John McCain Scandal: Was The Media Playing Fair?

John McCain became big news yesterday when the New York Times printed an article, which suggested that the presidential candidate had an inappropriate relationship with a 40-year-old female lobbyist, who is not his wife.

McCain quickly refuted the claims in a press conference earlier today, saying, "I'm very disappointed in the New York Times piece. It's not true."

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Last night and early Thursday however, he was big news across television. But, was the media playing fair?

"This could have a big impact on the race for the White House," Matt Lauer claimed on "Today."

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"This is nonsense! It's gossip and rumor," Charles Black exclaimed on "Good Morning America."

"This is the worst kind of tabloid journalism on the front page of the New York Times," McCain's manager, Rick Davis stated on the "Early Show."

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"There is no evidence he ever breached the public trust," McCain's attorney, Bob Bennett said on "Today."

The media uproar happened after the front page story implied that the 71-year-old John McCain had a romantic relationship with lobbyist Vicki Iseman, during the 2000 primaries.

With his wife Cindy by his side, McCain shot down the allegations at a breaking news conference.

"Did you ever have such a relationship?" the presidential hopeful was asked.

"No," McCain said. "I consider her a friend."

As for the lobbyist's camp, today they released the following statement: "The allegations and malicious innuendo reported by the New York Times yesterday are completely and utterly false," her statement read. "The story is based upon the fantasies of a disgruntled former campaign employee and is without foundation or merit."

The article also claims McCain did favors for Iseman's telecommunications clients.

"I'm proud of my record of service to this country," McCain said.

McCain's attorney, campaign manager and top advisor hit all three networks in defense attack mode, calling the article a "hit and run smear campaign" and "gutter politics."

"We think it's unfair, unjust and inaccurate," manager Rick Davis told the "Early Show."

"It's really a non-story," attorney Bob Bennett said on "Today." "There was a perception that it was a dirty trick… It was denied by staffers."

But, last night Larry King and Jon Stewart both interrupted talk of the former writer's strike to comment on the breaking story.

"This isn't funny, " Larry said. "It's a major story."

"This has an awfully tired and dusty feel to it, in terms of the way that political reporting has been going," Jon Stewart said.

And what about the timing of the story?

Some reported that the New York Times, who interestingly endorsed McCain, has been holding the story since last December.

The Times' executive editor Bill Keller today said, "the story speaks for itself."

"Hardball's" Chris Matthews has issues with that statement.

"When Bill Keller says 'the story speaks for itself,' he's saying, 'Believe these sources and believe that their supposition is correct that there was a relationship,' That's why it's at the top of the fold, that's why every tabloid and every competitive newspaper has jumped on this story," Matthews commented.

A conservative, Elisabeth Hasselbeck and the ladies of "The View" dedicated nearly 10-minutes of airtime to the scandal.

"I think this is finally a time where we're seeing the New York Times being exposed for their liberal bias," Elisabeth said.

Fox News' Alan Colmes of "Hannity & Colmes," addressed the question: Is this now turning into a conservative versus liberal argument?

"Actually this helps conservatives, people who don't like John McCain, the ones who've been blasting him can now hate the New York Times more than they're hated John McCain, so this will actually - in a perverse way - help him. "