Something for those too busy to get the whole scoop.
25 quotes taken from the John McCain-Vicki Iseman story--with two bonus quotes.
Quotations from before, during and after the New York Times released the story--by the principle participants and others.
27 quotes in all.
Enjoy!
“People like that appeal to me.”
--John McCain, on Charles Keating, in his memoir, "Worth Fighting For"
"More importantly, my children and I not only trust my husband, but know that he would never do anything to not only disappoint our family, but more importantly, disappoint the people of America."
--Cindy McCain, February 21, 2008.
Cindy McCain was involved with the then-married John McCain, before they were married.
"Obviously I'm very disappointed in the article. It's not true,"
--John McCain February 21, 2008
"There is no better illustration of everything that is WRONG with Washington than the John McCain-Vicki Iseman tryst. The Republican Chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee carrying on with a comely female Republican lobbyist who represents the corporate interests of other Republicans with business before the committee and who donates to the chairman's campaigns. Wow!"
--Joseph Palmero, Huffington Post
"If she has nothing to hide, I think she should come forward."
--Gennifer Flowers, former mistress of Bill Clinton, on the TV Show "Extra"
"I had no reason to ask her."
--former McCain top aide, John Weaver, on whether he'd asked Iseman about a romantic affair with John McCain
"I know John McCain [and] attended North Phoenix Baptist Church with him for years. He tried to get many of us to invest in the BFA scandal we told him it was a fraud; he insisted anyway. Later after it was indicted and a fraud, he admitted they supported him with some of the ill gotten gains. He knew it was a Ponzi fraud and yet tried to get us to give it money which then went to him. McCain is a phony and fraud and he should have been indicted in the BFA Scandal."
--Scott, in a comment left on DBKP story, "John McCain: New Female Lobbyist Scandal?"
“Why is she always around?”
--Unnamed McCain aide asking about Iseman in 2000.
“He is essentially an honorable person, but he can be imprudent.”
--William P. Cheshire, a friend of Mr. McCain who as editorial page editor of The Arizona Republic defended him during the Keating Five scandal
"THE NEW YORK TIMES may have raised some questions about John McCain yesterday, but it sure answered a biggie: How does an old white guy get attention when he's running against the potentially first African-American or female president?"
--Jill Porter in the Philadelphia Enquirer
“We used to joke that each of us was the only one eating alone in our caucus."
--Senator Russ Feingold, Democrat of Wisconsin, who became Mr. McCain’s partner on campaign finance efforts, which many conservatives have decried as suppression of free speech and unconstitutional.
“Her conduct and what she allegedly had told people, which made its way back to us.”
--John Weaver, top former McCain aide
“I never discussed with him alleged things I had ‘told people,’ that had made their way ‘back to’ him.”
Vicki Iseman, in an e-mail message to the NY Times
"Get lost".
--former McCain top aide, John Weaver, to Iseman
"Obviously, I'm very disappointed in The New York Times."
--Cindy McCain, February 21 2008
"McCain might not have had sex with "that woman" -- Ms. Iseman -- but Ms. Iseman's corporate clients were balls deep inside McCain's Commerce Committee."
--Joseph Palmero, Huffington Post
"She should surround herself with excellent advisors before she makes any statements."
--Gennifer Flowers, on "Extra"
“I would very much like to think that I have never been a man whose favor can be bought.”
--John McCain, about his Keating experience in his 2002 memoir, “Worth the Fighting For.”
“That imprudence or recklessness may be part of why he was not more astute about the risks he was running with this shady operator.”
--William P. Cheshire on Charles Keating, whose ties to Mr. McCain and four other lawmakers resulted in censure of one senator and investigation of all five, including McCain.
"John McCain plus lobbyist Vicki Iseman equals trouble for Republicans. Just ask the New York Times."
--comment left on YouTube video almost a month before the New York Times released the Iseman-McCain story by the mysterious EllaLohan
"Sanctimonious.”
--Unnamed Bush backer, describing John McCain.
"The New York Times spent about three thousand words attacking the presumptive Republican presidential nominee John McCain with some sort of charges about a lobbyist named Vicki Iseman. They used a bunch of unnamed sources for what many have called a hit piece and that drew comparisons for the newspaper to the National Enquirer.
But is that fair? Probably not for the Enquirer."
--Wendy Cook, in the National Ledger
“Why didn’t I fully grasp the unusual appearance of such a meeting?”
--John McCain about two private meetings with regulators to urge them to ease up on Keating during the Keating Five.
“I never had any good reason to think that the relationship was anything other than professional, a friendly professional relationship.”
--Mark Salter, Mr. McCain’s top strategists in both of his presidential campaigns, who disputed accounts from the former associates and aides and said they did not discuss Ms. Iseman with the senator or colleagues.
"We have the predictable news conference, in which the politician drags out the adoring wife to bolster him as he stands in front of reporters and denies everything."
--Jill Porter, in the Philadelphia Enquirer
“Unless he [McCain] gives you special treatment or takes legislative action against his own views, I don’t think his personal and social relationships matter.”
--Charles Black, McCain friend and campaign adviser who has previously lobbied the senator for aviation, broadcasting and tobacco concerns.
“Any hint that I might have acted to reward a supporter would be taken as an egregious act of hypocrisy.”
--John McCain, in him memoir
Did John McCain and Vicki Iseman discuss "special favors" for her while engaged in "special favors" for him?
We don't know.
But that won't stop people from talking about it--for a while anyway.
DBKP Political Scandal Library Over 40 DBKP stories and videos on scandals--so far--involving the 2008 presidential candidates. Included are Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, John McCain and John Edwards. |
compiled by Mondoreb
image: file
Sources:
* The Mysterious EllaLohan
* Vicki Isman, The National Enquirer and the New York Times
* Thanks to the Old White Guy and the Old Gray Lady
* For McCain, Self-Confidence on Ethics Poses Its Own Risks
* Vicki Iseman Gets Advice from Gennifer Flowers
* Vicki Iseman and John McCain: It's the Money, Stupid
* McCain denies affair with lobbyist
DBKP.com - Bigger, Better!.
Death by 1000 Papercuts Front Page.
Who is the Mysterious Video Commenter?
More Mystery!
Vicki Iseman Bio Returns to Alcalde & Fay Website!
Who is EllaLohan?
How did she know about Vicki Iseman and John McCain before the New York Times published the story?
Very mysterious.
EllaLohan is the name of an apparent video fancier who--weeks before the New York Times released its story about Republican presidential candidate John McCain's alleged affair with Telcom lobbyist Vicki Iseman--was dropping hints of the affair in comments affixed to videos on sites scattered around the Internet.
Mysterious.
She hinted at the relationship between Iseman and McCain which is an " an angle not even Drudge took when it reported on the lobbying angle between Iseman and McCain months ago," as reported on Radar this evening.
The Radar piece tracks some EllaLohan comments:
Here's what EllaLohan wrote on a YouTube video posted by Senator McCain's campaign: "EllaLohan (4 weeks ago): John McCain plus lobbyist Vicki Iseman equals trouble for Republicans. Just ask the New York Times."
Then EllaLohan popped up elsewhere on YouTube with a similar comment for an anti-McCain video: "EllaLohan (1 month ago): i've heard from a bunch of my d.c. friends that mccain is doing special favors for a female lobbyist, who's returning the favor, if you catch my drift. this is the story that his lawyers are trying to prevent the new york times from writing. he's a crook just like the rest of the politicians."
Ella has some knowledge of the coming John McCain-Vicki Iseman story. The question is: How did she know?
The only info found on the mysterious EllaLohan's YouTube profile is her gender—female—and age—40.
Is she an insider who couldn't resist hinting at what she really knew or Drudge clicker with a keen ability to read between the lines? Or better still a Times employee dissatisfied with the paper's hold on the article? Attempts to reach EllaLohan have not been successful.
DBKP attempted to track down EllaLohan.
Attempts by DBKP to contact her have, so far, proved fruitless.
And that's kinda mysterious.
Ella also commented on a video by Electric Light Orchestra last week, but there was no politics in that one. She wrote, "It is the Sainte-Chapelle, a 13th Century royal chapel built in Paris under Louis IX."
Not so mysterious on that one.
But here's a several comments she posted--weeks before the story broke--that we were able to run down on videos sites.
On youTube (from a cached copy of the page):
EllaLohan Jan. 23 (7 hours ago)
John McCain plus lobbyist Vicki Iseman equals trouble for Republicans. Just ask the New York Times.
For this comment, Ella's comment received a -1 from another reader.
On video site, YouTobe
EllaLohan (20 hours ago)
Ask John McCain about his lobbyist "friend" Vicki Iseman. I dare you...
This comment is nowhere to be seen now, but is available in a cached copy.
Posted on a video site Video Momentum en video.es
> EllaLohan dijo el 26-01-08 a las 23:16:
Ask John McCain about his lobbyist "friend" Vicki Iseman. I dare you...
Posted on TechVidSite, on a video entitled, "Mitt Surfing"
EllaLohan (January 26, 2008 at 10:14 pm)
Ask John McCain about his lobbyist "friend" Vicki Iseman. I dare you...
The comment is now gone, but again, it can be seen on a cached copy of the site at the time of the comment.
At funingames:
( 2 weeks ago by EllaLohan). i've heard from a bunch of my dc friends that mccain is doing special favors for a female lobbyist, who's returning the favor, ...
More EllaLohan "insight":
TechVidSite.com - Web Ad: Mittsurfing (http://www.techvidsite.com/video/EgbQviUqndg)
EllaLohan (January 26, 2008 at 10:14 pm)
Ask John McCain about his lobbyist "friend" Vicki Iseman. I dare you...
So who is EllaLohan?
Is she someone who dug up the info on Iseman and her long-standing relationship with John McCain after reading a December 20 2007 Drudge report posting?
Is she Marilyn W. Thompson, the Times reporter on the Iseman-McCain story who was reportedly so upset at the Times sitting on the story that she left and is heading back to the Washington Post?
Is Thompson a video buff?
Is she interested in Mitt Romney windsurfing videos?
Will EllaLohan reveal more about how she knew what she knew when she knew it?
Will she leave the answer to that question posted on a video?
We will probably never know the answers or the identity of the mysterious EllaLohan.
And that's probably just the way she'd want it.
Vicki Iseman Alcalde & Fay website bio and picture update: The information on lobby firm, Alcalde & Fay's website about partner, Vicki Iseman, has now reappeared. The information disappeared from the A&F site shortly after the New York Times story appeared on the Times website. Numerous sites had screenshots of the bio and picture of Iseman, however. Another mysterious occurrence. |
DBKP Political Scandal Library Over 40 DBKP stories and videos on political scandals of the 2008 presidential candidates. Included are stories on Barack Obama, John McCain, Hillary Clinton and John Edwards. |
by Mondoreb
images:
* hermansgallery
* quizilla
Sources:
*
* funingames
* Anonymous Poster Had the goods on McCain, Times
Death by 1000 Papercuts Front Page.
McCain Story an Indication of "State of the Times"
UPDATE: Times Writer Paid to Write Hit Piece
easily be used as a chart for circulation, advertising and credibility.
It may also be the source of the Times gloomy reporting on the US economy.
John Weaver, John McCain's former political adviser said that he never talked to or asked Vicki Iseman about a romantic relationship with the Senator, because "he never had any reason to."
CNN contacted Weaver--and fairly easily it seems to us--after the New York Times hinted, insinuated and danced around the idea in yesterday's story that there may have been a romantic relationship between Iseman and McCain.
Some reports are calling the Times story a "hit piece" and McCain himself labeled the story a "smear" this morning.
UPDATE: From Newsbusters 2:10 pm Thursday February 21, 2008 It seems that one of the Times reporters on the John McCain story was paid by a liberal activist group to write another newspaper story about another Republican senator a couple years ago. As media digest the recent John McCain sex scandal allegations by the New York Times, one side of the story seems destined to get ignored: one of the four co-authors took money from a liberal activist group to fund a hit piece about Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Kent.) in 2006. |
It's more accurate to label the story as "Times reporting" and let it go at that.
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 about any romantic relationship with McCain because “there was no reason to.”
“My concern wasn’t about anything John had done, it was about her comments it was about access she claimed to have had,” Weaver told CNN. “I had no reason to question her about anything that is implied in the New York Times story.”
Weaver was McCain’s campaign manager until this past summer, when he left as part of a staff shakeup. But Weaver tells CNN he still talks to campaign officials on a daily basis and he still “loves John McCain.”
“I don’t have an axe to grind,” Weaver said.
John McCain's campaign would have been better served by issuing a one-sentence response.
"The story appeared in the New York Times."
Of course, the McCain campaign was likely pleased to have recently received the Times Republican endorsement.
But then the Times had to endorse someone on the Republican side, if only for appearance sake.
The charts accompanying this story show the NY Times stock prices and circulation figures. As can clearly be seen, the Times is in a long-term spiral downwards.
Either graph could just as easily be one of the NY Times credibility and trustworthiness in delivering fair unbiased reporting.
As reported last week, the Times is cutting staff by 500 in its newsroom operations.
(Mainstream Media Cutbacks: Jobs, Stock Prices, Advertising, Bureaus, Ratings)
The Vicki Iseman-John McCain story is just the latest example of "Times reporting".
Expect the downward spiral to continue.
DBKP Political Scandal Library Over 35 stories on scandals involving the 2008 presidential candidates. Included are stories and videos on Hillary Clinton, John Edwards, John McCain and Barack Obama. If you are a New York Times reader, read the stories that you never saw in the "Grey Lady"--except for McCain. |
by Mondoreb
images:
* political calculations
*johnsville
Source:
* Former McCain Aide Speaks Out on Times Report
Death by 1000 Papercuts Front Page.
Fox News yesterday: "No Substantial Evidence"
Times doesn't Mention if McCain is conservative
Reader: "Times uncovered evidence that McCain's a Republican"
McCain calls Times story a "smear"
John McCain, speaking in Toledo, OH this morning categorically denied the insinuations of yesterday's New York Times story about improper conduct with lobbyist, Vicki Iseman.
"Obviously I'm very disappointed in the article. It's not true," the four-term Arizona senator told a news conference. "At no time have I ever done anything that would betray the public trust or make a decision which in any way would not be in the public interest and would favor any one or any organization."
The Times ran an article yesterday hinted that McCain may have had a romantic affair with Iseman and that members of his staff had been concerned about appearances during the 2000 election.
Absent from the Times story were any assertions that Senator McCain was a "conservative".
McCain described Iseman as a "friend" whom he has seen on "various occasions" in Washington including fund-raisers. "I have many friends in Washington that represent various interests," he said. "I consider her a friend."
McCain did not mention if he thought Iseman was a "conservative".
Over the last three weeks, the media, McCain backers and McCain himself have maintained that the Arizona Senator is a "conservative".
This has brought a sharp response from conservative talk show hosts, conservative groups and others in the conservative cause who have crossed swords with McCain on any host of issues in his Senate tenure.
Newsbusters' Justin McCarthy had this interesting item this morning:
[Correspondent Carl Cameron of Fox News] revealed on the February 21 edition of "Fox and Friends," that Fox News came across these rumors last fall. Cameron stated that they were "unable to substantiate any of it."
In regards to the alleged affair with lobbyist Vicki Iseman, Cameron asserted that they "were able to find precisely nobody who would go on the record or even suggest off the record that there was truth to the suggestion that there had been any sort of an inappropriate personal relationship."
DBKP Political Scandal Library Over 35 stories on scandals involving the 2008 Presidential contenders. Included are DBKP stories and videos on John Edwards, Hillary Clinton, John McCain and Barack Obama. |
The lengthy Times article was basically two parts: the first part recounted the concerns of former staff members that McCain might be giving the wrong impression by hanging out with a telecom lobbyist--mostly in the 2000 election--and the remainder of the article was background on McCain's involvement, during his first senate term, in the Keating Five Scandal.
One DBKP reader commented that the only proof the Times has been able to produce is "evidence that McCain is a Republican". DBKP has been able to confirm this.
Last evening, after the story starting spreading, Iseman's employer, lobby firm Alcalde & Fay, pulled her bio and picture from it's website.
Both McCain's campaign and Iseman denied any improper conduct.
The New York Times has not yet issued a statement on whether its conduct was improper.
Several sources have begun questioning the timing and motives of the New York Times running what was essentially a background piece they had the information on after McCain's other competitors--save Mike Huckabee--had dropped from the Republican presidential race.
Both of the Times preferred candidates have scandals brewing.
The Times endorsed Barack Obama and McCain recently.
Senator Barack Obama has had allegations from Larry Sinclair over the last month that Sinclair shared sex and drugs with Obama in the back of a limo in 1999 in Gurnee, IL when Obama was an Illinois state representative.
The Times has remained silent on the Obama affair, as has the rest of the Mainstream press.
Sinclair is taking a polygraph test next week and has filed a federal lawsuit against Obama for harassment since Sinclair first made his allegations late last month.
The Times has been silent every aspect of the Sinclair allegations.
Perhaps The New York Times is, as one reader speculated, "holding the Obama material until the Democratic contest is decided--or until it goes away".
by Mondoreb
iamge: file; iview
Sources:
* FNC's Cameron found no substantial evidence in McCain/Iseman
* Today on the Campaign Trail
Death by 1000 Papercuts Front Page.
Why Did the NY Times Sit on Story?
Why Did Alcalde & Fay Pull Vicki Iseman's bio from its website?
The story of Vicki Iseman and any relationship to John McCain is starting to shift.
Questions are starting to arise as to the way the New York Times handled the story, when they chose to publish it, and their motives.
For a "scandal", unless the Times, which has spent a lot of time on the story, has any more information it's sitting on, this story will have the legs of Long John Silver.
Senator McCain's campaign has issued a response the NY Times article.
“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.”
DBKP Political Scandal Library
-- Over 40 stories and videos on scandals involving 2008 Presidential Candidates, including Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, John McCain and John Edwards.
----
Reuters has reported that "McCain will address the Times story at a news conference in Toledo, Ohio, at 9 a.m. EST (1400 GMT) on Thursday."
McCain was asked about the Times story by reporters at the airport in Toledo, after returning from campaign events in Illinois. "I haven't seen it yet, so I can't comment," he said.
It's hard to see what everyone is so worked up about: the Times story is mostly some innuendo, some hints and a long recounting of McCain's involvement in the Keating Five Scandal.
Still, we wonder about the disappearance of Vicki Iseman's biographical info and picture from the lobby firm, Alcalde & Fay's website last evening.
What does that mean?
As reported in our earlier story, "Who is Vicki Iseman?", that Iseman's information and photo had disappeared from the Alcalde & Fay website shortly after we'd copied it for the story.
The enterprising folks at Buckeye State Blog were quick enough to grab a screen shot of the page before it vanished.
It is reproduced below in--all in the cause of history.
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.
The Times stated that McCain declined repeated attempts at an interview.
How about one question from a Times reporter to John Edwards on the Rielle Hunter affair?
Just one.
No Times reporter thought it news to ask John Edwards if he denies he has been in telephone contact with Rielle Hunter since she found out she was pregnant.
Where is the persistence of the Times journalists in that story?
Just one question.
The difference in the Times attitude toward John McCain--a candidate that has none of the damning evidence against him that Edwards had in the Rielle Hunter story--is revealing about how the Times covers "news" and "scandals".
The lack of even one attempt to ask one question to John Edwards vs. "repeated attempts to interview John McCain on Vicki Iseman.
Sam Stein, at Huffington Post, makes an interesting observation.
In the wake of revelations that Sen. John McCain had a close and perhaps romantic relationship with a telecommunications lobbyist, political observers are left wondering why The New York Times chose to run the article when it did. Meanwhile, conservatives are contemplating how different the election would be had the story been published sooner.
Back to Vicki Iseman.
The following is the damning part of the entire Times story:
A female lobbyist had been turning up with him at fund-raisers, visiting his offices and accompanying him on 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.
When news organizations reported that Mr. McCain had written letters to government regulators on behalf of the lobbyist’s client, the former campaign associates said, some aides feared for a time that attention would fall on her involvement.
Mr. McCain, 71, and the lobbyist, Vicki Iseman, 40, both say they never had a romantic relationship. But to his advisers, even the appearance of a close bond with a lobbyist whose clients often had business before the Senate committee Mr. McCain led threatened the story of redemption and rectitude that defined his political identity.
Nothing there that we can see.
The Times then unloads on what is a decidedly disappointing--for a scandal--money shot.
The lobbyist, a partner at the firm Alcalde & Fay, represented telecommunications companies for whom Mr. McCain’s commerce committee was pivotal. Her clients contributed tens of thousands of dollars to his campaigns.
Mr. Black said Mr. McCain and Ms. Iseman were friends and nothing more. But 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.
The Times says that during the 2000 primary contest with George Bush, "Mr. Bush’s allies called Mr. McCain “sanctimonious.”"
And that is mostly what the story is about: John McCain's arrogance. It's something that conservatives have long complained of when the Arizona senator spurned conservative principles to garner media approval, such as on global warming.
Being arrogant is no scandal, though.
If it were, the New York Times would reek of scandal.
Even the Times article title, "For McCain, Self-confidence on Ethics Poses its own Risks", could be emblazoned upon a plaque and affixed to the front of the Times Building--minus the "For McCain".
FYI:
Vicki Iseman's 2007 Clients and Amount of Lobbying Contract for Alcalde & Fay Arison Family Trust $60,000 BearingPoint Inc $700,000 CACI International $160,000 [total] City of Miami, FL $60,000 Computer Sciences Corp $400,000 Homer-Center School District $20,000 Indiana University of Pennsylvania $40,000 Ion Media Networks $60,000 Jovan Broadcasting $60,000 Operation Warm $20,000 Saga Communications $40,000 Total Living Network $40,000 --from The Center for Responsive Politics |
What did the Times story accomplish? Stein speculates, as does Bay Buchanan, an adviser for Mitt Romney's suspended campaign.
Regardless of the paper's motives, conservative pundits were left fuming, noting that the Times had, at once, spared McCain at the point of his greatest vulnerability (when his campaign was still a long shot) and denied his primary opponents perhaps the knock-out blow. Would the GOP have a different candidate on its hands had things been handled differently?
"Oh, there's no question it would have impacted [the race]," Bay Buchanan, a former adviser of ex-Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, told CNN. "I think John McCain would not have won this primary if there's any evidence whatsoever that surfaces that these stories are true... McCain's lawyers went into the New York Times and said do not touch this story. Do not move on this story. And there's no question this was beneficial to McCain to hold the story. No question. His nomination was very much threatened by this story if it broke too early. So what they did was hurt the Republican Party by not allowing this to be aired properly at the time they received this information."
As we've said before, until the New York Times, and the rest of the Mainstream Media, show the persistence about other candidates, we'll assume it's the same old NY Times.
John McCain may be arrogant and "sanctimonious".
But he's a piker compared to the Times.
"All the news that fits--the Times' agenda."
by Mondoreb
images:
* Buckeye State Blogs
Sources:
* Why Did the NY Times Hold the McCain-Lobbyist Story?
* For McCain, Self-confidence on Ethics Poses its own risks
* Buckeye State Blog
* The Center for Responsive Politics
Death by 1000 Papercuts Front Page.
You be the Judge
Vicki Iseman (left) and Cindy McCain (right)
Some have remarked on the striking similarities between these two photos of Vicki Iseman--whom the NY Times hints had a "romantic relationship" with Senator John McCain--and Cindy McCain.
We don't want to make any judgments, but we decided to present side-by-side photos and let readers come to their own conclusions as to how similar the two may or may not be.
Someone at the Huffington Post must have thought so, too. They posted the above side-by-side comparison pix.
So: how about it?
Are there "striking similarities", as one reader put it?
by Mondoreb
[hat tip: huffingtonpost]
images: alcalde & Fay; care
Death by 1000 Papercuts Front Page.
DBKP Library of Political Scandals
DBKP stories involving 2008 Presidential Candidates
* Vicki Isemin-John McCain
* Hillary Clinton-Huma Abedin
* Barack Obama-Larry Sinclair
* John Edwards-Rielle Hunter
DBKP Political Scandal Library DBKP stories and videos about scandals involving 2008 Presidential candidates. JOHN McCAIN-VICKI ISEMAN DBKP stories about, or mentioning, the John McCain-Vicki Iseman connection: * 25 Vicki Iseman-John McCain Affair Quotes Who is the Internet commentator who dropped hints in comments on video websites weeks before the NYTimes released their story on John McCain-Vicki Iseman? * The Mysterious EllaLohan Cindy McCain: Lies, Drugs, Theft, and Intimidation John McCain used his Keating Five lawyer to file extortion charges against the man who called the DEA about wife, Cindy's Drug Theft * Cindy McCain: The McCain Manipulation Machine * Vicki Iseman: McCain's Aide "Had no reason to ask her" about Romantic Involvement" Is it true that the only evidence the NY Times has is that John McCain is a Republican? * "Denials and "No Substantial Evidence" * Vicki Iseman, McCain: Times Story's Motives, Timing Questioned * Who is Vicki Iseman? * John McCain: New Female Lobbyist Scandal * Cindy McCain-Vicki Iseman: Striking Similarities? From December 21, 2007 * John McCain and Lobbyists: Not Exactly News From December 20, 2007 * John McCain Tries Spiking NY Times Story: Ghosts of the Keating Five Past? From December 20, 2007 * McCain Lobbyist Story: Spin, Smear or Straight Reporting? From January 31, 2008 * John McCain's Double Talk Tango JOHN EDWARDS-RIELLE HUNTER  Over 25 stories involving John Edwards and "producer" Rielle Hunter, who produced a video for the Edwards campaign. The video mysteriously disappeared and questions began to be raised as to "why?" and "Who is Rielle Hunter?" The National Enquirer broke the story in October 2007. Edwards denied it and Rielle Hunter denounced the Enquirer--even though it had not named her as the other woman. In December 2007, the Enquirer published a picture of the now-pregnant Rielle Hunter. Hunter had been moved to within 5 miles of the Edwards campaign HQ in Chapel Hill, NC. She was living in a $1 million-plus home of an Edwards' backer, driving a BMW registered to Edwards former Director of Finance and having her bills paid for by--whom? Stories on Hunter, Edwards and the subsequent total Mainstream Media blackout of the story. * DBKP John Edwards Love Child Scandal Library Over 30 DBKP stories on the John Edwards-Rielle Hunter Love Child Scandal. LARRY SINCLAIR and BARACK OBAMA  Ongoing story of Larry Sinclair, a gay man who alleges a night of sex and cocaine in the back of Sinclair's rented limo in Gurnee, IL in 1999. Sinclair has since filed a federal lawsuit against Obama and others in the campaign alleging harassment. Sinclair is scheduled to take a polygraph test next week (week of February 24, 2008. Again, the MSM has imposed a total news blackout on the story. Includes the video where Sinclair makes his allegations. The video, on YouTube, has over 400,000 hits at last count. * Larry Sinclair: Latest on the Obama Accuser * Larry Sinclair: Obama Accuser Hits up YouTubers for Cash * Obama: Muslim Call to Prayer "One of the Sweetest Sounds on Earth" * Controversy Surrounding Polygraph Expert Larry Sinclair's full statement and additions: * Sinclair Flunks Polygraph; Polygraph Expert Flunks Credibility Test? * Larry Sinclair Fails Polygraph Tests * Obama Supporters Circulating Fake Washington Post Editorial? We contacted Larry Sinclair. After a brief exchange of emails, we received no more response. We fill in the blanks on Larry Sinclair. * Larry Sinclair: Obama Accuser Takes a Polygraph * Bill O'Reilley Tap-Dances around Larry Sinclair-Obama Story * Larry Sinclair: Obama, Sex, Drugs and the MSM * Obama: Gay Man Alleges Sex, Drugs with Barack in 1999 * NEW! "Obama: Gay Man Threatened Over Sex and Drugs Claims" HILLARY CLINTON's SEXUALITY  Two stories on the relationship between "special assistant" Huma Abedin. * Hillary Clinton's Lesbian: It would set Gay Rights Back 50 years * Hillary Coming Out: Resume Enhancement? |
by Mondoreb
Death by 1000 Papercuts Front Page.
Death by 1000 Papercuts Front Page.
John McCain Gave "Special Favors to Female Lobbyist"
Vicki Iseman, who is alleged by the New York Times to be the female lobbyist given "special favors" by John McCain, is a partner at Alcalde & Fay, a DC lobbying firm.
UPDATE: 10:30 pm February 20 2007 Alerted by a comment on this story, which is posted at other websites, all information about VICKI ISEMAN on the Alcalde & Fay website has now disappeared. The information and picture below was copied from the website for the original posting of this story. |
From the firm's website:
Vicki Iseman, Partner, represents corporate and public clients on issues as diverse as government contracting and regulatory reform. Her experience includes representation of clients before Congress, Federal government agencies and local opinion leaders.
She has extensive experience in telecommunications, representing corporations before the House and Senate Commerce Committees. Her work on the landmark 1992 and 1996 communications bills helped secure cable access for broadcast television stations. Her experience in the communications field includes digital television conversion, satellite regulations and telecommunications ownership provisions.
She has been active in grassroots communications campaigns for clients, building community based support for legislative initiatives. Among others, she participated in the "Keep America Moving" campaign that educated community leaders on the allocation of Federal highway trust funds.
In addition, she has consulted for clients who are interested in government contracting opportunities. She has assisted corporations through the authorization and appropriation process. An active fundraiser, she has organized and participated in many political fundraising events.
A native of Pennsylvania, she holds a B.A. degree in Education from Indiana University in Pennsylvania.
Other DBKP stories about, or mentioning, the John McCain-Vicki Iseman connection:
* John McCain: New Female Lobbyist Scandal
From December 21, 2007
* John McCain and Lobbyists: Not Exactly News
* McCain Lobbyist Story: Spin, Smear or Straight Reporting?
From December 20, 2007
* John McCain Tries Spiking NY Times Story: Ghosts of the Keating Five Past?
From January 31, 2008
* John McCain's Double Talk Tango
EQUAL TIME: Other Political Candidate Scandals at DBKP * DBKP Political Scandal Library Listing of all DBKP stories and videos which involve 2008 Presidential candidates. Includes the links below and others involving Barack Obama, John Edwards, John McCain and Hillary Clinton. * DBKP John Edwards Love Child Scandal Library Over 30 DBKP stories on the John Edwards-Rielle Hunter Love Child Scandal. * Larry Sinclair: Obama, Sex, Drugs and the MSM * Obama: Gay Man Alleges Sex, Drugs with Barack in 1999 |
by Mondoreb
image: alcade & Fay; Alaska Report
source: Alcade & Fay website
Death by 1000 Papercuts Front Page.
New York Times says "Waves of Anxiety"
Swept Through McCain Camp
A new scandal for the McCain campaign?
And even though The New York Times doesn't have much credibility in the news or editorial departments, we're going to comment on it.
Lobbyist Vicki Iseman is caught up in a scandal involving Republican presidential candidate John McCain.
Both McCain and Iseman, naturally enough, have denied having any romantic relationship.
John McCain
From the NY Times, a member in good standing of the Mainstream Media wing of the Democratic National Committee:
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.
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.
When news organizations reported that Mr. McCain had written letters to government regulators on behalf of the lobbyist’s clients, the former campaign associates said, some aides feared for a time that attention would fall on her involvement.
Mr. McCain, 71, and the lobbyist, Vicki Iseman, 40, both say they never had a romantic relationship. But to his advisers, even the appearance of a close bond with a lobbyist whose clients often had business before the Senate committee Mr. McCain led threatened the story of redemption and rectitude that defined his political identity.
We'll start by saying that any regular readers knows that there's no love lost between DBKP and John McCain.
McCain is not a conservative, but his backers continually chastise conservatives for not kowtowing to the "Straight Talker".
But, our intense disdain for the New York Times and their "reportage" is legendary.
The fact that this story showed up in the Times reveals more about the NY Times than John McCain.
The POS Times, who remained deaf and dumb and blind during, after and through the present-day concerning the John Edwards Love Child scandal and, more recently, the Larry Sinclair allegations about Barack Obama, finally have found some unnamed sources they deem worthy to report on.
So, when considering how much weight to give to this story, remember the source.
Back on December 21, DBKP reported on an unnamed female Telecom lobbyist that McCain had shown special favors to.
"John McCain and Lobbyists: Not Exactly News"
We wrote four or five stories on McCain's lobbyists relationships, quashed stories and such. But we wrote over 25 stories on the tawdry affair and subsequent cover-up of John Edwards and Rielle Hunter.
Where was the august NY Times then?
For that matter, where is the Times now?
Not one drop of ink was spilled on the Time's pages about that affair, which is still on-going.
The Times is also silent on the Larry Sinclair allegations and federal lawsuit concerning Barack Obama.
Of course, McCain has an "R" beside his name, while Obama and Edwards have the "Time's Anointed" "D" besides their's.
So our skepticism concerning the NY Time's John McCain story is well-deserved.
Until the Times shows the same balance in reporting unnamed allegations, they're still the same tired, mistrusted New York Times.
News that's fit for the supermarket checkout line--sometimes--and that's about it.
by Mondoreb
image: Alaska Report
Source: NYTimes
* Vicki Iseman in John McCain Scandal
Death by 1000 Papercuts Front Page.
