February
20 McCain Expose Centers on Broadcast Lobbyist

A long rumored New York Times investigation into John McCain's ties to an industry lobbyist just landed on the paper's website tonight --- which probably raises more questions than it answers.

It suggests that something inappropriate went on between McCain and Vicki Iseman, a lobbyist for such communications moguls as Lowell "Bud" Paxson, founder of family network Pax TV.  McCain sits on the Sentae Commerce Committee, which overseas the broadcast and cable business. Much of McCain's Hollywood support comes from execs in the broadcast and cable business.

But the suggestion that McCain --- the campaign finance reformer --- was somehow swayed by special interests is the "dry" part of the Times story.

It's the implication that McCain and Iseman were perhaps a bit too close --- even though each has denied they were in a romantic relationship.

The Times story, bylined by four staff writers and two researchers, includes these graphs: "In 1999 she began showing up so frequently in his offices and at campaign events that staff members took notice. One recalled asking, “Why is she always around?”

"That February, Mr. McCain and Ms. Iseman attended a small fund-raising dinner with several clients at the Miami-area home of a cruise-line executive and then flew back to Washington along with a campaign aide on the corporate jet of one of her clients, Paxson Communications. By then, according to two former McCain associates, some of the senator’s advisers had grown so concerned that the relationship had become romantic that they took steps to intervene.

"A former campaign adviser described being instructed to keep Ms. Iseman away from the senator at public events, while a Senate aide recalled plans to limit Ms. Iseman’s access to his offices.

"In interviews, the two former associates said they joined in a series of confrontations with Mr. McCain, warning him that he was risking his campaign and career. 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."

It's still pretty opaque stuff --- depending on what you read into "behaving inappropriately." So it's hard to actually label this a Gennifer Flowers/Donna Rice scandal yet, outside of the Beltway rumor mill.

McCain tried to run interference, calling editor Bill Keller to complain about the inquiry. And his campaign issued a statement, “It is a shame that The New York Times has lowered its standards to engage in a hit-and-run smear campaign. John McCain has a 24-year record of serving our country with honor and integrity. He has never violated the public trust, never done favors for special interests or lobbyists, and he will not allow a smear campaign to distract from the issues at stake in this election.

“Americans are sick and tired of this kind of gutter politics, and there is nothing in this story to suggest that John McCain has ever violated the principles that have guided his career.”