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The NYT-Democrat Connection Revealed, Again Let’s not be too idealistic here. One would hope the media would be fair, but reality is another thing. The New York Times is supposed to be journalism’s crème de la crème. Maybe she once was, but the recent hit piece on John McCain is a clear illustration of the Gray Lady’s coming role in the 2008 Presidential Election. What role, do you ask? One of making sure a Democrat wins the White House. Since the “revelation” that officially breaks today, about rumored “special treatment” from Senator McCain to a female lobbyist, what are we...

(CNN) — Former McCain political adviser John Weaver confirms to CNN that he did approach lobbyist Vicki Iseman about eight years ago, during McCain’s first presidential run, and told her she was threatening to undermine the heart of McCain’s campaign – that he is a reformer. Weaver says he arranged the meeting with Iseman — first reported by the New York Times — out of concern that she was “telling people around town” she was getting access to, and had influence with, McCain that Weaver says she did not have. But Weaver insists he never talked to or asked Iseman...

By Mark Finkelstein | February 21, 2008 - 10:25 ET MSNBC has cited and discussed the press release issued today by Brent Bozell, President of NB's parent Media Research Center, excoriating the New York Times for its article on John McCain. The discussion came during the network's post-press conference analysis of McCain's appearance this morning. JOE SCARBOROUGH: Let me interrupt. This is interesting. Mika just handed me a Blackberry quote here. Chris Matthews, earlier this morning Tim Russert asked the question how would conservatives respond to this? Would they rally behind John McCain, against the New York Times, or would...

TOLEDO, Ohio (AP) -- John McCain denied a romantic relationship with a female telecommunications lobbyist on Thursday and said a report by The New York Times suggesting favoritism for her clients is "not true." "I'm very disappointed in the article. It's not true," the likely Republican presidential nominee said as his wife, Cindy, stood alongside him during a news conference called to address the matter. McCain described the woman in question, lobbyist Vicki Iseman, as a friend. The newspaper quoted anonymous aides as saying they had urged McCain and Iseman to stay away from each other prior to his failed...

John McCain wasted no time getting in front of the media to deny the paper-thin allegations leveled by the New York Times. He appeared at a press conference with his wife Cindy at his side, from his latest campaign stop in Toledo. He denied that anyone ever "confronted" him about his relationship with Vicki Isemen at least twice: Q. Senator, did you ever have any meeting with any of your staffers in which they would have intervened to ask you not to see Vicki Iseman or to be concerned about appearances of being too close to a lobbyist? A. No....

John McCain’s campaign promised to “go to war” against the New York Times Wednesday night after the newspaper posted its long-awaited story on McCain's alleged relationship with a telecom lobbyist. Both McCain and the woman in question denied having a romantic relationship. The story, word of which first leaked to the Drudge Report in December, relies on anonymous sources tied to McCain who said the lobbyist was warned to keep her distance to the senator in the run-up to his first presidential bid. In the piece, McCain is quoted as telling Times Editor Bill Keller that he never did anything...

NOW THAT HE'S SECURED NOMINATION: NYT DOWNLOADS ON MCCAIN

TOLEDO, Ohio - Republican presidential hopeful John McCain issued a statement Wednesday night saying he "will not allow a smear campaign" to distract from his campaign as published reports questioned his relationship with a lobbyist. The Washington Post quoted longtime aide John Weaver, who split with McCain last year, as saying he met with Vicki Iseman and urged her to stay away from McCain. The New York Times suggested an inappropriate relationship between the Arizona senator and Iseman, a Washington lobbyist. The New York Times quoted anonymous aides saying they had confronted McCain and Iseman, urging them to stay away...

The liberal New York Times is wasting no time in smearing John McCain, the Republican Party nominee for President. Late Wednesday, the Times published to its website a story set to hit print editions Thursday, linking McCain to a female lobbyist. The paper suggested the Arizona Senator has been engaged in an illicit relationship. "A female lobbyist had been turning up with him at fund-raisers, visiting his offices and accompanying him on a client’s corporate jet," the Times reported. "Convinced the relationship had become romantic, some of his top advisers intervened to protect the candidate from himself — instructing staff...

Lobbyist Vicki Iseman is caught up in a scandal involving Republican presidential candidate John McCain. Both John McCain and Vicki Iseman deny they ever had a romantic relationship. From the NY Times: "Early in Senator John McCain’s first run for the White House eight years ago, waves of anxiety swept through his small circle of advisers....

<p>The CaucusThe latest political news from around the nation. Join the discussion.</p> <p>Vicki Iseman at an awards dinner in 2004.</p> <p>A female lobbyist had been turning up with him at fund-raisers, in his offices and aboard a client’s corporate jet. Convinced the relationship had become romantic, some of his top advisers intervened to protect the candidate from himself — instructing staff members to block the woman’s access, privately warning her away and repeatedly confronting him, several people involved in the campaign said on the condition of anonymity.</p>

MSNBC reports that the NY Times top advisers to McCain have intervened to protect McCain from himself. Both McCain and Iseman deny a romantic relationship.Breaking on MSNBC now.......

A Laguna Beach councilwoman once hailed as an environmental crusader was not reappointed to the California Coastal Commission this week after heavy lobbying by conservation groups that wanted a stronger advocate on the panel, officials said Thursday. Toni Iseman was a much-lauded appointment in 2003 when she was named to the state agency that oversees development on the 1,100-mile coast. But her support among environmentalists faded rapidly after several controversial votes. Iseman's critics pointed to her support for development at the Dana Point Headlands and Bolsa Chica wetlands as particularly disappointing. She defended her record, saying that what she considered...