The New York Times put out an article that presidential candidate John McCain might have had an affair with former lobbyist Vicki Iseman in 1999-2000. The range of reaction of the electorate has included cries that the article was an unfit attempt to smear McCain (Bill O’Reilly) to “Oh no, not this affair stuff again” (the electorate and populace) to charges of the hypocrisy of McCain not upholding his own standards on lobbyists and special interests.
A little background: Charges of McCain hypocrisy on Special Interests is nothing new …
The Huffington Post: HuffPost Exclusive: More Lobbyists On McCain Staff Than Any Other 08 Candidate
The Huffington Post’s Thomas Edsall reported on McCain lobbyist hypocrisy back in June 2007 stated that GOP Presidential candidate John McCain, “who made his name attacking special interests, has more lobbyists working on his staff or as advisers than any of his competitors, Republican or Democrat.”
On the McCain-Iseman Lobbyist Scandal …
Plenty of current criticism aligned with the New York Times article, such as the following two articles …
The Huffington Post: McCain: The ‘Anti-Lobbyist’ Who Works With Lobbyists
Washington Post: The Anti-Lobbyist, Advised by Lobbyists
The Sexual Relationship Question …
TheAtlantic.com (blog by Matthew Yglesias): McCain and Iseman
Many just feel the New York Time McCain-Iseman article degrades the reputation of the New York Times …
Slate (Reply Comment): Unfit to Print
Thanks to lack of evidence, the article reads not like an exposé but like an elaborate and extended piece of insinuation.