New York Times sullies itself with McCain story

The San Fransisco Chronicle ^ | February 21, 2008 | Debra Saunders

[Clintonfatigued]

One of two things will happen in the wake of Thursday's New York Times story that suggested John McCain may have had a "romantic relationship" nine years ago with a lobbyist who did business before the Senate Commerce Committee which he then chaired. (The story purported to be about McCain's ethics and dealings with D.C. lobbyists, in a failed attempt to gloss gossip with a patina of gravitas.)

Either new information will come forward to corroborate this weak story - based solely on the speculation - as opposed to actual knowledge - of two sources (who refused to be named and, for all we know, may have an ax to grind), and despite denials by both McCain and the lobbyist, Vicki Iseman.

Even then, the Gray Lady's reputation will suffer, because the New York Times, not John McCain, has become the story.

Or nothing new will come forward and the public will have every reason to believe that the New York Times and copycat media smeared McCain.

And the next time the Times' announces that it has lost circulation or is eliminating more newsroom positions, people will cheer, when they should be saddened. This story is bad news for the news business.

No doubt Times reporters Jim Rutenberg, Marilyn W. Thompson, David D. Kirkpatrick and Stephen Labaton believed they had a story.

That's why newspapers have editors, to insist that reporters nail down hunches that reporters believe in their guts to be true.

That didn't happen with this story.

[DelaWhere]

The “Old Grey Lady” has been the "Gossipy Old Hag" for some time now...

[jaycee]

PMSNBC has milked it to death. Still Joe Scarborough and Mika (don’t know howski) still riding it this morning. Mika hates Republicans. Her dad was a Carter guy and Joe was slamming Carter some yesterday and the look on her face could have killed you.