Who am I to weigh in on this? No one in particular. But I feel I can at least point out that today’s New York Times article, titled “For McCain, Self-Confidence On Ethics Poses Its Own Risks“, is crap journalism. The article is a multi-threaded account of McCain’s past improprieties and a thinly veiled allegation of infidelity and hypocrisy. It is largely unsourced, and whatever references are cited (notably regarding the juicy stuff) are conveniently anonymous. I’m irritated by this type of page-and-a-half speculation because it severely undermines the paper’s credibility and turns it into check-stand trash. Simply because the Weekly World News went out of print doesn’t mean someone needs to take its place.

With some digging around, I have come across some interesting assertions regarding the history of the story. Hot Air points back to a Drudge Report article from December that tells of the Times mounting a McCain investigation. There’s a suggestion that The New Republic strong-armed the Times into publishing the piece by threatening to expose their “foot-dragging” on the story and the internal politics in the newsroom about whether or not to publish. Quite frankly, foot-dragging and debate about whether or not to publish doesn’t seem like news, but rather smart journalism – if you can’t back a story, keep it out of the paper until you can. But, the New York Times hates that kind of criticism. It appears that it’s the McCain camp that is accusing The New Republic of forcing the story, which I think lends merit to the theory. Regardless, this is all speculation – and I’m somewhat out of my element to speculate on such matters (plus, I don’t usually give much credence to anything Hot Air, or Drudge has to say).

All of this aside, it looks like McCain is getting taken for a bit of a ride. Don’t get me wrong, I wouldn’t vote for him (or any Repub I’ve ever seen, for that matter). I’m more upset with the Times than I am sympathetic with their victim. This is soap opera politics at its finest, and I’m sure there are sinister goings on.

I don’t know. Thoughts? Do you think we’ll be hearing about this until November or do you think it’s no news/dead news?

UPDATE – It looks like the TNR story about the story is online. It’s an interesting read.