The New York Times, in a bombshell report, raises serious questions about John McCain's integrity. Of course, such questions should be nothing new. In the 1980s, he intervened to keep regulators away from Charles Keating, a Savings & Loan operator, who contributed to McCain's campaign and let McCain's wife co-invest in a real estate deal. Keating's Lincoln Savings and Loan ultimately failed, costing taxpayers $3.4 billion.
But the Times story adds a new wrinkle. It raises questions about a 40-year old lobbyist, Vicki Iseman, whom McCain's advisors worried was having an affair with him. So they shooed her away from McCain as he tried to run, unsuccessfully, for President in 2000.
But that was not enough to stop McCain from intervening, yet again, on behalf of a powerful campaign contributor. In this case, it was Iseman's client, Paxson Communications. In late 1999, Iseman asked McCain's staff to send a letter to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to help Paxson on another matter.
Paxson's CEO Lowell Paxson was impatient for FCC approval of a television deal, and Iseman told The Times that she had sent to McCain's staff information for drafting a letter urging a swift decision. McCain complied. He sent two letters to the commission, drawing a rare rebuke for interference from its chairman.Nobody's perfect. But maybe McCain's struggles with his own ethical problems should be resolved before he gets near the Oval Office.
Peter Cohan is President of Peter S. Cohan & Associates. He also teaches management at Babson College and edits The Cohan Letter
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
2-20-2008 @ 8:49PM
Sora267 said...
Affair? People, we're looking at the next President Clinton! I'm votin' for this fellow now.
2-21-2008 @ 8:16AM
Sanadee said...
Who care what he did years ago? This is not another Clinton here. Get over it!
2-21-2008 @ 2:22PM
4truth said...
Come on, we KNOW what liars the fundamentalist hypocritical Republicans are. Sure, they are in both parties, but can anyone remember so MANY perverts and liars as is in the Bush administration.
I think, when the truth is revealed, we sill see that McCain is lying. If this were th only thing, and he could be a good president, I wouldn't care, but he WAS an adult when he was so dishonest about the Keating scandal. He was old enough to know better, and if people are STILL condemning former presidents for what they did (or contenders) then NOBODY should be exempt.
2-21-2008 @ 7:13PM
Sora267 said...
Hmm, this may clear things up a bit:
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2-20-2008 @ 9:21PM
Conman said...
Where is the nitty gritty on Obamarama..Get it out sooner not later...
2-20-2008 @ 9:49PM
neil price said...
John McCain like many holier than thou politicians is a hypocrite. The wheels were never on the straight talk express. Always be skeptical when a person starts every sentence with "My friends" The chickens are coming home to roost and not a moment too soon.
2-20-2008 @ 9:56PM
charlie said...
John McCain is a hypocryt, and has been for years, He has been a vote for sale since the Keating affair and hasn't changed his spots. He talks one way and behaves another. go with the behavior.
2-20-2008 @ 10:23PM
William Bischoff said...
I am beginning to believe that the only people who are allowed to get near the nomination for the Republican candidate for President are the ones who have very serious integrity problems and BIG problems with honesty and morality. The Republicans didn't want him the last time he ran but now his credentials have risen to a level of agreeing to keep this Iraqi war going, so it won't matter just how low he is in every other department he will have the vote of the Bush backers.
2-20-2008 @ 11:09PM
Sheldon L said...
Peter,
This story is beneath you -- wait for the real story. We do not need a story about a story before the story.
2-20-2008 @ 11:10PM
Beltway Greg said...
Congratulations McCain just "Swiftboated" himself. Besides, nothing that occured PI= The pre-internet era should be allowed to be entered into evidence.
Now those of you outside of the beltway understand why long serving senators and congressmen and women rarely make the climb up the presidential ladder. (Gov. Clinton, Gov. Bush, Gov. Carter, Gov. Reagan, Bush 41 had been a congressman but long before.) Most have been rolling around in the Capitol Hill barnyard for so long that it's difficult to get the smell off of them.
Beltway Greg
2-20-2008 @ 11:18PM
Mark Thein said...
Exactly where is your evidence of an affair?? Talk about poor journalism.
2-21-2008 @ 12:05AM
John said...
When the country hears more about the Keating Five again, McCain will be in defense mode, big time. A lot of voters were not even born or were just tots when this was happening. It will certainly come up during the campaign. As for Mr. Cohan's remark about McCain's ethical problems being resolved before getting near the White House, it didn't stop the present occupant.
2-21-2008 @ 12:21AM
R SHELTON said...
no way does he beat obama so why worry about who he is or has fooled around with.
2-21-2008 @ 12:38AM
Bill Wallin said...
With Mrs. Obama's comment about America . . . where was she born . . . Iraq or Iran? ? ?
2-21-2008 @ 1:26AM
Alonzo Anderson said...
You know, I don`t really care if he had an affair or not, he will not beat Obama anyway. However unless I see some proof, forget it.
Alonzo
Richmond, VA
2-21-2008 @ 1:30AM
RB said...
The NY Times. There's a rag worth wiping your butt with.
2-21-2008 @ 1:35AM
RB said...
We are in deep trouble. The choices aren't great. An over the hill Republican, Christian Crack or Muslim Black.
2-21-2008 @ 2:07AM
Mick said...
I have heard that the Times had this story BEFORE this year's Iowa caucuses, and sat on it after mega-lobbyist-lawyer Bill Bennett met with Times editors. But John McCain denies affair with lobbyist. You know, once he was called "An American Odyssey": http://dealstudio.com/searchdeals.php?deal_id=85293&ru=279 , now I'm not sure if McCain survives this one.
2-21-2008 @ 3:05AM
Gary E. Sattler said...
Mr. Cohan,
How about revealing the deep rooted extreme leftist radicals with which Mr. Obama aligns himself and from whom he takes advice?
Hmmm?
Now there's a real story for ya.
2-21-2008 @ 9:00AM
Warren said...
When the going gets down and dirty, the NY Times is slinging and slopping, spoken by a retired 37-year newsman who feels Hillary is missing a big chance by not forcing Obama to talk about the big money, not just the change. Remember, 90 percent of the media is Democrat or farther left. I voted twice for Bush and still say he would have been booted from office had he not responded to direct armed attacks on the US on 9-11.