Washington - Senator John McCain, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, issued a statement condemning a report in Thursday's New York Times detailing his relationship with a Washington telecommunications lobbyist. The lengthy article in The New York Times describes McCain's past connections with Vicki Iseman.
Mostly citing two unnamed sources, described as disillusioned former aides to the Arizona senator, the article claims that some within McCain's circle were concerned during his failed 2000 presidential bid that his connections to Iseman would destroy the reformist image that he was cultivating. Some within the campaign were concerned that there was a romantic relationship, the paper said.
McCain, 71, who is married, and Iseman, 40, both denied any romantic relationship or any inappropriate political favours for the lobbyist or her clients, the Times reported.
A statement released by McCain's campaign called the article in Thursday editions of The New York Times "a hit-and-run smear campaign."
"Americans are sick and tired of this kind of gutter politics," the statement said, "and there is nothing in this story to suggest that John McCain has ever violated the principles that have guided his career."
