!

[Topsecretk9]

OMG - JMH - that site is soo double dutch - super incredible hilarious.

Have you linked it at Ace or sent it to him? He will SO love it and link it he will.

[Syl]

I'm listening to Begala on Larry King decrying the fact that McCain actually spent time with a lobbyist.

Horrors.

Earth to liberals. If you insist on regulating business, the USSC has said that lobbyists have a free speech right to make their case before congress!

That means, HORRORS, that you will find lobbyists and congressman spending time together.

If you don't like it, then stop regulating business!

You can't have it both ways.

[JM Hanes]

TSK9:

I wouldn't be surprised if I actually discovered it there! Wish I could remember who to tip my hat to.

[Topsecretk9]

JMH

"Barack Obama folded you an origami crane"

Oh golly it's good.

[JM Hanes]

Syl:

Your advice is just entirely too sensible for this brave new world.

[clarice]

Every single American has dozens of lobbyists representing him on the Hill whether he knows it or not..It is not just regulating business..as Congress expands the federal role, every single activity in America is covered and needs representation: your county, city, state, institutions, professions, voluntary organizations, consumer organizations, producers or products and services...all have people lobbying to represent their interests in D.C.

Ka Ching for me.

[Topsecretk9]

I'm listening to Begala on Larry King decrying the fact that McCain actually spent time with a lobbyist.

Horrors.

Earth to liberals.

Spent time or just takes boatloads of their money? Did he say which was worse?

[Syl]

True, Clarice.

But it's business the Left hates. The trial lawyers, teachers union, AARP not so much.

[Syl]

Tops

It just makes you go GRRRrrrrrrrrrrr, doesn't it? The Dems get away with EVERYTHING.

[Syl]

oh my!

I think I'm going to faint!

Barack carries a picture of me in his wallet!!!!

[JM Hanes]

Barack sent me flowers, tops! Speaking of Ace, do you remember that hysterical "Thank you Nancy!" thread? Here's another one that will absolutely suck you in, if you haven't seen it already. Can't remember how I arrived at the contest for coming up with a A Six-Word Motto for the U.S. either, but it's about as redemptive a moment as the New York Times has had lately. I was going to post my favorites, but I must have a hundred of 'em.

[Topsecretk9]

The trial lawyers, teachers union, AARP not so much.

But these orgs have lobbyist advocating their interests.

Outlaw lobbing then.

It really comes down to a comment I left PW.

The media wing of the Dem party - NYT's et al - don't care about corruption or criminality of politicians or lobbying or the money from lobbyist, or the sway etc. etc.

They only care about republican insert __________(blank)

Does anyone remember that NYT's story on Libby hiring lawyers and what they were doing on his behalf? I mean it was ridiculous, they were lamenting that a republican could actually hire lawyers to defend him and GASP they were doing just that! Criminal!

And I don't for one minute think Times reporters are so stupid as to just realize republicans are afforded the same rights of defense as democrats, they just didn't like it.

[Topsecretk9]

republicans are afforded the same rights of defense as democrats, they just didn't like it.

I don't think I have been too reactionary about this kind of stuff, but now I am not 100% sure the Democrats and NYT's might be OK if you and I - republicans - weren't allowed certain rights.

Leftist try and ban/bury books. They delete ever so slight comment dissent.

[Syl]

Tops

Liberals demonize their opponents but would never admit it.

This from JMH link above, a proposed six-word motto for America:

Enlightment scientific rationality meets puritan morality

Obviously left by a liberal. What they don't understand is that the long term effect of Puritanism was not necessarily a matter of morality, but the ferocity of the demonization of those who did not agree with them.

it's the demonization of opponents which deep down has never left America and that definitely includes liberals.

[JM Hanes]

TM:

What's especially notable about the sudden Times' discretion you describe above is that the only part of the story they're walking back is also the only new reporting in it. Ironically, that would also be the only part that still required nailing down as of December, wouldn't it? I frankly suspect that they always knew the story was weak, and it just took them a month or two to find a plausible vehicle to float it in.

[Syl]

Leftist try and ban/bury books. They delete ever so slight comment dissent.

The fascism of the left.

I find it a bit (well more than a bit) frightening what Jane mentioned in another thread about Duval bypassing the democratically elected legislature to get his way.

If Barack is elected, the fears the Left have re Bush usurping power for the executive will be nothing compared to Obama. And I'm sure it will be okay fine with them.

[Syl]

I frankly suspect that they always knew the story was weak, and it just took them a month or two to find a plausible vehicle to float it in.

I think it was the other way around. They needed a new hook to rehash the McCain/Lobbyists/favors/kickbacks story of eight years ago.

They're very experienced at pushing propaganda. Float the lobbyist story wrapped around a core that would initially grab attention but later could be dismissed. What the reader is then left with is still a taint of corruption.

Without the innuendo of an affair, the story would just be old news.

Kind of like the Giuliani story that was so damaging. Write a story about the suspicious accounting involved in police protection of Judy. The accounting turns out to be a nothingburger but no matter, the reader is left with the word 'mistress'.

[Syl]

Oh shoot.

[Daddy]

I am house-sitting a hard of hearing sick relative who is addicted to CNN and only CNN and only CNN at 100 decibals. (Anyone got a spare Sepuku knife?)

Tonight's head exploding episode, to the best of my recollection:

"To help us get a handle on whether the New York Times piece on Senator McCain was fair or unfair, for balance, we now turn to that staunch Conservative Republican, David Gergan, for his assessment of the Times."

"Well Wolf or John or Katie or whoever the hell you are, the New York Times was fair, definitely fair, blah, blah blah, just like they did to Bill Clinton, blah blah blah, Jennifer Flowers blah, blah...so the Times is definitely acting fairly in treating Senator McCain exactly like blah blah blah..."

"Thank you David Gergen for the Conservative perspective on this issue."

Kaboom!

[Jane]

That's just sad. But typical.

[capitano]

"Thank you David Gergen for the Conservative perspective on this issue."

Who else? Kevin Phillips was busy...fundraising for Barack.

[Other Tom]

God--I'd completely forgotten about that nut case Kevin Phillips. Is he still alive?

For a couple of decades he got media attention as a "conservative" who kept articulating the most wildly liberal craziness--if they hadn't been able to label him a conservative, nothing he said would have ever reached the public prints. How a guy becomes a conservative without ever espousing a single conservative principle remains one of those mysteries of the media netherworld.

[PeterUK]

"My husband said (jokingly) "it's historical, this is like hearing Lincoln."

I hate to pee on the parade,but Hitler was a brilliant orator,listen to some of the Nuremburg Rallies.What is frightening,isn't the speaker but the response.

[Daddy]

Speaking of Hitler orations and and Texas, did u guys see that YouTube Video of Adolf as a disgruntled Cowboys fan from last week? Hilarious. Sorry I don't know how to link to it.

[MayBee]

Hmmm. The NYT has more on McCain's big lobbying "scandal" today.
One could begin to think they used the romance angle to make it look unseemly, but that this really deep down has something to do with the fairness doctrine.

[MayBee]

Or I suppose at the end of these tortured allegations is a story leading to the NYT calling for an end to campaign finance reform. I mean, if even McCain gets contributions from lobbyists....Why can't Hillary get money from Norman Hsu?

[MayBee]

Or I suppose at the end of these tortured allegations is a story leading to the NYT calling for an end to campaign finance reform. I mean, if even McCain gets contributions from lobbyists....Why can't Hillary get money from Norman Hsu?

[GMax]

"Thank you David Gergen for the Conservative perspective on this issue."

I take it Pat Buchanan was busy? Those are the only two conservatives CNN knows. And like that guy Billy Packer and the NYT, they sure show up a lot and funny usually spouting quite non mainstream conservative positions.

But it is CNN, so take some comfort. Almost no one is watching.

[Porchlight]

Daddy, yes, it was hilarous. I've seen it over and over and I still laugh out loud every time.

Here's the link: Hitler is a Cowboys Fan