Do you think the McCain lobbyist story will actually rally Repubs to his side?

[Shine]

:shrug:

It remains to be seen whether this story will gain any traction over the next 48 hrs, but in the meantime, it seems this story is being used as a rally cry to the right to support McCain.

Even Rush Limbaugh, who supposedly hates McCain, has decided to make the issue be the behavior of the NY Times, NOT the behavior of the senator.

That can be nothing but a relief to the McCain campaign.

[MadBadger]

1. At the moment, yes. 1. Because its the NY times, and 2. Because they dont have anything on him yet.

[Iwasthere]

4. There is plenty on him...

Aside from the sex (which will be hard to prove)

The brooms are fast at work but I suspect this is wayyy too big to sweep away

[MadBadger]

5. The story itself that was released doesnt have anything. They need more evidence, more proof

There is no smoking gun in this.

[tularetom]

2. Already happening - tweety ragging on NYT big time

I could hear him from the other room, insisting it was shame on the times not on McSlime.

Heard some guy on Tom Hartman saying the whole thing was a setup to show us how young and virile McCain really is.

[bridgit]

3. It'll be, "The poor put-upon us! We can never get a fair shake from the Liberal Press!!"

yada-yada-yada :cry: but I say :nopity:

[madrchsod]

6. big ed was ragging on the times today

big ed thinks the story smells. he brought up the point about his staff telling john to knock it off and unless the times can come up with evidence to back shit up it`s a hit piece.

[bridgit]

11. we've been turning off 'big eddy' more & more lately...

[madrchsod]

14. he`s ok in small amounts...

i`ll take mamma and i`m actually starting to like randi over big ed

[bridgit]

15. yep, that sounds right to me, we have Peter B after Randi out here then Malloy...

but Ed is becoming the sticky point in an already progressive line-up, but you can't tell him anything he'll shout you down, or get all snotty :shrug: of course momma in the morning works just fine :thumbsup:

[Keefer]

7. This may help, or may not:

From Lanny Davis at Huff post:

I have direct knowledge of a part of the issue reported in today's New York Times and Washington Post.

I was a lobbyist for one of the parties, WQED, a Pittsburgh public television station, which sought help from Senator John McCain with the FCC on its matter. The other two parties involved in this matter were Cornerstone Broadcasting and Paxson Broadcasting.

Bottom line: what was omitted from both the Times and the Post stories was that what I wanted Senator McCain to do, he refused to do. And he did so out of a concern of appearances of impropriety. That is a fact. ...

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/lanny-davis/my-role-in-the-mccain-sto_b_87788.html



I guess Lanny is trying to help his old friend John?

[calmblueocean]

8. You bet. This story helps McCain, it doesn't hurt him.

Right wingers always need an enemy. Now this story gives them a new one, the NY Times, instead of their old one, McCain himself.

[Lone_Star_Dem]

9. I'm beginning to think this was released now to help purge his "liberal" label among R's

It's just a hunch, but the main complaint I hear locally about McCain is he's too liberal. Gun control, pro-stem cell research, etc. haunt his record. The Holy Hucksters followers have been spreading this for weeks here.

What better way to help remove the tarnish of a "liberal" label than to be attacked by a "liberal" newspaper? How could he be a liberal if the liberals are attacking him?

[thevoiceofreason]

10. For a while

When they see him disintegrate this fall, they will pounce

[demokatgurrl]

12. I think it will have absolutely no effect whatsoever. n/t

[Shine]

13. You don't think his playing of the "victim" card will carry any water?

poor, poor John McCain.... :eyes:

[Exilednight]

16. This story will not hurt McCain at all, but ....

...I'm not sure it will help him. This seems way to coordinated. It seems like the Times was sitting on the story until they found all the nails to pound in the coffin, but the New Republic forced their hand and made them push the story out before the New Republic story.

I think the whole story was designed to discredit the Times before the general election. It's a "look at the lie the times printed about us, you can't trust them to tell the truth when they criticize me" campaign.

[writes3000]

17. Overall, no

Because the story won't last in the public eye that long.

And because most social conservatives don't like McCain because of his stance on those issues. A two day story being covered on news channels aren't going to sway them from their idealogical beliefs. They may vote for him but their passion will not be engaged by this.