Straight Talk Express – Next Stop: Rumor Mill
Nathan Greene
Post a Comment
By Emily Geiger
So, it appears Huck may have been on to something when he said he was staying in the race because anything could happen. McCain could say something stupid, or do something stupid, or, as the case may be, do someone stupid.
The New York Times is reporting that McCain had a “romantic” relationship with a lobbyist early in the 2000 presidential campaign. It’s reported that she accompanied him to fundraisers and other events. Campaign sources told the Times they had to take her aside and tell her to back off and repeatedly warn him about the potential harm she could cause his political career.
It really reminded me of Clinton (Bill, that is) reading about it. With Clinton, not only did you have a married man in a sex scandal with a much younger woman, but there were legal implications since he lied under oath about it.
Here, once again, you have the alleged sex scandal, but also potential legal implications because of the appearance that this lobbyist’s clients were helped by him.
Oh, and, note to the McCain campaign: your official statement saying, “There is nothing in this story to suggest that John McCain has ever violated the principles that have guided his career,” doesn’t exactly scream “I’m totally innocent of these charges.” If this isn’t true, McCain needs to actually say, “I did not cheat on my wife.” (But he needs to word it in a way that doesn’t scream “I did not have sexual relations with that woman.”)
Who knows how this will play out. McCain has admitted marital infidelity in the past with his first wife, and there have been similar rumors throughout his political career. Even if this story is not true (at least the sex part of it), McCain’s reputation makes the story hard to completely disregard.
All I know is, I, for one, am glad that if this blows up, we still have another legitimate, qualified Republican candidate in the race. I personally can’t deal with another womanizing philanderer in the White House. Well, let’s face it, that’s kind of a long shot right now, but I still don’t want a womanizing philanderer leading my party.
Reader Comments