WSJ again quoted McCain aide accusing Obama of raising age issue, ignoring Obama's actual charge about negative campaigning

Written by Kathleen Henehan

Published

In a profile of Mark Salter, Sen. John McCain's chief of staff, The Wall Street Journal reported that Salter responded to Sen. Barack Obama's comment that McCain was “losing his bearings” by “complain[ing] publicly” that it “was a 'not particularly clever way of raising John McCain's age.' ” But the Journal did not provide the context of the remark, which Obama made in response to a smear by McCain, and in which Obama said, “John McCain always says, well, I'm not going to run that kind of politics.”

A May 15 Wall Street Journal article profiling Sen. John McCain's chief of staff, Mark Salter, stated: “Last Thursday, he [Salter] came out swinging against Sen. [Barack] Obama after the Democrat said Sen. McCain was 'losing his bearings.' Mr. Salter complained publicly that the Democratic front-runner's comment was a 'not particularly clever way of raising John McCain's age.' The jab, he said, was 'typical of the Obama style of campaigning.' ” The article, by Monica Langley, reported the response of Obama spokesman Bill Burton, who said, “Clearly, losing one's bearings has no relation to age, given this bizarre rant that Mark Salter just sent out.” However, the Journal did not note that Obama was responding to a smear by McCain or otherwise provide the context of Obama's quote -- in which, commenting on the smear, Obama said that “John McCain always says, well, I'm not going to run that kind of politics.”

During an interview with Obama on the May 8 edition of CNN's The Situation Room, host Wolf Blitzer quoted McCain as saying: “I think it's very clear who Hamas wants to be the next president of the United States. I think that people should understand that I will be Hamas' worst nightmare. Senator Obama is favored by Hamas. I think people can make judgments accordingly.” In response, Obama told Blitzer that McCain's assertion was “disappointing, because John McCain always says, well, I'm not going to run that kind of politics.” Obama went on to say: “I've said that they are a terrorist organization, that we should not negotiate with them unless they recognize Israel, renounce violence, and unless they're willing to abide by previous accords between the Palestinians and the Israelis. And, so, for him to toss out comments like that, I think, is an example of him losing his bearings as he pursues this nomination. We don't need name-calling in this debate.”

A May 9 Wall Street Journal article about McCain's presidential run also uncritically quoted Salter's accusation that Obama “rais[ed] John McCain's age as an issue” without providing the context of Obama's statement, as Media Matters for America documented.

From the May 15 Wall Street Journal article:

Last Thursday, he came out swinging against Sen. Obama after the Democrat said Sen. McCain was “losing his bearings.” Mr. Salter complained publicly that the Democratic front-runner's comment was a “not particularly clever way of raising John McCain's age.” The jab, he said, was “typical of the Obama style of campaigning.”

The Obama camp fired back at Mr. Salter. “Clearly, losing one's bearings has no relation to age, given this bizarre rant that Mark Salter just sent out,” said Obama spokesman Bill Burton.

Mr. Salter, who when he isn't on the road occupies a windowless office at campaign headquarters here in the Washington suburbs, plans campaign events, writes speeches, and dispenses a steady stream of advice on the campaign trail.