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WASHINGTON -- John McCain, his wife, his political lieutenants and a lobbying firm with Tampa ties circled their wagons Thursday to condemn a news story raising questions about his relationship with a female lobbyist at the firm.
The likely GOP nominee for president denied The New York Times’ suggestion of a possible romantic relationship eight years ago with lobbyist Vicki Iseman.
At the time, McCain was gearing up for his first run for president, and she was working at Alcalde & Fay for telecommunications interests with business before a McCain committee. She continues to hold a partnership at the firm.
“Obviously, I’m very disappointed in the article – it’s not true,” McCain said in a news conference Thursday.
A written statement from Alcalde & Fay’s president, Kevin Fay, called the story “a campaign of character assassination.”
“Alcalde & Fay’s relationship with Senator McCain has been professional, appropriate, and consistent with his legislative, jurisdictional and constituent duties,” the statement went on.
Alcalde & Fay’s founder and chairman, Hector Alcalde, who has extensive ties to Tampa, did not return a telephone call to comment on the story.
But Fay called The Tribune on Alcalde’s behalf, saying the firm’s comments would be limited to the written statement, in part “to honor Ms. Iseman’s request for privacy.”
The Times story recounted how McCain aides worried in late 1999 as the senator was gearing up his 2000 White House campaign about his actions that favored clients of Iseman’s with business before the Senate Commerce Committee, of which he was chairman.
The story also depicted top McCain advisers as becoming convinced their relations had become romantic. It said they warned McCain the bond could be politically damaging, and instructed staff to block her access to him.
Iseman, 40. a Pennsylvania native, and McCain, 71, both told the newspaper they never had a romantic relationship.
In his news conference, McCain denied any inappropriate behavior with Iseman, whom he called a “friend.”
At his side stood his wife Cindy, who said she also was disappointed in the Times.
And joining the attacks on the newspaper Thursday were McCain operatives and some media pundits, who questioned the Times’ use of unnamed sources and its timing of the story (the newspaper was said to have held off since December.)
Even long-time McCain critic Rush Limbaugh chimed in, rhetorically asking conservatives: “Why should any of us be surprised or even angry at what the New York Times is doing here trying to take out John McCain?”
McCain campaign manager Rick Davis and Republican National Committee chairman Mike Duncan also attacked the story as an example of liberal media bias.
Both sent out e-mails seizing on the story to call for McCain supporters and Republicans to contribute more money to the candidate and the national party.
“Objective observers are viewing this article exactly as they should – as a sleazy smear attack from a liberal newspaper against the conservative Republican frontrunner,” said Davis.
New York Times Executive Editor Bill Keller issued a statement Thursday saying, “Our policy is, we publish stories when they are ready. ‘Ready’ means the facts have been nailed down to our satisfaction, the subjects have all been given a full and fair chance to respond, and the reporting has been written up with all the proper context and caveats. This story was no exception.”
“McCain’s GOP opponent, Mike Huckabee, said he views McCain as a “man of integrity” and that he takes him “at his word” that the report was not true.
And Rep. Adam Putnam of Bartow, asked about the article, said he viewed it as “something of a cheap shot.”
“McCain has a right to be angry and indignant,” said Putnam, who is the No. 3 Republican in the U.S. House.
McCain backer Brian Ballard, a Tallahassee lobbyist and veteran GOP Florida political strategist and fundraiser, said the story won’t hurt McCain among Florida voters.
“If anything, will boost him with conservatives who see The New York Times as a boogeyman,” Ballard said.
Putnam noted that Alcalde & Fay have represented almost every public entity in the Tampa Bay area.
Alcalde attended the University of Tampa, and has served on its board of trustees, according to his firm's web site.
He lived and taught school in Tampa in the 1950s, and went to Washington in 1962 as chief of staff for long-time Tampa Congressman Sam Gibbons. He is also an old friend of former Mayor Dick Greco.
The Tampa Port Authority was his first client in 1973. By the mid-1990's, Alcalde had a reputation as the Tampa Bay area's point man in Washington.
His clients have included Hillsborough County, the county Aviation Authority, the cities of Tampa and Clearwater, and local businesses including Home Shopping Network, Jack Eckerd Corp., Jim Walter Corp., Paxson Communications Corp., the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and TECO.
Despite Alcade’s Democratic roots – Gibbons is a Democrat – he has established links to Republicans in recent years, contributing to Republican candidates including Jeb Bush, Gov. Charlie Crist, Hillsborough County Commissioner Jim Norman and state Sen. Ronda Storms.
Reporter Billy House can be reached at (202) 662-7673 or bhouse@mediageneral.com. Reporter William March can be reached at (813) 259-7761 or wmarch@tampatrib.com.
The likely GOP nominee for president denied The New York Times’ suggestion of a possible romantic relationship eight years ago with lobbyist Vicki Iseman.
At the time, McCain was gearing up for his first run for president, and she was working at Alcalde & Fay for telecommunications interests with business before a McCain committee. She continues to hold a partnership at the firm.
“Obviously, I’m very disappointed in the article – it’s not true,” McCain said in a news conference Thursday.
A written statement from Alcalde & Fay’s president, Kevin Fay, called the story “a campaign of character assassination.”
“Alcalde & Fay’s relationship with Senator McCain has been professional, appropriate, and consistent with his legislative, jurisdictional and constituent duties,” the statement went on.
Alcalde & Fay’s founder and chairman, Hector Alcalde, who has extensive ties to Tampa, did not return a telephone call to comment on the story.
But Fay called The Tribune on Alcalde’s behalf, saying the firm’s comments would be limited to the written statement, in part “to honor Ms. Iseman’s request for privacy.”
The Times story recounted how McCain aides worried in late 1999 as the senator was gearing up his 2000 White House campaign about his actions that favored clients of Iseman’s with business before the Senate Commerce Committee, of which he was chairman.
The story also depicted top McCain advisers as becoming convinced their relations had become romantic. It said they warned McCain the bond could be politically damaging, and instructed staff to block her access to him.
Iseman, 40. a Pennsylvania native, and McCain, 71, both told the newspaper they never had a romantic relationship.
In his news conference, McCain denied any inappropriate behavior with Iseman, whom he called a “friend.”
At his side stood his wife Cindy, who said she also was disappointed in the Times.
And joining the attacks on the newspaper Thursday were McCain operatives and some media pundits, who questioned the Times’ use of unnamed sources and its timing of the story (the newspaper was said to have held off since December.)
Even long-time McCain critic Rush Limbaugh chimed in, rhetorically asking conservatives: “Why should any of us be surprised or even angry at what the New York Times is doing here trying to take out John McCain?”
McCain campaign manager Rick Davis and Republican National Committee chairman Mike Duncan also attacked the story as an example of liberal media bias.
Both sent out e-mails seizing on the story to call for McCain supporters and Republicans to contribute more money to the candidate and the national party.
“Objective observers are viewing this article exactly as they should – as a sleazy smear attack from a liberal newspaper against the conservative Republican frontrunner,” said Davis.
New York Times Executive Editor Bill Keller issued a statement Thursday saying, “Our policy is, we publish stories when they are ready. ‘Ready’ means the facts have been nailed down to our satisfaction, the subjects have all been given a full and fair chance to respond, and the reporting has been written up with all the proper context and caveats. This story was no exception.”
“McCain’s GOP opponent, Mike Huckabee, said he views McCain as a “man of integrity” and that he takes him “at his word” that the report was not true.
And Rep. Adam Putnam of Bartow, asked about the article, said he viewed it as “something of a cheap shot.”
“McCain has a right to be angry and indignant,” said Putnam, who is the No. 3 Republican in the U.S. House.
McCain backer Brian Ballard, a Tallahassee lobbyist and veteran GOP Florida political strategist and fundraiser, said the story won’t hurt McCain among Florida voters.
“If anything, will boost him with conservatives who see The New York Times as a boogeyman,” Ballard said.
Putnam noted that Alcalde & Fay have represented almost every public entity in the Tampa Bay area.
Alcalde attended the University of Tampa, and has served on its board of trustees, according to his firm's web site.
He lived and taught school in Tampa in the 1950s, and went to Washington in 1962 as chief of staff for long-time Tampa Congressman Sam Gibbons. He is also an old friend of former Mayor Dick Greco.
The Tampa Port Authority was his first client in 1973. By the mid-1990's, Alcalde had a reputation as the Tampa Bay area's point man in Washington.
His clients have included Hillsborough County, the county Aviation Authority, the cities of Tampa and Clearwater, and local businesses including Home Shopping Network, Jack Eckerd Corp., Jim Walter Corp., Paxson Communications Corp., the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and TECO.
Despite Alcade’s Democratic roots – Gibbons is a Democrat – he has established links to Republicans in recent years, contributing to Republican candidates including Jeb Bush, Gov. Charlie Crist, Hillsborough County Commissioner Jim Norman and state Sen. Ronda Storms.
Reporter Billy House can be reached at (202) 662-7673 or bhouse@mediageneral.com. Reporter William March can be reached at (813) 259-7761 or wmarch@tampatrib.com.