EmailA seismic shock wave vanishes.
Why?
Here are some theories. I’m not saying that any of them are right or wrong — but tell me what you think.
1) No reporter was able to match or advance the story at all. (So far.) So there were no reasons to do follow-ups beyond McCain’s denial.
2) The sources were anonymous, so no one was there to challenge McCain’s (and Vicki Iseman’s) denial. On the record denial beats the suspicions of unnamed people.
3) McCain denied it all, every aspect of it, took all questions thrown at him at his press conference, then walked away (canceling a later availability with reporters) so as to not give the story more oxygen.
4) However true, the story seemed to many in the media to be thinly sourced.
5) The McCain campaign effectively changed the focus from McCain to the Times. Conservatives would prefer to bash the Times than examine the GOP frontrunner, and the media always loves to talk about itself.
6) It’s an icky story.
7) The media likes McCain.
8) The story doesn’t fit into the pre-ordained negative narrative about McCain.
What say you?
- jpt