US Republican presidential candidate John McCain denied a news
report on Thursday saying that he had an inappropriate relationship
with a female lobbyist whose clients had business before a Senate
committee where he was seated.
"I'm very disappointed in the article. It's not true," the
71-year-old Arizona Senator told a news conference in Ohio, where
he was campaigning for the Republican primary on March 4.
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According to a New York Times report released on Thursday,
during McCain's 2000 presidential nomination campaign, aides
concerned about his romantic relationship and a 40-year-old
lobbyist, Vicki Iseman, who represented telecommunications
companies with business before the Senate Commerce Committee that
McCain led.
"Ms. Iseman's involvement in the campaign, it was felt by us,
could undermine that effort," McCain's former top political
adviser, John Weaver, told the newspaper.
Weaver said during an interview with CNN on Thursday that he had
asked Iseman to stay away from the senator because she was telling
people she had special access to and influence with McCain.
In an email to the New York Times, Iseman acknowledged
the meeting with Weaver but denied she had received special
treatment from McCain's office.
McCain has been running on a platform of political reform and
shunning special interests in the presidential campaign in 2000 and
also 2008.
However, he claimed at the Thursday's news conference that
Iseman was merely his friend and he has never "done anything that
would betray the public trust or make a decision" that would favor
a particular group.
Cindy McCain also clarified that her husband is "a man of great
character" who always put his family and country first.
Shortly after the report was posted online, McCain's campaign
released a statement challenging the newspaper's motivation.
"He has never violated the public trust, never done favors for
special interests or lobbyists and he will not allow a smear
campaign to distract from the issues at stake in this election," it
said.
One of McCain's senior advisors, Charlie Black, told reporters
that the newspaper was liberal printing "rumors and gossip" in a
"partisan attack" on the conservative McCain.
McCain who has won 918 delegates to vote for him at the national
nomination convention, compared to 1,191 needed to secure the
Republican presidential candidacy.
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(Xinhua News Agency February 22, 2008)
