[John Valentine]

It leads one to wonder, at what point can the printing of the Times be considered to be an illegal contribution to the Kerry campaign?

And it leads me to wonder at what point can the lies of the New York Times become an actionable slander, even given that the target of the slander is a "public figure".

I beleive slander against a public figure is actionable if the slander is willful and malicious.

It looks to me like this qualifies.

[thoughtomator]

I 100% agree. If the National Enquirer can be forced to pay up for its lies, then so should the New York Times.

[Phinanceguy]

If it is printed it then becomes libel and not slander