No Love Lost, McCain Camp Slams NYT Coverage
Reacting to today's New York Times' story revealing that John McCain campaign manager Rick Davis was paid "more than $30,000 a month for five years as president of an advocacy group set up by the mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to defend them against stricter regulations," the GOPer's spokesman accused the newspaper of having lost all journalistic integrity.
"We are first amendement absolutists on this campaign," Steve Schmidt, a senior adviser to the campaign, said on a call with reporters, " ... But let’s be clear and be honest with each other ... Whatever the New York Times once was, it is today, not by any standard, a journalistic organization. It is a pro Obama advocacy organization. ... This is an organization that is completely, totally, 150% in the tank for the Democratic candidate."
Schmidt said the paper has "cast aside its journalistic integrity and tradition to advocate for the defeat of one candidate, in this case, John McCain" and for an Obama victory.
The NYT reported that Davis was president of the Homeownership Alliance, which helped Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac beat back regulatory challenges.
Davis on the story: "First of all, I appreciate all the exposure that I get in the New York Times. I feel like they must have some kind of a Davis envy going on."
"I was the public face of an organization that promoted home ownership for over 15 years," Davis added. "... I never lobbied a single day. Sure I have relationships there. But also you’ll notice John McCain's track record, even while I was involved in the home owners' association, he was actively pursuing attacks against the GSEs."
Davis said he severed his leave of absence from his lobbying firm 18 months ago and that his work for the alliance ended a year and a half prior.
"I’ve taken no compensation from my company," he added.
(JENNIFER SKALKA)
Team McCain i have news for you:
The New York Times never has had any kind of integrity.
Talk about a non-denial denail from Davis. Carumba.
I have not read the NYT for about 3 years--this action has improved my mental health. What is happening now is just putting the NYT "journalism" on an even lower level. I think Mccain should make an ad on this.
Who was it that put together an Ad questioning Obama's ties to Freddie/Fanny? $30K per month...ahem....how bout some splaynin there bucko? Did the NYT make you take that money? True colors.
This is an issue with the political elites. Nobody out here reads the NYT.
NYT is a rag. For politics, the Post is better, although its still pretty liberal. For business, the WSJ is better. NYT is just a big city paper for people who live in 800 sq ft apartments that cost $5m and think they're better because of it.
NYT is a rag. For politics, the WashPost is better, although its still pretty liberal. For business, the WSJ is better. NYT is just a big city paper for people who live in 800 sq ft apartments that cost $5m and think they're better that everyone else because of it.
Let's call it 'advocacy journalism' and claim responsibility for it as American Citizens.
All the sensationalism, negativity, and political posturing are a result of the degradation of core values. The answer to restoring lost values is to restore them within ourselves first. IF YOU WANT RESPECT - SHOW RESPECT, for yourself and everyone around you. Our family, our neighbors, our media, our leaders will reflect our expectations. This is a Government 'by the people and for the people', meaning, Americans must set the standard for our leaders, not the other way around. Our Government is a mirror image of US. No leader can save us, we must save ourselves.
Let's call it the 'duty of citizenship'.
We should have the courage to rebuke those around us who fail to live up to a certain standard, and hold those with influence responsible for their actions. We all share what was formerly the one of the greatest honors of all - to be called an AMERICAN. We will lose this honor if we can't stop blaming everyone else, and start holding ourselves to a higher standard. Finger pointing is an act of cowardice and before you jump on the bandwagon and blame McCain, you had better go look in the mirror FIRST.