McCain and the New York Times

Once upon a time in the realm of politics and media coverage John McCain held favorite son status among the reporters, editorial writers, and editors of the mainstream press.

But the times they are a-changin'.

While McCain still holds a certain sway with a large number of reporters who cover politics, there is yet no doubt that there is a new kid in town, and his name is Obama.

The new kid on the block has quickly become the darling of the mainstream media as the candidate has held a mystical, magical, and even ethereal hold on reporters who gush with oooos and ahhhs whenever he as much as sneezes.

Obama has not been pressed by the Press to answer questions of substance. And when a few reporters in particular began to probe last week in response to new questions concerning the candidate's readiness for the job, Obama complained.

Even so, reporters have access to John McCain to a degree not seen with any other candidate, and this, naturally, evokes at least some allegiance to McCain, Obama notwithstanding.

This close access led to a confrontation last week aboard the 'Straight Talk Express,' McCain's campaign bus caravan.

A New York Times reporter inquired about McCain's suggestion in 2004 that he might consider becoming John Kerry's running mate. The famous McCain anger quickly rose to the surface as he essentially lambasted the reporter for bringing up the subject.

But she persisted.

So did McCain.

McCain's position was that the question merely dredged up old news that has been discussed over and over, and thus had no relevance now.

But the Times' position is that McCain must be 'swift-boated.' As we have stated so often before, the New York Times has long since lost any semblance to an objective source of news. It is now so thoroughly a printed tool of the Leftwing that it may as well say so and get it out of the way rather than pretend that it is still a force in hard news coverage.

That being said, it is intriguing as to how the Times has gone from being an admirer of McCain to an outright mouthpiece for the Obama campaign. Prior to Obama's rise to stardom, the Times clearly favored Hillary.

In short, the tabloid is now so thoroughly ensconced in the bowels of the Left that even a maverick Republican like John McCain isn't good enough.

McCain's brush with the possibility of running with John Kerry in 2004 was likely nothing more than one friend expressing friendship with another friend. McCain has been around long enough to have forged deep friendships on both sides of the aisle.

After the story had received top billing for a few days in 2004, McCain finally emerged with the declarative statement that he is a Republican and had no intention of shifting Parties or running with Kerry.

Thus, the entire episode is much ado about nothing. McCain has enough baggage to raise the interest of inquisitive reporters than to have to resort to questions and stories such as this.

But then, the 'problems' with some of McCain's views are not problems to the mainstream media.

We are stuck, therefore, with questions about statements from one friend to another in 2004...which ironically is symptomatic of the mainstream media this year with regard to Obama. Where are the questions of real substance?