John Weaver, On The Record

Former McCain strategist John Weaver e-mails:

"The New York Times knew about my meeting with Ms. Iseman and asked me about it and why it occurred. I informed the Times, in a written reply, that Ms. Iseman's comments about having strong ties to John's committee staff, personal staff and to him I felt were harmful and not true. And so I informed her and asked to to stop and desist. The moment I answered the inquiry from the New York Times I sent that answer also to Mark, Steve and Charlie. All of this happened in December. I've wanted John McCain to be president since I first approached him in 1997. I do so today. I love John McCain and I believe the country badly needs him."

Note that on MSNBC this a.m, McCain adviser Steve Schmidt said that "[n]obody on the McCain campaign believes that John Weaver was the source on this."

(McCain said as much at his press conference this morning.)

Comments

So if not Weaver ...who is the consultant(s) who sourced story? ...maybe he or she was trying to get Weaver in trouble or settle an old grudge...maybe this is intra consultant mischief and or wars and originally had little to do with MCain...

Posted by Phillipa | February 21, 2008 11:08 AM

I'm not buying it. Why a secret meeting in Union Station if this was merely about getting Iseman to stop blabbering to her colleagues about her pull with McCain? You could handle something like that with an e-mail... or over lunch in a less discreet location. Story doesn't wash with me.

Posted by David Flores | February 21, 2008 11:18 AM

No...this is disgruntled ex-employee()...with a credible consultant bio and relationships with the press ...but maybe his or her target was not so much McCain...because he or she knew "the story" (sex, lobbying stuff) was not credible or maybe this person (the leaker) reasoned that in the end his or her actions would help MCcain with a conservative base rally around McCain and instead saw this as a way to get Weaver in trouble ...as that idiot Tucker has already done by calling Waver sinister!!!! Tuckerappears in cahoots with the source...

Posted by Phillipa | February 21, 2008 11:28 AM

The timing is impeccable coming on the heels of McCain's finance challenge to Obama. If you want to find the source, look to the Obama camp.

Posted by jc | February 21, 2008 11:32 AM

Only one problem, jc. The Times has been sitting on the story since December.

And think how the right-wing would be reacting if this were about Bill Clinton. But, I forgot. IOIYAR.

Posted by Obama | February 21, 2008 11:44 AM

Only one problem, jc. The Times has been sitting on the story since December.

And imagine how the right-wing would have reacted if this had been Bill Clinton. But I forgot. IOKIYAR.

Posted by Paleo | February 21, 2008 11:47 AM

The sanctimonious posturing of McCain as the untarnished victim is about to unravel. He has a long history of ducking and dodging on lobbyists' influence and it's coming home to roost.

Posted by Psellers | February 21, 2008 12:00 PM

McCain has also admitted cheating on his first wife with a number of other women and met his second wife when she was 25 and he was past 40. Do those inclined to dallying with attractive younger women ever really change?

Posted by Peter Walsh | February 21, 2008 12:36 PM