On January 25, 2008, The New York Times endorsed John McCain for the Republican Presidential nomination. Last night, they may have tried to torpedo his campaign. I am reminded of a line from the first episode of the Cosby show. Cliff Huxtable (Cosby) says to his son Theo: "I brought you into this world, and I can take you out."
John McCain has for a long time been the Republican that liberals, independents, and the mainstream approve of. This has usually been because he was doing something to annoy other Republicans. McCain’s middle name is after all Maverick. I am surprised he wasn’t cast as a fifth Maverick brother (ok technically Roger Moore was a cousin). Although it would have been interesting if he had the Tom Cruise role in Top Gun as he really was a fighter jet flying war hero. Anyway I digress…
I think a part of the reason conservatives aren’t enthusiastic about McCain is that they really hate the New York Times. The friend of my enemy is my enemy? So maybe this wasn’t an attempt to torpedo McCain but to help him unite the GOP base. Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity and just about all of the right wing media have come to McCain’s defense to bash the Times. The New York Times story may well help McCain instead of hurting him.
Of course maybe that’s just what they want us to think. If they get Rush Limbaugh on McCain’s side, that might hurt him with independents. Ha Ha I have uncovered the true plot!!! (Just kidding)
As for the Times story itself, I don’t think very much of it as journalism. The “scandal” boils down to a 9 year old allegation that two McCain staffers thought McCain’s relationship with a young pretty lobbyist MIGHT have been romantic. That is hardly Gary Hart being caught red handed with Donna Rice on his yacht Monkey Business after challenging the press to follow him. There is no evidence beyond a decade old innuendo.
The timing of the story is interesting too. Mike Barnicle said on MSNBC this morning that he first heard of this story from a NYT reporter in New Hampshire in December. That reporter wasn’t working on the story, he just knew the Times was working on it. That means of course that the times had this story when they endorsed John McCain. What does that say about what the Times thinks of the story?
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