John McCain's presidential campaign is threatening a lawsuit against the National Enquirer over a print edition story the tabloid ran today alleging that Gov. Sarah Palin has had an extramarital affair with her husband's business partner. The allegation would normally be dismissed by political observers as the random musings of a supermarket tabloid -- indeed, the McCain campaign said as much in its statements on Wednesday -- except that the paper has built up a reservoir of legitimacy following its earlier reporting on the John Edwards affair. In a statement to the Huffington Post, a spokesman for the paper, who promised a larger report next week, tapped into that pool of quasi-respect. "The National Enquirer's coverage of a vicious war within Sarah Palin's extended family includes several newsworthy revelations, including the resulting incredible charge of an affair plus details of family strife when the Governor's daughter revealed her pregnancy. Following our John Edwards' exclusives, our political reporting has obviously proven to be more detail-oriented than the McCain campaign's vetting process. Despite the McCain camp's attempts to control press coverage they find unfavorable, The Enquirer will continue to pursue news on both sides of the political spectrum." Clearly, this is a touchy matter. Already, rumors that Palin's youngest son was actually the son of her daughter were batted down. And the McCain campaign has strenuously insisted that the current crop of insinuations is not only false but also potentially libelous. "The smearing of the Palin family must end. The allegations contained on the cover of the National Enquirer insinuating that Gov. Palin had an extramarital affair are categorically false. It is a vicious lie," said McCain senior adviser Steve Schmidt. "The efforts of the media and tabloids to destroy this fine and accomplished public servant are a disgrace. The American people will reject it." But the Edwards reporting complicates matters. Just one month ago, conservatives were bemoaning the fact that no major media outlets had the temerity to follow the politically and personally sensitive rumors about the former North Carolina senator's infidelities. Jonah Goldberg, for example, wrote on the National Review's the Corner in later July that: "Whatever the merits of the whole Edwards love child story, are we really supposed to believe that one of America's most famous trial lawyers wouldn't sue a publication that printed defamatory and slanderous lies about him? Also, it's worth pointing out that while the Enquirer may or may not be scrupulous in its choice of stories -- that's in the eye of the beholder -- it is pretty scrupulous about its facts. They win lawsuits. They've broken a host of stories the MSM guys couldn't." Does the MSM now have an obligation to pursue this rumor, however touchy, or at least ask questions? "The "success" with Edwards no doubt will give them some more credibility, although we should remember that some of the allegations in their "lovechild" stories have been far from proven (although also far from disproven)," wrote Greg Mitchell, editor of Editor and Publisher Magazine. "Some of their Palin revelations may be quickly firmed up, prove bogus or more likely rest somewhere in-between for awhile. But what will be interesting is whether the Republicans and conservatives and MSM critics who jumped on the MSM and liberals for not quickly embracing the Enquirer's Edwards work will now pooh-pooh the Enquirer when it comes to THIS candidate....:" And yet, at the same time, the Enquirer's story may be something of a break for the McCain campaign, which has come under siege for the Palin pick. If the Arizona Senator and his aides are able to effectively portray attacks on the Palin as the product of smear, sleaze and innuendo, it clouds those that are more legitimate. And with new attack lines opening up against Palin seemingly every hour, Democrats may be even more hesitant about straying into the tawdry.
Anne Davies September 4, 2008 - 10:07AM The McCain campaign has vigorously denied a report in the National Enquirer magazine that the Republican's vice-presidential pick, Alaska Governor, Sarah Palin has had an extramarital affair with her husband's business partner. The story, which appeared just hours before Governor Palin was due to address the Republican convention, was branded " scurrilous" by the chief strategist, Steve Schmidt. He said it was totally untrue. "The smearing of the Palin family must end. The allegations contained on the cover of the National Enquirer insinuating that Gov. Palin had an extramarital affair are categorically false. It is a vicious lie," said Mr Schmidt. "The efforts of the media and tabloids to destroy this fine and accomplished public servant are a disgrace. The American people will reject it." It follows revelations earlier in the week that Ms Palin's 17-year-old daughter, Bristol, was five months pregnant and planned top marry the father Levi Johnston and have the baby. Ms Palin is expected to castigate the media in her speech at 12.30pm Eastern Australian time. The magazine has a reputation for digging dirt on politicians lives. It insisted that Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards was having an extramarital affair and had had a child with his lover, while his wife was ill with breast cancer. The allegations were denied for months until the National Enquirer finally got pictures of the duo meeting in a hotel in Los Angeles. Anne Davies is the Herald's Washington correspondent in St Paul, Minnesota http://www.smh.com.au/news/us-elect...-enquirer-story/2008/09/04/1220121383123.html
These Palin rumors remind me how extramarital affairs killed the once promising career of another young governor, Bill Clinton of Arkansas. He was in line to possibly secure the Democrat presidential nomination in 1992 when credible reports surfaced that he had carried on open and notorious sexual liaisons with scores of women in Little Rock, aided by his State Police contingent. He also had a long term affair with a woman named Jennifer Flowers. Led by the CBS program 60 Minutes, the mainstream media came down hard on the young Clinton and their negative evaluation of his fitness for high office was echoed by democrat primary voters. As 60 Minutes pointed out, extramarital affairs sank the careers of better men than Clinton, men such as JFK and LBJ, both of whom might have become president but instead were rejected by a vigilant press and voters who demanded candidates who observed traditional moral values. I am just thankful we live in a country with a vigilant, unbiased press.
The Enquirer had the goods on Edwards, and they may have the goods on Palin, too. If so, she's burnt toast along with McCain.
When men cheat,so what ,its expected When women cheat,they get the scarlett letter.depending on how far this goes,it could be the final nail in the coffin for mccain
The leftist press sat on the Edwards story indefinitely, until the Enquirer broke it... by contrast they won't let Palin off the hook over any internet rumor...... Obama is over except for inside the left wing echo chambers we know as "The Press"........ the remainder of the election season will be the thrashings of Democrats trying to obfuscate their actual platform and to secure the moral high ground and trying to appear competent [in the press......]
"ZZZzzzzzzz Registered: Jun 2004 Posts: 18498 07-24-08 03:32 PM I generally don't post from the NATIONAL ENQUIRER... http://www.nationalenquirer.com/sen...celebrity/65193" Correction: I generally don't post from the NATIONAL ENQUIRER... except when it fits my ideology.
I think the National Enquirer has mocked Scientology in the past as well. I don't recall zzzzZZZ post that information either.