Ever since the New York Times broke the story about John McCain's close relationship with lobbyist Vicki Iseman, howls of outrage have been heard from one end of the right wing media world to the other. Outstanding Americans including Rush Limbaugh have accused the gray lady of publishing a partisan hatchet job on the Arizona senator who until this moment had been their public enemy no. 2 behind the mainstream media.

The story that McCain's aides tried to protect him because they were worried that their boss was having an extramarital affair with lobbyist Vicki Iseman struck a nerve. My colleague Aaron Katsman called it a "hit job", and investors who have long ago soured on newspaper stocks sent shares of the New York Times Co. (NYSE: NYT) downward. Meanwhile, a potential proxy fight looms with dissident shareholder Harbinger Capital.

But lost in the hoopla is the fact that the central theme of the story that aides were worried about McCain's relationship with Iseman during the 2000 campaign has been proven. In fact, other news organizations, including the Washington Post , were able to match the story. In fact, the Post is reporting today that McCain has some cozy relationship with other lobbyists even though he bad-mouths the profession all of the time. Both McCain and Iseman deny they had an affair or that she received any preferential treatment from the senator. Nonetheless, some former McCain aides were clearly worried about the lobbyist.

With friends like Rush Limbaugh, John McCain doesn't need any enemies.

The conservative talk show hosts today denounced the New York Times' report on McCain's questionable relationship with lobbyist Vicki Iseman. During his 2000 presidential run, aides were so worried that there was a romance going on that they limited Iseman's contact with the Arizona senator, according to The Times account, which was backed up by the Washington Post. McCain and Iseman both flatly denied they had a romantic relationship.

Conservatives, who until now have loathed McCain, are rushing to his defense in the wake of the allegations raised by The Times, to them the symbol of all that is bad and liberal in the mainstream media.