Iseman (Non?) Scandal

Stories

17 Stories

October 2008
- Lobbyist Denies McCain Affair
  
  National Journal | Oct 17, 08 5:07 PM CDT
  
  (Newser) - Vicki Iseman lashed out at the New York Times and a former John McCain adviser for the February story that implied an affair occurred between her and the Republican candidate, the National Journal reports. “I did not have a sexual relationship with Sen. McCain,” Iseman says. In fact, the lobbyist amplifies, “I have never even been alone with Sen. McCain.” More »
April 2008
- McCain Advisers Big on Loyalty, Dissension
  
  New Republic | Apr 11, 08 5:30 PM CDT
  
  (Newser) - John McCain’s inner circle is a hotbed of animosity and infighting among his fiercely loyal advisers, Jason Zengerle writes in the New Republic . Years of Freudian feuding by John Weaver and Rick Davis created a team divided not only on personal lines, but also on philosophical ones, between a top-down campaign and a nimbler, decentralized effort. More »
March 2008
- Saint John Still Tainted by Senate Murk
  
  Time | Mar 27, 08 12:12 PM CDT
  
  (Newser) - With John McCain the presumptive Republican nominee, Democrats are rushing to expose chinks in the Arizona senator's saintly armor, Michael Scherer reports in Time . Though McCain talks tough about special interests, he has often appeared to have done their bidding. He once, for example, wrote a letter on behalf of a donor after a fundraiser on said donor’s yacht. More »
- Thank You, Sex Scandal!
  
  Der Spiegel | Mar 18, 08 5:50 PM CDT
  
  (Newser) - Here's to the US sex scandal! Eliot Spitzer and Larry Craig make American politicians seem almost human, Gabor Steingart writes in Der Spiegel . He claims that prudish Americans are fueled by secret lust—"and, in the case of some politicians, naked lunacy." Which makes public shame "an invaluable benefit" to the body politic. More »
February 2008
- Journos Find Fault With NYT Story
  
  Cleveland Plain Dealer | Feb 25, 08 7:31 PM CST
  
  (Newser) - The New York Times ’ bombshell story about John McCain’s ethics problems—and his allegedly inappropriate relationship with a lobbyist—is nearly a week old, but the media world is still reacting: The Cleveland Plain Deale r’s ombudsman explains that his paper’s editor was too uncomfortable with the romantic angle to run the Times piece—which he accuses of “unsubstantiated innuendo”—and decided to run the unsexed Washington Post story instead. But they drew criticism from readers anyway. More »
- Lobbyists Pack Ethics Crusader McCain's Staff
  
  Washington Post | Feb 22, 08 8:00 PM CST
  
  (Newser) - Vicki Iseman is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to John McCain’s associations with lobbyists, the Washington Post reports. McCain targets special interests, but his campaign manager and top advisers are or have been lobbyists representing some of the country’s biggest corporations. Top adviser Charles Black currently numbers GM, JPMorgan, and AT&T among his clients. More »
- McCain Support Comes From All Corners
  
  Politico | Feb 22, 08 2:03 PM CST
  
  (Newser) - One day after the New York Times reported on John McCain's "close bond" with Vicki Iseman, reaction is still developing, and not necessarily along ideological lines. Observers of the observers offer their impressions. Popular liberal bloggers, "breaking with partisan patterns, are expressing discomfort," Ben Smith of Politico writes, adding, ""The defense of McCain from the left reflects well on the blogs' objectivity.” More »
- Right Rallies to McCain's Defense Against NYT
  
  ABC News | Feb 21, 08 6:12 PM CST
  
  (Newser) - Conservative media figures who previously shunned John McCain stood up for him today—but also said he had it coming to him for wooing the mainstream press, ABC reports. Sean Hannity called the New York Times story on McCain's relationship with a lobbyist “beyond disgraceful." Rush Limbaugh, lumping the media in with the left, said, “The lesson is liberals are to be defeated. You cannot reach across the aisle.” More »
- McCain Critics Say Denials Bend Truth
  
  TPM Muckraker | Feb 21, 08 4:40 PM CST
  
  (Newser) - John McCain's camp insists he did not act inappropriately on behalf of lobbyist Vicki Iseman's clients, but Talking Points Memo bloggers beg to differ. They point to newspaper articles from 2000 that said McCain—then chair of the Senate Commerce Committee—wrote a letter to the FCC on behalf of Paxson Communications, and that the FCC chief rebuked him for it, saying he was "concerned" about its effect on the decision-making process. More »
- McCain Story Spurred Turmoil at Times
  
  New Republic | Feb 21, 08 1:40 PM CST
  
  (Newser) - Today’s New York Times bombshell alleging improper ties between John McCain and a lobbyist dropped only after three months of feuding between reporters who thought they’d “nailed” a story and the Gray Lady’s unsatisfied editor, the New Republic reports. One writer quit the paper over the holdup; another staffer begged off covering McCain's campaign because he felt like “a pawn.” More »
- Will McCain Bombshell Help or Hurt With the Right?
  
  New Republic | Feb 21, 08 11:41 AM CST
  
  (Newser) - Now that the New York Times ’ long-awaited story on John McCain’s relationship with a female lobbyist is finally out—matched by a similar Washington Post story—how will it affect the presidential race? The New Republic ’s Christopher Orr says the article may cut both ways for conservatives, with some seeing a TImes “attack” as a feather in McCain’s cap and others seeing more evidence of Mac the “sanctimonious phony.” Noam Scheiber says the piece clearly “had its guts ripped out” before it ran—and wonders whether those guts will re-appear. More »
- McCain Denies Charges of Impropriety with Lobbyist
  
  CNN | Feb 21, 08 8:18 AM CST
  
  (Newser) - A subdued John McCain, flanked by his wife, held a press conference today to deny all charges in a New York Times story alleging improprieties involving a female lobbyist. Saying he is "disappointed" in the Times , and that the story alleging a romantic relationship is "not true," McCain said that he and Vicki Iseman are just friends, and that he did not do favors for her as chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee. He said no former staffer ever spoke to him about an appearance of impropriety in his relationship with Iseman, as several claimed to the Times . More »
- McCain Denies Lobbyist Scandal, Attacks Times
  
  ABC News | Feb 21, 08 7:26 AM CST
  
  (Newser) - John McCain’s camp came out swinging at the New York Times last night, calling a “hit and run smear campaign” a report alleging that the senator had been involved in an improper and possibly romantic relationship with lobbyist Vicki Iseman eight years ago. “The New York Times is playing the National Enquirer ,” one adviser told ABC News, calling the story “gossip.” More »
- McCain Fallout: Pundits Are Abuzz!
  
  New York | Feb 21, 08
  
  The Times%u2019 story on John McCain%u2019s alleged affair with a lobbyist during his last presidential run crashed into the political discussion today like a flaming satellite tank filled with toxic innuendo and accusations. People are wondering a few things: What will be the effect on the Republican race and general election? (See our incisive post on what this says about Mike Huckabee having stuck in the race.)
- McCain Responds Directly to Times Article
  
  USA Today | Feb 21, 08
  
  News services are reporting John McCain will hold a news conference later this morning to respond to today's New York Times article (see previous post). We'll provide more details as available and live-blog it here. The news conference is scheduled for 9 a.m. ET, but campaign events have a tendency to be somewhat fluid on timeliness, so we'll keep you posted.
- McCain Camp Vows to 'Go to War' with NYT
  
  Politico | Feb 21, 08
  
  News services are reporting John McCain will hold a news conference later this morning to respond to today's New York Times article (see previous post). We'll provide more details as available and live-blog it here. The news conference is scheduled for 9 a.m. ET, but campaign events have a tendency to be somewhat fluid on timeliness, so we'll keep you posted.
- McCain Ties to Female Lobbyist Questioned
  
  New York Times | Feb 20, 08 9:13 PM CST
  
  (Newser) - In his last run for the presidency, John McCain developed a close relationship with a female lobbyist that worried his advisers so much they intervened with both McCain and the woman to keep them apart, the New York Times reports. The paper cites the incident in a lengthy look at McCain's track record on his signature issue of ethics and finds that the candidate is sometimes prone to embarrassing conflicts of interest. More »