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White House Defends McCain: NYT Took ‘Incredible Leaps’ To ‘Drop A Bombshell’»

mccainbush4.jpg In a press gaggle this morning, the White House weighed into the New York Times’s explosive story on Sen. John McCain’s (R-AZ) ethics troubles and firmly sided with the senator. White House deputy press secretary Scott Stanzel told reporters:

I think a lot of people here in this building, with experience in a couple campaigns, have grown accustomed to the fact that during the course of the campaign, seemingly on maybe a monthly basis leading up to the convention and 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 nominee. […]

I’m not going to speak to the specifics in that story but it’s been our impression that they do drop those bombshells.

To this point, the White House had not yet spoken out about the New York Times article. In fact, officials have even been reluctant to comment on the presidential election, consistently dodging questions about specific candidates. Yet the Bush administration apparently couldn’t pass up an opportunity to attack The New York Times.

In the past, White House officials have been “furious” with the paper’s reporting, pressured the editors to change headlines, accused them of “advertising” U.S. nuclear secrets, and said the paper undermines people’s “right to live.”

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81 Responses to “White House Defends McCain: NYT Took ‘Incredible Leaps’ To ‘Drop A Bombshell’”


  1. Zooey Says:

    Ohhhhhh, the irony.


  2. robertoroberto Says:

    The Whitehouse will always leap to the defense of ANYONE attacked by the NYT!

    If the times printed a smear campaign against Usama Bin Laden, the Whitehouse would be backing him all the way.

    Partisan hackery disguised as a story.

    http://www.soultv.net


  3. DieNowForPeace Says:

    Typical, stupid as fcuk Wingnuts easily forget the 1th Amendment?!!!

    FREEDOM OF THE PRESS.

    If you continue your research, you’ll learn that this freedom, along with transparency is the hallmark of Democracy.

    Bush is and his Admin are THE most Un-American.


  4. Guido OBGYN Lover Says:

    Man that’s a priceless pic. McCain’s birthday party while people were drowning in Noew Orleans. A real classic.

    Are there any pictures of Lincoln playing guitar and eating cake while an entire city flooded?


  5. Zooey Says:

    BushCo could teach the NYT a thing or two about smear campaigns.


  6. Guido OBGYN Lover Says:

    Having Kristol on the payroll is a blast!
    They got their token Neocon now they can keep reporting the news.


  7. Leftside Annie Says:

    YEAH!!! Send those treasonous barstids at the GDNYT to GITMO!!!!!!!!

    How *dare* they print an unflattering story about a Republican!!!!

    /snark


  8. MCMetal Says:

    White House Defends McCain: NYT Took ‘Incredible Leaps’ To ‘Drop A Bombshell’

    Unlike what Judy Miller did to help along your rush to invade Iraq , eh Chimpy Administration ?


  9. help.me.jebus Says:

    Ya right.

    If their intention was to do a “hit job”, they would have waited until October.


  10. help.me.jebus Says:

    And why doesn’t anyone go after Carl Rove for claiming in 2000 that McCain had a bastard child with a black maid ???

    I guess Carl Rove didn’t take incredible leaps to smear McCain then.


  11. gummitch Says:

    I love that fantasy of the Times regularly dropping bombshells on the Republican candidate. Maybe this chowderhead could provide a list? Because in RealityLand, they failed to come through with the bombshells.


  12. RUCerious Says:

    Has nothing at all to do with the handy dandy arsenal of bombs these assclowns have given anyone with a journalistic bent to go sniff out…


  13. tombaker Says:

    White House officials best just focus themselves on packing up and preparing to get out. They can also count their blessings that they haven’t been physically driven from the building already, by mobs brandishing torches and pitchforks.

    It’s not too soon for them to just go ahead, STFU, and go about the work of vacating the premises. No one is interested in their comments on anything, anymore.


  14. barfly Says:

    If anything, the past few years have shown the NYT bends over backwards NOT to print stories if they think they’ll be criticized as being “liberal.” The only times they print such stories is when a competitor is about to scoop them.


  15. lefty Says:

    This story is also in the Washington Post retards

    And Drudge had it in his closet back in Dec

    But it’s the Nooo Yawrk Tahmes that’s the problem.


  16. barfly Says:

    “But it’s the Nooo Yawrk Tahmes that’s the problem.”

    Comment by lefty

    Actually it is - but because their such cowards.


  17. joe cantwell Says:

    sure they got ‘em a war, but what have they done for them lately?


  18. ADDdaddy Says:

    Ohhhhhh, the irony.

    Comment by Zooey — February 22, 2008 @ 12:17 pm

    It is that obvious.


  19. hellinabucket Says:

    I just read the NYT article and I don’t believe the outrage fits the article. They all seem a bit too defensive for what was said.

    And the harder these people deny and keep this story alive the more people will want to look deeper.


  20. JaneDoe Says:

    Two obvious points:

    1. McCain = Bush if the Bushies are going to defend him.

    2. The White House is using the sex angle of the story to ignore the more important issue/question: did McCain have a habit of trading favors with lobbyists?

    The letters from McCain to the FCC seem pretty damning. Let’s hope the media keep the focus on the corruption issue which is far more important to investigate and publish.



  21. satirev Says:

    Now let’s drop the bombshell on Bush!


  22. satirev Says:

    This idiot believes that sitting on a story for one full year is dropping a bombshell? He hasn’t seen anything yet. His days are just around the corner for things being outed.


  23. Doc Rock Says:

    First his lawyer and now the Bush White House adding to McCain’s bona fides–how much more credible can you get?


  24. satirev Says:

    There’s no doubt that this is a machination of the Reichwingnuts who abhore their obvious candidate: John McNutso.


  25. toasterhead Says:

    Speaking of incredible leaps, Senator McCain took some rather unconventional leaps to pressure the FCC commissioners to approve a noncommercial license for the station Paxson Communications wanted to buy. In fact, it might have been in violation of Senate rules.

    Read all about it at Democracy Now:
    http://www.democracynow.org/ 2008/ 2/ 22/ behind_the_john_mccain_lobbying_scandal


  26. satirev Says:

    I smell KKKarl’s fingerprints all over it. You can tell they’re his because they have a brown odor to them.


  27. satirev Says:

    Toaster: PaxsonGate is tanking McVicki’s campaign.


  28. satirev Says:

    Chimpy will be awestruck when the Impeachment Bombshell drops into his lap, too. Isn’t awestruck the side effect of buffoonery?


  29. MCMetal Says:

    White House Defends McCain: NYT Took ‘Incredible Leaps’ To ‘Drop A Bombshell’

    Could this administration be any more arrogant and stupid ?

    What credibility (if any) does this secretive and dishonest group possess , to be attempting to “defend” anyone ?

    They aren’t even capable of defending themselves any longer because of their continual deception over the last 7 years ; their word isn’t worth a cup of spit………….


  30. satirev Says:

    McMetal: Dontcha love the overt hypocrisy of it all? When they spoon fed bogus facts (aka lies) to Judith Miller and she printed these lies, they then went public boasting and quoting from the very information they propagandized via Miller. Do they really think the people aren’t smarter than them? This is their first mistake.


  31. satirev Says:

    These criminal fascists stink to high heaven.


  32. The Republic of Stupidity Says:

    Comment by satirev — February 22, 2008 @ 12:39 pm

    Do colors actually have odors?


  33. satirev Says:

    McMetal: The people are having none of what they are dishing. Their darkness has no further relevance in our new light-filled hope synergy. It’s over for them except for the trials and imprisonment. They’re becoming desperate as witnessed by the mass exodus of Repugliscum from Congress. They can see the handwriting on the wall and they’re hoping to fade into the woodwork. Not so. The people will hold them to their actions when they acted as public servants and violated the laws and the constitution. Every “yea” vote they entered to support illegal activities will be held against them in a class action suit brought about By The People.


  34. The Republic of Stupidity Says:

    McCain sure is getting press today at TP. 5 of the last 7 threads either feature or mention him in some way.


  35. satirev Says:

    TROS: Well, some obvious brown items do….like the rich smell of loamy earth contrasted to the acrid stench of fecal material. Wonder which scent is typically Republican?


  36. MCMetal Says:

    McMetal: Dontcha love the overt hypocrisy of it all? When they spoon fed bogus facts (aka lies) to Judith Miller and she printed these lies, they then went public boasting and quoting from the very information they propagandized via Miller. Do they really think the people aren’t smarter than them? This is their first mistake.

    Comment by satirev — February 22, 2008 @ 12:42 pm

    That has been Chimpy’s existence in a nutshell ; always protected from criticism , and surrounded by like-and-feeble-minded individuals , so he can seem comparable and sometimes even intellectually superior.

    There are retarded slugs who have more honor and intelligence than this idiotic fool fouling the Oval Office and embarrassing the office of the president………


  37. satirev Says:

    McNutbag inaccurately believes that this will be just a hiccup in his campaign. Little does he know that it’s the beginning of an avalanche of facts and details which contradict what and who he is at his core. I suspect that he will suffer the rage which people hold for what this group of renegades called the GOP, led by Bushitco, have done to this country. MaverDick needs to jump on his pony and go back to the stable.


  38. Shayne Says:

    The White House doesn’t approve of using newspapers to smear candidates. They prefer Roves habit of putting fliers on cars in church parking lots all over America so “lefties” don’t find out about it.


  39. satirev Says:

    McMetal: Self-referral, self-delusion, and self-destruction - Chimpy’s MO


  40. MCMetal Says:

    McCain sure is getting press today at TP. 5 of the last 7 threads either feature or mention him in some way.

    Comment by The Republic of Stupidity — February 22, 2008 @ 12:45 pm

    And none of them cast him in an admirable light …………..


  41. rehbock Says:

    How ironic that this is what it takes for the right wing religous crowd to come to McCain. I wonder what would have happened had any media outlet run a story suggesting questionable relationships and judgment Obama. I doubt that the religous right or the White House would attack the report. If they did question it’s bona fides at all they would do so in a manner that pointed out the serious questions that any appearance of impropriety raised. They would likely point out all the other lobbyist relationships including many photos of every hand of any lobbyist he ever shook. They would use it as an excuse to mention again every rumor no matter how false and no matter how unrelated to the issues and positions of the candidate.


  42. satirev Says:

    Shayne: Yet another hypocritical contradiction by this White house of smoke and mirrors. When the press outs one of their golden boys, they’re hoppin’ mad; yet the use the press as pimps for their diabolical plots - case in point: Judith Miller. She was fed the biggest bunch of malarky by Bush and Cheney and was told to print it. She did just that (co-conspirator?). Then these morons went national quoting their own material. Self-referral deception at it’s finest.


  43. MCMetal Says:

    Does anyone really want the worst president and administration in US history , who are known for nothing but their dishonesty and secrecy , to actually be “defending” them ?


  44. The Republic of Stupidity Says:

    Wonder which scent is typically Republican?

    Comment by satirev — February 22, 2008 @ 12:46 pm

    You don’t need an answer to this one, do you?


  45. satirev Says:

    McCain’s become a mass of rotting flesh at this point. The flies are laying their larvae all over him and soon the maggots will be crawling.


  46. satirev Says:

    TROS: It’s a no brainer….:)


  47. The Republic of Stupidity Says:

    Comment by MCMetal — February 22, 2008 @ 12:49 pm

    Uh, yes… yup… and yeah…


  48. joe cantwell Says:

    oh where, oh where has our little gg gone?

    oh where, oh where could she beee…?


  49. The Republic of Stupidity Says:

    Comment by satirev — February 22, 2008 @ 12:52 pm

    I didn’t think so.


  50. satirev Says:

    McMetal: The sad fact is that the people cannot trust their president and wish he would just dry up and blow away. He’s a national embarrassment with all of his lying in the people’s faces.


  51. MCMetal Says:

    Look at that pic , too ………. 2 retarded monkeys , drooling over a birthday cake ; both of them wishing it was actually a bright red rubber ball that they could play with…………….


  52. satirev Says:

    What seems probable to is that the impetus for this article’s release (and it’s timing) sounds all too Republican for my taste. Why wouldn’t a democrat desire to hold it until McCain is the candidate and then swamp him? It has GOP written all over it. They’ve been in a hissy fit ever since McCain began winning and Romney dropped out. This is a typical Rovian tactic.

    It makes no sense whatsoever that any Dem would choose this timing to drop the bombshell on McNutso.


  53. The Republic of Stupidity Says:

    He’s a national embarrassment with all of his lying in the people’s faces.

    Comment by satirev — February 22, 2008 @ 12:53 pm

    Shi-ite, he’s an INTERNATIONAL embarrassment.


  54. satirev Says:

    Photo caption - Did you take your Viagra today, chimp? I did. Now I can huff and puff and blow them damn candles out so we don’t look like two wusses.


  55. satirev Says:

    TROS: Yeah, it’s pretty bad when your own country abhores you. It goes without saying that the international community thinks he’s a flaming moron. They don’t call him “Butcher Bush” for nothing.


  56. satirev Says:

    Huffpo has McNutjob saying “My lobbyists are honorable”…..hahahah….funny but that’s not what he says on the stump. What a lying sack of crap.


  57. satirev Says:

    And, at this point in time, I believe the term lobbyist has become synonymous with “dishonorable”. Nice try at some spin though, McVicki.


  58. Shayne Says:

    So true satirev. Bushco wants newspapers to print only the information the White House gives them. Heil Hitler! Oh and Bushco also likes the Rovian Push Poll to slander candidates, but newspapers, never.


  59. Nettles Says:

    McCain is a National Hero who has served his country with honor for nearly forty years. Who cares about the Sour Grapes from the Far Right? The people have spoken and the far right wing of the party has thankfully been marginalized.


  60. toasterhead Says:

    Do colors actually have odors?

    Comment by The Republic of Stupidity — February 22, 2008 @ 12:43 pm

    If they’re made from organic inks, yes.


  61. Shayne Says:

    The sad fact is that the people cannot trust their president and wish he would just dry up and blow away. He’s a national embarrassment with all of his lying in the people’s faces.

    Comment by satirev — February 22, 2008 @ 12:53 pm

    I’d prefer he’d “assplode” if were taking votes.


  62. GSD Says:

    Leave McSleazebag alone!

    -GSD


  63. RUCerious Says:

    Just checking out the latest at pollingreport.com and looks like the latest show McCain three to twelve points ahead of Clinton, and Obama four to eight points ahead of McCain.

    This will flux over time, but my guess is that the Obama McCain spread will get larger as McShame sets in with the voters over his links (staff and other) to lobbyists, and as Sen. Clinton fades.


  64. RUCerious Says:

    McCain is a National Hero ???

    You’ve got to be shitting us!

    Spending eight years in NVA captivity does not a hero make.


  65. MCMetal Says:

    McCain is a National Hero who has served his country with honor for nearly forty years.
    Comment by Nettles — February 22, 2008 @ 1:01 pm

    There’s “honor” in cheating on your ill wife repeatedly before divorcing her for a younger , wealthier woman , to help you along with your political aspirations ?

    And where’s the “honor” in allowing your youngest female family member to be smeared by a piece of dog dreck like Karl Rove ?

    And McInsane has covered himself in “honor” by pandering to the same people you claim to have been “marginalized” ; especially when it comes to his supposed signature and immutable stance on torture ?

    McLame is a useless old fart……………..


  66. The Republic of Stupidity Says:

    If they’re made from organic inks, yes.

    Comment by toasterhead — February 22, 2008 @ 1:01 pm

    I sit corrected, Sir!


  67. hellinabucket Says:

    Thanks for the link toasterhead. that’s the meat of this story.


  68. Buckie Boy Says:

    Don’t want those Press Guys exposing our wrong doings, those wrong doings are a secret, executive privilege, super secret, none of the publics business…. go shopping.

    How can you not just Hate this Criminal Administration?

    Oh, forgot, the Trolls get paid to support these guys, shows what ethics they have, unamerican scum that they are.

    Buck Fush


  69. hellinabucket Says:

    McCain wrote two leters to the FCC about a TV station in Pittsburgh. McCain was head of the Commerce Commision at the time. He asked the members to report back to him on when and how they voted. This is in violation of the rules.

    This is the story.


  70. bilbobaggins Says:

    The sad part is that Republicans are also supporting Obama by voting for him in the primaries. This is one of the ugliest camaigns that I can remember.
    sigh…….
    Comment by delafield

    I take it you think that the Republicans are voting for Obama in primaries for a nefarious reason. How about they are voting for Obama because they like him. I know several Republicans who will be voting for Obama in November.


  71. Tom O Says:

    The White House that sponsored the Iraq war WMD snipehunt and quagmire is now scolding somebody for making “incredible leaps and dropping bombshells”? At least the NYT isn’t using actual bombs.


  72. Keith H. Says:

    they do drop those bombshells . . .

    dude . . . that’s a bummer . . .


  73. satirev Says:

    Bush’s irrelevancy to the american landscape will be shown in what the press now reports. He’s one dried up old prune “has been” at this point and within the next few months, he will become a pariah of the press.


  74. Buckie Boy Says:

    I know several Republicans who will be voting for Obama in November.

    Comment by bilbobaggins

    The only Republican at our Business (out of 22 people) is voting for Obama. He is discussed with the corruption and perversion that he has witnessed over the last 7 years. (he is the only truly “good christian” that I have met)

    Buck Fush


  75. satirev Says:

    me, too, Bilbo. I have many friends who have had it with the corruption in the GOP (case in point today: Renzi). Just about every week, they are faced with the hypocrisy of their party. They’re voting Obama because they want to leave the darkness and align themselves with the light of hope. If we don’t have “hope”, we have nothing left.


  76. satirev Says:

    Every repuke I know calls Bush a “clown” at the very least in order to distance their own sense of integrity from support of his actions. They are doing this at the very least; when November rolls around, they’ll be voting for Obama. All of the Independents now will be, too. I hear a landslide off in the distance, don’t you?


  77. satirev Says:

    If you put your ear to the ground, you can hear the rumble of the coming landslide victory.


  78. bilbobaggins Says:

    More from the Obama article:

    ‘”Sure,’ said Lawrence, when asked if he was concerned by the great number of people who had gotten into the building without being checked. But, he added, the turnout of more than 17,000 people seemed to be a ‘friendly crowd.’”

    It only takes one. I hope that some head’s roll for this one and I hope that Obama is VERY careful to investigate the security measures that are taken at all his venues.


  79. bilbobaggins Says:

    They’re voting Obama because they want to leave the darkness and align themselves with the light of hope. If we don’t have “hope”, we have nothing left.
    Comment by satirev

    I have heard Republicans I know say that the Democratic party today is more like the Republican party they joined. They are all Goldwater Republicans and mourn the loss of their party to the right wing nut jobs.

    But, I keep telling them that they bear some responsibility since they sat idly by and watched it happen. They don’t disagree.


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