|
NEW YORK (AP) - A New York Times story examining John McCain's relationship with a female lobbyist eight years ago has thrust the newspaper itself into the spotlight, with McCain slamming the story as a "hit-and-run smear campaign" and conservative pundits rallying to the senator's defense. The Times stood its ground.
Radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh dismissed the story as "gossip" on his show, accusing the paper of sitting on it until just before McCain had the Republican nomination wrapped up — despite the fact that the Times had endorsed McCain on Jan. 25 for the New York State primary.
Separately, McCain's top aide Mark Salter told Time magazine he believed the Times ran with the story because The New Republic magazine was about to run its own story — which it did post, on Thursday — detailing the conflict within the paper over getting the article into print, and wanted to avoid embarrassment.
|