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re: Edwards comment... someone else said exactly the same:

As the folks at BSB put it: “Since Vicki Iseman, John McCain’s alleged special interest, profile may be deleted from Alcade & Fay, BSB’s more than happy to host it. You know, googlecache only last so long, but BSB is forever.”

The New York Timess story, in which it hints at a romantic relationship between Iseman and McCain, has no proof.

Indeed, there is nothing in the story but some “imprudent” appearances.

It’s not like the Senator hired Iseman to do work for his campaign—say a campaign video.

Or that she is now pregnant.

Or that she is living in a McCain supporter’s house.

Or that Iseman is driving around in a BMW owned by a former, high-ranking McCain campaign official.

Those are the details in the John Edwards-Rielle Hunter affair, which the Times hasn’t covered at all.

http://deathby1000papercuts.blogspot.com/2008/02/vicki-iseman-times-storys-timing.html

(But Edwards is water under the bridge, the NYTs should be called on it though... in the interest of fairness...bah)

No identified sources? No on-the-record sources? All we get is “according to two former McCain associates,” presumably that reference to one Senate, one campaign. Are these sources some folks he fired who might have an axe to grind? Or are these people who have no reason to lie, or to paint a more salacious picture than warranted?

We get one named source.

Both said Mr. McCain acknowledged behaving inappropriately and pledged to keep his distance from Ms. Iseman. The two associates, who said they had become disillusioned with the senator, spoke independently of each other and provided details that were corroborated by others.

Separately, a top McCain aide met with Ms. Iseman at Union Station in Washington to ask her to stay away from the senator. John Weaver, a former top strategist and now an informal campaign adviser, said in an e-mail message that he arranged the meeting after “a discussion among the campaign leadership” about her.

“Our political messaging during that time period centered around taking on the special interests and placing the nation’s interests before either personal or special interest,” Mr. Weaver continued. “Ms. Iseman’s involvement in the campaign, it was felt by us, could undermine that effort.”

Mr. Weaver added that the brief conversation was only about “her conduct and what she allegedly had told people, which made its way back to us.” He declined to elaborate.

We also get staff saying there’s nothing to it:

Mr. Davis and Mark Salter, Mr. McCain’s top strategists in both of his presidential campaigns, disputed accounts from the former associates and aides and said they did not discuss Ms. Iseman with the senator or colleagues.

“I never had any good reason to think that the relationship was anything other than professional, a friendly professional relationship,” Mr. Salter said in an interview.