McCain Camp Targets <em>New York Times</em> Story On Palin

A sharp criticism of some New York Times reporting on GOP vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin, the Alaska governor, spilled into a second day today when the McCain campaign sneered that reporter Elisabeth Bumiller was standing by a story that was corrected by the Gray Lady. On a web page devoted to policing the media, the campaign today put out a statement: "Bumiller Stands By Her Story...After Paper Retracts."

It's just the latest bid by the campaign to target coverage of the McCain-Palin ticket, especially the Palin end. Virtually everyone in the campaign believes that she is being treated unfairly and possibly in a sexist way. Another campaign official today issued talking points rapping a number of pundits and columnists who belittle Palin. And in advance of Palin's much anticipated speech before the Republican National Convention tonight, the campaign is sending several surrogates out to talk up her story. This is background info from the campaign:

" Today the McCain campaign will launch a forward leaning effort to counter the shameless smears that have prevailed during Governor Palin's introduction to the American voter. Below are some relevant McCain campaign activities planned for today and some examples of falsehoods and smears against Governor Palin's family historic candidacy:

MCCAIN ACTIVITIES PLANNED FOR TODAY:

Mayor Rudy Giuliani will be on all three network and cable television stations defending Governor Palin's family and her historic candidacy.

The McCain campaign will launch a television ad directly comparing Governor Palin's executive experience as a governor who oversees 24,000 state employees, 14 statewide cabinet agencies and a 10 billion dollar budget to Barack Obama's experience as a one-term junior Senator from Illinois.

Former Democratic Vice Presidential nominee current U.S. Senator Joe Lieberman and Congressman Eric Cantor will hold a press conference calling on Barack Obama to condemn and/or dismiss his official campaign spokesman who implied Governor Sarah Palin supported Nazi sympathy because she wore a Pat Buchanan pin on one single occasion.

McCain-Palin surrogates Senator Kay Bailey Hutchinson, Former HP CEO Carly Fiorina, U.S. Rep. Heather Wilson, Former eBay CEO Meg Whitman, McCain Senior Advisor Nicolle Wallace, McCain Communications Director Jill Hazelbaker and McCain Senior Advisor Nancy Pfotenhauer will do television and radio interviews to demand better treatment for Governor Palin's family.

By Paul Bedard