The McCain Story in the New York Times

As a service to our overseas readers, I feel compelled to point out the story just out from the New York Times which suggests that McCain had an affair with a lobbyist during his 2000 run for the presidency. The story goes on to examine what may have been legislative favors for clients of said lobbyist. It also rehashes McCain's role as one of the Keating Five.

I'm not sure what sort of long term effect this story will have, if any. But it was first hinted at by the Drudge Report back in December and has been highly anticipated and gossiped about in political circles. A full on war with the New York Times may have been helpful to McCain in the primaries, but I don't see how it helps him in the general election, although it may give conservatives a reason to rally around him. It is getting a LOT of pickup on TV and around the web. For the next 24 - 48 hours - this is going to be pretty much all that anyone who cares about politics will be talking about.

Noam Scheiber of the New Republic points out that Barack Obama seems to make a habit out of having opponents brought down by sex scandals. Seems like wishful thinking to think this story will have legs.

Back in the Democratic primary - Hillary's aides seem to be fighting an open war about strategy with each other - also in the pages of the New York Times. That does not bode well for her going forward.