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Lipstick for
the Old Grey Lady
The New York
Times handles salacious gossip like a dowager trying on a
thong. It just exposes wrinkles and cellulite. I think this
might explain the Times’ curious article on presidential
candidate John McCain that covered, among other things, his
relationship with a blonde female lobbyist and his aides’
concerns about it.
Was the article
a hit piece? Absolutely. Does that make it bad journalism?
Not necessarily. The Arizona Daily Star ran a hit piece
on the University of Arizona athletic program several years ago
and won a Pulitzer Prize. Some of the finest works in
journalism could fall within the definition of “hit piece.” How
many Pulitzers do they give for “puff pieces” anyway?
The Times’
article on McCain, however, was not a good hit piece because it
was not good journalism. It was mostly a restatement of old
news about McCain, dating back to the “Keating Five” scandal
that nearly undermined his political career a couple of decades
ago. The article’s purported thesis was that McCain’s behavior
is inconsistent with his carefully crafted post-Keating image of
an ethical crusader. However, instead of hypocrisy the Times
gave us sex, or at least sexual innuendo, and the underlying
intent was smeared with lipstick.
And that’s a
shame, because many of McCain’s dealings with lobbyists and
their clients are fair game, and more than a little
interesting. Many of McCain’s most embarrassing episodes are
ones he has written about, and his serial expressions of regret
made more interesting reading, from my vantage point, than the
sexual innuendo. Given McCain’s propensity to admit and regret
mistakes, might he eventually regret his support for the
invasion and occupation of Iraq? While he would be a refreshing
change from George W. Bush, who seems congenitally blessed with
a dormant regret gene, McCain’s confessions provide troubling
insight into his character. As I said, fair game.
Vicki Iseman is
not a latter-day Monica and the anonymous aides who spoke to the
Times are no Linda Tripps. There’s no stained dress and
no smoking voice mail. However, before dismissing the story as
unsupported claptrap – which it might very well be – we should
not be too quick to dismiss the possibility that it might be
true. After all, a number of Bill Clinton’s aides privately
expressed concern about his relationship with a female intern
and it turns out they were right. Aides have a perspective that
the rest of us do not. They witness nuances, postures and
gestures that can speak more loudly than words. When Mitt
Romney endorsed McCain with his hands in his pockets his gesture
out shouted his words. The infamous video of Monica Lewinsky
hugging Bill Clinton at a rally needed no soundtrack.
But the
Times’ clumsy handling of the story became the story.
McCain was able to play the victim and radio pundits who had
previously denounced him rallied to defend him. Until the
Times story hit, McCain's’ campaign was a boring, back page
story. His creaky effort looked like black and white TV. Even
if the Times intended a hit piece, they crafted a life
preserver instead.
The Times
editors insist that they never anticipated the firestorm the
article would trigger. That’s like not anticipating leaving an
elevator when somebody passes gas. You don’t need Nostradamus
to see that one coming. The article had a salacious sexual
hook, was initially released prominently on the Times’
Internet site, and ran on page one. By the time the printed
edition hit the street the dervishes were already at full spin
and the blogosphere filled up like a shaken snow globe.
I suspect that
lack of understanding of the Internet is paired with fear of it,
and that might explain why the Times went with the
story. Most newspapers are nervous about the incursion of new
media and wonder about their place in the new environment. The
Times has a historical love-hate relationship with its
own website, as do many newspapers. They wonder if they’re
cutting their own throats by trying to be relevant. That
uncertainty can lead them to do drastic things to make sure they
remain relevant, at the least, and hopefully prominent. Say
what you will about the Times’ political leanings, the
editors and publishers covet prominence more than anything
else. If so, the McCain story said less about McCain’s
inconsistencies than it did about the Times’ need to make
sure people still pay attention.
So, in that
vein, I can forgive the Old Grey Lady for trying on some
lipstick. But, next time, leave the thong in the closet.
© February
22, 2008 by Mike Tully |
