McCain Advisers Big on Loyalty, Dissension

Two major advisers resign—may signal the end of the campaign

(NEWSER) - Two major aides have decamped from John McCain's beleaguered presidential campaign, sparking rumors that they were fired and fueling suspicions that the Straight Talk Express is close to derailing. Terry Nelson, McCain's campaign manager, and John Weaver, his chief strategist, hopped off this morning, both with minimal statements assuring their support for the floundering candidate. More»

States seems content to forget the facts, Collins says

(NEWSER) - Virginia might not be so much for lovers as for haters, writes Gail Collins—or at least crazy revisionists of history. Gov. Bob McDonnell's celebration of "Confederate History Month," which failed to acknowledge the existence of slavery in its "love affair with all things Confederate," is the latest in a long line of insults "for those of us who take social studies seriously," Collins writes in the New York Times , noting that secession seems to be in the air. More»

(NEWSER) - The bus that took John McCain from Senate maverick to presidential hopeful can be yours for $89,000, ABC News reports. The Republican’s "Straight Talk Express"—powered by gas, not hot air—is for sale at BusForSale.com. No word on whether McCain’s planning on an upgrade or if he’s looking for extra recession cash. More»

Lobbyist claims to have extracted a retraction; paper disagrees

(NEWSER) - Vicki Iseman’s lawsuit against the New York Times ended not with money changing hands, or a retraction, but with what Iseman’s lawyer have dubbed a retraction of an "implication"—which allows both parties to declare victory, Politico reports. The paper issued a statement that it never claimed the lobbyist had an affair with John McCain in the first place. Times DC bureau chief Dean Baquet says, “We did not retract one word of the story.” More»

Iseman settles with no payment or retraction; article implied affair

(NEWSER) - Vicki Iseman, the lobbyist whose relationship with John McCain was the subject of an explosive New York Times article during the 2008 campaign, has settled her lawsuit against the paper. Iseman will receive no payment, and the Times has not retracted the article, which seemed to imply that she and McCain had an affair. But in an uncommon move, the paper has published a letter from Iseman's lawyers on its website. More»