McCain's Lobbyist Problem Presents Fundraising Tool

By Mary Ann Akers
Borrowing a page from Hillary Rodham Clinton's playbook, Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) is using his lobbyist controversy to raise money.

Just as the Clinton campaign used last summer's cleavage controversy to rally empathetic supporters to dig into their pockets, the McCain camp is doing the same in its attack against the New York Times, which was first to publish this week's explosive story about McCain's close ties to lobbyist Vicki Iseman.

In an e-mail to supporters today, McCain campaign manager Rick Davis wrote:

"Well, here we go. We could expect attacks were coming; as soon as John McCain appeared to be locking up the Republican nomination, the liberal establishment and their allies at the New York Times have gone on the attack. Today's front-page New York Times story is particularly disgusting -- an un-sourced hit-and-run smear campaign designed to distract from the issues at stake in this election.... We will not allow their scurrilous attack against a great American hero to stand."

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