Posted on 12/20/2007 7:47:55 AM PST by sitetest
Edited on 12/20/2007 9:24:12 AM PST by Admin Moderator. [history]
MEDIA FIREWORKS: MCCAIN PLEADS WITH NY TIMES TO SPIKE STORY
Thu Dec 20 2007 10:56:57 ET
Just weeks away from a possible surprise victory in the primaries, Republican presidential candidate Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz has been waging a ferocious behind the scenes battle with the NEW YORK TIMES, the DRUDGE REPORT has learned, and has hired DC power lawyer Bob Bennett to mount a bold defense against charges of giving special treatment to a lobbyist!
McCain has personally pleaded with NY TIMES editor Bill Keller not to publish the high-impact report involving key telecom legislation before the Senate Commerce Committee, newsroom insiders tell the DRUDGE REPORT.
The paper's Jim Rutenberg has been leading the investigation and is described as beyond frustrated with McCain's aggressive and angry efforts to stop any and all publication.
MORE
The drama involves a woman lobbyist who may have helped to write key telecom legislation.
The woman in question has retained counsel and strongly denies receiving any special treatment from McCain.
Rutenberg, along with reporter David Kirkpatrick, has been developing the story for the last 6 weeks.
Rutenberg had hoped to break the story before the Christmas holiday, sources reveal, but editor Keller expressed serious reservations about jounalism ethics and issuing a damaging story so close to an election.
McCain campaign officials Rick Davis, Charlie Black and Mark Salter are also said to have met with the NEW YORK TIMES in an effort to halt publication.
Developing...
since when?
Ususally they like to destroy Republicans AFTER they get the nomination...
“...has hired DC power lawyer Bob Bennett to mount a bold defense against charges of giving special treatment to a lobbyist!”
The tongue bath McCain provided was no different than the special favors McCain gives to every lobbyist. :)
Are the long knives coming out this week or what?
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“You don’t hire Bennett unless it’s a major MAJOR problem.”
Yup. If there is NOTHING there, why hire a high powered attorney? Having been the champion of CFR, it would be ironic if this part of the political obituary on McCain - hoisted on his own petard.
Which GOP presidential candidate would bear the greatest advantage of having McCain gone?
“Most people I know view McCain as their second or third choice.”
Yeah. He’s my second or third choice, depending on how you count.
But about 10% of folks have him as their first choice.
A significant shift of those folks primarily to one candidate would change the race.
sitetest
All right I’ll play along. Though it will probably be something like he and Edwards had a lovefest at Hilton Head or something. Or maybe the NYTimes gave him the MoveOn.organ rate for an ad. Now THAT would be newsworthy!
The two positives about Senator McCain is that he is pro-life and pro-defense.
Assuming that both of those are important to his supporters, then they could not go to Giuliani who is a declared anti-lifer. All Republicans (except Paul) claim to be pro-Defense.
Romney’s support of the life issue is political opportunism, and most know that.
Thompson needs to make a statement, though. He needs things to break his way and to get a big positive in the news this week. If he does, then I think McCain’s supporters go his way. Otherwise, they go to the entire group except Giuliani and Paul. (And Tancredo who announces his quitting the campaign today, I think.)
"First off McCain and Hillry are the best of best friends..."
see #68
PING
Clinton's lawyer. It figures!
www.libertarianrepublican.blogspot.com
Also, Akbar's mugshots from his recent arrest up on the Blog.
Also, some background on the story up at www.thirdpartywatch.com
McCane is a mormon?
I just thought of something:
McCain is Romney’s only real competition in New Hampshire. A huge Romney win there could cause real momentum. Momentum that can carry to Michigan, Nevada, and South Carolina.
Heck, if this hurts McCain then it looks like Ron Paul may very well come in second in NH.
Couldn't that description be used for ANY candidate who isn't currently leading in the primary polling?
No way!
Mr. CFR involved in something like this!?!?
Where is the I am shocked guy?
Possibly it’s just becasue when your loaded, you can hire the best.
“McCain reported his assets at $21 million to $32 million.”
http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/05/17/candidates.wealth/index.html
I think that Sen. Thompson has the inside track on this group.
Mr. Thompson has actually taken significant criticism for being viewed as too close in the past to Sen. McCain. I believe that Sen. Thompson endorsed Sen. McCain in 2000, and may have served some semi-official role in the campaign.
Up until their divergence on immigration, little separated the two. Both are moderate conservatives, pro-life, pro-defense, have persuasively positioned themselves as fiscal conservatives (although Sen. McCain used that rhetoric to originally oppose the Bush tax cuts).
I wouldn’t be surprised if many McCain supporters were aware that the two men have been close, and are friends, and will return their appreciation for Sen. Thompson’s past support with their support should it turn out that their candidate is circling the drain.
sitetest
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