McCain's Free Ride with the Media

Today, Paul Waldman and David Brock are releasing a new chapter to their book, "Free Ride: John McCain and the Media." The new chapter is an update to the media coverage of McCain since the book was published and is available at www.mccainsfreeride.com/addendum.

Sample from chapter:

As Free Ride was nearing its release, we began to hear an interesting argument from those skeptical of the case we make. "Look at that story in the New York Times suggesting that McCain might have had an affair with a lobbyist," some said. "Doesn't that prove the press isn't in the tank for McCain?" The truth, however, is that the Times story proves just the opposite.

The speculation about a possible McCain affair did not exactly set off a feeding frenzy among the press corps. Though one could argue ignoring such salacious rumors is exactly what the press should do, it is hard to imagine they would have been as restrained had it been a different candidate. Indeed, within hours, that aspect of the story simply disappeared from public discussion; instead, McCain and his press team managed to transform the controversy about him to a controversy about the New York Times.