McCain camp whining that someone is reporting on their lobbyist ties

McCain Campaign Throws Another Tantrum

If there's one thing the McCain campaign hates, it's being called out for their hypocrisy, and predictably, they are throwing a hissy fit over the New York Times' report on McCain's campaign manager Rick Davis having been paid nearly $2 million by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac for access to John McCain and his deregulating ways.

During a conference call today with longtime lobbyist Davis and Karl Rove protege Steve Schmidt:

...Davis said only that he was involved in an effort to promote the cause of home-ownership -- but that he wasn't actually a lobbyist. "I never lobbied a single day," Davis said --

Nice deflection, Rick. The New York Times story didn't accuse Davis of lobbying for this firm. It pointed out that Davis was paid $30,000 a month for five years to do nothing except provide access to John McCain in the event he became president. Let's call that pre-emptive lobbying.

And what did Karl Rove-lite have to say during the call?

"Whatever the New York Times once was, it is not today by any standard a journalistic organization," Schmidt said. "It is a pro-Obama organization that every day attacks Senator McCain, attacks Governor Palin, and excuses Senator Obama."

Another nice dodge. Schmidt can't deny the story itself, so he opts for the old "attack the messenger." A classic Karl Rove move.

And the Obama campaign responds:

Number of probing stories the NY Times has written over the course of the campaign about Barack Obama, his life, his religion, his childhood, his politics, his time in the state senate, his time in the U.S. Senate, his family, his religion, his friends, his fundraising and all other manner of associations: more than 40

Number of stories the NY Times has written over the course of the campaign about the last major financial regulatory crisis, resulting in a huge bailout, and which John McCain was centrally involved in with his political godfather Charles Keating: 0

(Daily Kos)