The New York Times has a good read this morning exploring the relationship between Legendary Land Speculator Don Diamond and Arizona Sen. John McCain. An excerpt:
A longtime political patron, Mr. Diamond is one of the elite fund-raisers Mr. McCain’s current presidential campaign calls Innovators, having raised more than $250,000 so far. At home, Mr. Diamond is sometimes referred to as “The Donald,” Arizona’s answer to Donald Trump — an outsized personality who invites public officials aboard his flotilla of yachts (the Ace, King, Jack and Queen of Diamonds), specializes in deals with the government, and unabashedly solicits support for his business interests from the recipients of his campaign contributions.
Mr. McCain has occasionally rebuffed Mr. Diamond’s entreaties as inappropriate, but he has also taken steps that benefited his friend’s real estate empire. Their 26-year relationship illuminates how Mr. McCain weighs requests from a benefactor against his vows, adopted after a brush with scandal two decades ago, not to intercede with government authorities on behalf of a donor or take other official action that serves no clear public interest.
This article appears in Apr 17-23, 2008.
I’m glad smear campaigns are passing for national news.
The fact that the New York Times editorial staff is truly scared about McCain becoming the president is becoming more apparent. With the same two reporters, who charged McCain with having an unproven affair with a lobbyist, trying desperately to find more “dirt” on the senator, this just seems like the political ties of the newspaper coming out and showing their true colors.
I know, with no sarcasm, that Nintzel would have done a much better job with this story.