Defending McCain from Adultery, Corruption and The Times

Top Republicans are absolutely apoplectic over new reports that John McCain had an ethically inappropriate (possibly romantic) relationship with a lobbyist, accepted favors from corporations while criticizing the practice, and ran an Orwellian-branded soft money operation, "The Reform Institute," to advance his career and political cronies while railing against soft money.

But the G.O.P. elites aren't mad that McCain did any of those things. They're upset that the media is covering it. In fact, the rage is so intense that many of McCain's harshest Republican critics are rallying around the ethically challenged Senator. The Atlantic's Marc Ambinder cites reactions from arch-conservatives like The American Spectator, The National Review and Commentary, and explains:

The Times story may have succeeded in accomplishing what politics itself could not: unifying the conservative base around McCain by way of their visceral disgust with the New York Times and its lib-ber-ral politics.

Conservative elites do relish attacking The Times, and their default reaction to bad news is to attack the messenger, whether it's Joe Wilson or a newspaper. But The Times editorial staff endorsed McCain, and its news staff held the story for months while McCain trailed in the primaries -- when it would have done the maximum damage. And the paper has repeatedly delayed stories under pressure from the Right Wing machine, including bombshells about Bin Laden and spying, as Cenk Uyger writes today:

The McCain campaign threatened and intimidated them as the Bush team has done on countless occasions and they gave in until someone else was about to release the story. The only thing worse than being bullied by Republicans is getting scooped by your competitors. The story here isn't that the NYT is trying to hurt conservatives, it's the exact opposite -- they're afraid of them. On every occasion that they have had a major story like this, they have held it after being badgered by Republicans. They only print the stories when there are no other options left and the story is about to get printed elsewhere anyway.

So attacking The Times makes no sense, even by the low conspiracy standards of the conservative echo chamber. But more consequentially, this ploy will not cut much ice with the rank and file conservative base. Put aside the G.O.P. establishment in Washington, and you won't find Times-hatred animating much McCain enthusiasm. Active Republicans still back Mike Huckabee because they can't stomach John McCain. This week's news won't help -- no matter who you hear it from.

--
Originally posted at The Nation. Full disclosure: I frequently appear as a guest on Cenk Uyger's Air America show.

Comments

[OhioPoBoy]

So the guy was chasing his current wife in Hawaii while his then wife was fat and handicapped at home. Does that sound heroic? He married a rich woman who could finance his ambitions but charmed his children and friends, even his ex-wife, to forgive him and support his dreams. Quite the kidder, eh? He may have even had a "friendship" with a pretty blonde while married to the pretty blonde he had a "friendship" with when he was first married. My friends, give me a minute with my friend. Just reporting this information is causing the right to unite behind someone they think is unworthy of their godly judgement. Bloviations and indignity from the Oxycotin Oxymoron. This is America at its tackiest. No wonder Obama appeals to me. He seems to have a normal family and a functional first marriage.

[realitytrumpsbull]

I hope any and all aspirants to The Office and willing adherents remember to do a little of the ol' independent thinking, there, just 10 minutes a day, go to the 'happy place' where there's no cell phone, no TV, no one yammering at you, and ponder the old imponderables to the best of your mortal ability. You have the counterweight 'twixt your ears, make a good-faith effort to utilize it and not get caught up in the 'we're gonna win' garbage. Cheerleaders got us into Iraq, rational and reasoned thinkers will get us back out. Our 'tank' is hulled in, in Iraq, and the engine's broke. Your move.

LOL

[hopeless277]

Gee, I guess McCain is more of a conservative Republican that I thought. If only it had been underage pages or hookers instead of a lobbyist, he would have won over the ENTIRE Republican base.

Shoot first and ask questions later. McCain 08!

[Gdebs]

McCain, "Was it good for you,my friend?"

[oldpotsmuggler]

Politicians lie, politicians cheat, politicians steal. Power is an aphrodesiac. Are there any good ones? Probably not. More of a necessary evil than anything, but I will godamned well, rock soild, iron clad guarantee you the the lefties are far less evil than the righties.

That's the adult version of politics and politics is something that rightly ought to be engaged in only by adults.

[Henry]

If the allegations were not true (preference to a particular Lobbyist for personal reasons) the story would be seriously laughed out of existence. The body language and the mild rejection by McCain reminds me of the baseball players using the steroids.
You know, in life, once you can get your opponent to lie, it's game over. And so it is with McCain and the Republicans. All of this campaign investment dollars pissed into the wind. (Oh...by the way, does this campaign money pissed away add to our GDP?)

[Researchguy66]

It does, yes.