N.Y. Times report on McCain 'incredible leap'

A spokesman for President Bush criticized the New York Times' story implying inappropriate behavior on the part of presumptive GOP presidential nominee Sen. John McCain, calling the reporting logic an "incredible leap."

The comments came today from spokesman Scott Stanzel in response to a question from Les Kinsolving, WND's correspondent at the White House.

"Sen. John McCain held a widely reported press conference yesterday to denounce the sexual innuendos about him published by the New York Times. And my question, the president supports Sen. McCain in this controversy, doesn't he?" asked Kinsolving.

"Well … certainly that's a story that has received a lot of attention," Stanzel said. "I think of lot of people here in this building with experience in a couple campaigns have grown accustomed to the fact that during the course of a campaign, about – seemingly on maybe a monthly basis leading up to the convention, maybe a weekly basis after that, the New York Times does try to drop a bombshell on the Republican nominee.

"And that is something that the Republican nominee has faced in the past, and probably will face in this campaign. And sometimes they make incredible leaps to try to drop those bombshells on the Republican nominees," he continued.

The Times report implied an inappropriate relationship between McCain and a telecommunications lobbyist, Vicki Iseman. McCain denied any romantic relationship with her and described her as a friend.

He said the report by the Times suggesting favoritism for her clients was "not true."

"I've served this nation honorably for more than half a century," said McCain, a former Navy pilot who has represented Arizona for four Senate terms. "At no time have I ever done anything that would betray the public trust."

Stanzel said, "So that is something that we're aware of, and that, unfortunately, is a fact of life."

The Los Angeles Times followed up on the WND question:

"Since yesterday the McCain campaign launched a very aggressive counterattack, and here today the White House is joining in that, can you be a little more specific in how far back is the White House going in saying that the New York Times does this on a weekly basis on a Republican – pretty serious charges," the reporter asked.

"Having been involved in the 2000 and 2004 campaigns, I can tell you that there are many times that we've had this sense, in both of those campaigns," Stanzel said.

"'Many' is different from 'weekly,' though ...," the L.A. Times reporter continued.

"No, I said, about on a monthly basis probably leading up to the convention and then seemingly on a weekly basis after that," Stanzel said.

ABC then followed up.

"Are you, on behalf of the White House, accusing the New York Times of only 'dropping a bomb' on the Republican nominee and never, quote – and never giving that kind of treatment to a Democratic nominee?" the network's reporter asked.

"I'm not saying they never give that kind of treatment, but we see it's pretty regular treatment of the Republican nominee," Stanzel said.

Officials with the New York Times have issued a statement that they not only stand behind their story but behind the timing of its publication.

The New York Times' allegations prompted radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh yesterday to criticize those who expressed surprise at the attack on the candidate the newspaper previously had endorsed.

Rush Limbaugh

"The story is not the story," Limbaugh said. "The story is the Drive-By Media turning on its favorite maverick trying to take him out.

"The New York Times endorsed that candidate while they sat on this story, and now with utter predictability, they are trying to destroy him. This is what you get when you walk across the aisle and try to make these people your friends," Limbaugh said.

"Why should any of us be surprised or even angry at what the New York Times is doing here trying to take out John McCain? Those of you who listen regularly should have been expecting this all along because it's utterly predictable," he said.

"It's as predictable as the sun rising in the morning. It's as predictable as Ted Kennedy finding a bar at happy hour," Limbaugh said.

The newspaper, based on anonymous statements, said aides urged McCain and Iseman to stay away from each other prior to his unsuccessful presidential campaign in 2000.

"Would you give me a break? You're surprised that Page Six-type gossip is on the front page of the New York Times? Where have you been? How in the world can anybody be surprised at the New York Times?" Limbaugh said.

"What have I always said that today is proven beyond a shadow of a doubt? It is this: If you let the media make you, you are subjecting yourself to the media being able to destroy you. Sen. McCain … the important thing about what has happened here in the New York Times, the only important thing to me … I don't care what's in this story. The story is not the story. The story is that this paper endorsed McCain, sat on this story and now puts it out just prior to McCain wrapping up the nomination," he said.

In his second question, Kinsolving asked about the acknowledgment of President Washington's birthday across the U.S.

"Republican Congressman Roscoe Bartlett of Maryland has for years tried to restore this birthday of the father of our country to the holiday it once was, before it was mixed into the amorphous President's Day. And my question, does the president agree or disagree with Mr. Bartlett regarding General and President Washington?" Kinsolving asked.

"I don't think that he's had any comments on that," Stanzel said.

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