John McCain and Vicki Iseman: A Romney Supporter's Look at the Potentially Scandalous New Story

As a conservative Republican who supported Mitt Romney during the Florida Primary, and who feels that John McCain is at best, "the lesser of three evils," I need little reason not to hold a high opinion of the good Senator. Having said that, the recent news stories in the New York Times and Washington Post that imply that there may have been a possible romantic link between the Republican presidential candidate and lobbyist Vicki Iseman, a pretty blonde in her 40's, will do little to alter my views of the man.

Though I do wish we were at a time and place in this nation where we could either get past such negative "smear campaigns," or at least find a good batch of candidates whose moral standards are above reproach. Given that we seem to be able to do neither, I am left to shrug my shoulders and mumble, "we put up with the dalliances of Kennedy, and the bumbling affair of Bill Clinton, how much worse off can we be with an alleged romance by John McCain?"

To be fair, John McCain held a press conference to deny the allegations of a romance with Vicki Iseman, adding that the lobbyist is just a friend. He also denies that Iseman received any preferential treatment because of the friendship. Though according to the news stories, sources close to McCain (during the 2000 Elections) have said that they counseled the Senator to keep his distance from Vicki Iseman back then. The stories go further, stating that at one point, McCain's staff blocked Iseman's access to McCain, for fear that the relationship would be politically damaging.

However, which side you believe in this potentially scandalous, and politically damaging affair, would probably have more to do with your personal political views than with the evidence that has been presented thus far. Where this not an election year, this story may not even have legs. Yet the sad fact remains that it is an election year and McCain is struggling to appeal to the more conservative side of his Party, a faction that has been less than please with the general outcome of the Presidential Primaries so far.