Comments on: NYT Hatchet Job on McCain

By: Jay_C

Jay_C — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 14:48:49 +0000

It is interesting though that this "Media scandal" brings to light the unfortunately typical practice in politics "the not practicing what you preach" issue… I.E. Lobbyists…

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/02/22/mccain-the-antilobbyis_n_87941.html

By: Jay_C

Jay_C — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 14:41:25 +0000

I question the timing, the lack of substance of the article (It you read it carefully , they never accused him of anything) / lack of journalistic standards (although I whould not be suprised, it is the NYT after all.). I agree if this came out before the NH primary, things would be different for Romney. They waited so they could help ge the most liberal Republican into the likely GOP nominee spot. Now that he is most likely the nominee, they atack, so they can help get a democrat in Office. Some on other sites have questioned the papers "flip-flopping", endorsing him, then slamming him. I do not. If this were a story of merit and if it hurt his campaing, they should still post the story. The understood journalistic code of ethics would hold them to posting a story, regarless of their endorsment.

By: C Stanley

C Stanley — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 13:21:32 +0000

With the nomination locked up, no damage even if the story is true.

No, that’s not correct. If the story were true, the damage is that the GOP has just locked into a candidate who’s damaged goods (note that I don’t believe this, because the evidence is so flimsy that it’s laughable for NYT to have run with this story.) A month or two ago, something damaging to McCain would have led to a greater backing of Romney- but now it’s too late for the party to switch it’s frontrunner. So, the GOP would go through the entire general election with an unelectable candidate, which would obviously propel the Dem candidate to the WH.

By: Jason

Jason — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 21:17:10 +0000

You are assuming that the Democrats and the Times will simply allow the story to die off now. I predict they will labor mightily to make it a steady drumbeat for the next 8 months. The lack of factual basis for the story already appears irrelevant to them.

I think it is revealing that even many of the partisan Democrat blogs smell a rat on this one.

By: Rudi666

Rudi666 — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 21:10:33 +0000

What if the story came out before the NH primary. The social conservatives would have backed either Romney or Huckabee with a little more vigor. As KK says, an October surprise would be worse. With the nomination locked up, no damage even if the story is true.

By: kranky kritter

kranky kritter — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 16:41:59 +0000

Hmm, I think I’m more interested in questioning the lack of factual basis than the timing.The timing is pretty good for McCain. Seems to me that NYT would have held this story until October if they wanted to sandbag the GOP. As it stands now, given that there’s really "no there there," the story is bound to be in the dead letter office within a couple weeks. FWIW, it’s probably a mistake for McCain’s PR folks to defend McCain by saying he has never violated the public trust. If you read his book, he’s as much as admitted he did during the Keating scandal.

By: Donklephant » Blog Archive » About That McCain Story

Donklephant » Blog Archive » About That McCain Story — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 16:32:27 +0000

[...] know other blogs have been covering this story, but the politics of personal destruction aren’t very [...]