NY Times' McCain Story Draws Public Interest -- And Disapproval

NY TIMES' MCCAIN STORY DRAWS PUBLIC INTEREST -- AND DISAPPROVAL
[SOURCE: Pew Research Center for the People and the Press]
An overwhelming majority of Americans (81%) are aware of news reports that John McCain may have had an improper relationship with a female lobbyist several years ago. About half (48%) of the public has heard a lot about this story, which first appeared in the New York Times late last week. Another 33% has heard at least a little about the story. By a nearly two-to-one margin those who have heard about the McCain story think the New York Times was wrong to publish it ­ 57% say the Times did the wrong thing in publishing the story, 33% say the paper did the right thing. Republicans are only slightly more likely than Democrats to have heard about the McCain story (87% of Republicans have heard at least a little compared with 80% of Democrats). However, partisan views on the role of the New York Times differ dramatically. By a 75% to 16% margin Republicans who are aware of the story say the Times did the wrong thing by publishing it. Democrats are evenly split on the issue ­ 47% say the Times was wrong, 45% say the paper was right. Independents have a more negative view of the Times' decision (55% wrong, 33% right).
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6536015.html?rssid=193

* Public Broadcasting Activists Refute McCain Campaign 'Facts' on FCC Letters
A public broadcasting activist is accusing Sen. John McCain's presidential campaign of lying in its statements rebutting last week's New York Times story about McCain's connections to Washington lobbyist Vicki Iseman. After the story broke, the McCain campaign distributed a lengthy document stating that the senator's commerce committee staff "met with public broadcasting activists from the Pittsburgh area" who opposed a controversial license swap involving Iseman's client, Paxson Communications, before it sent two letters to the Federal Communication Commission urging the commissioners to vote on the issue. "It never happened," said Jerold Starr, who led the grassroots opposition to the deal as the co-chairman of the Save Pittsburgh Public Television Campaign. "Moreover, we had no idea that McCain had any interest in our local matter."
http://people-press.org/reports/display.php3?ReportID=397