The senator and the Times John McCain and a short, seamy history of presidential sex

In flagrante delicto Estes Kefauver drunkenly demanded liquor and women The press corps looked the other way

A cultural shift Media didn’t ask, didn’t tell about JFK Revelations about Judith Exner (right) presaged a shift Vietnam and Watergate made press more skeptical

Gary Hart Leading candidate for Democratic nomination in 1988 Affair with Donna Rice exposed by Miami Herald Hart dropped out, public angry with media

Gennifer Flowers Lounge singer takes on the gatekeepers and wins Sells her story to The Star, holds news conference Mainstream media forced to report a story they had ignored

Meet the press On “60 Minutes,” Bill Clinton admits having “caused pain in my marriage” Public shrugs it off

When is sex newsworthy? Washington Post, Time killed story of Dole affair An American hero who was going to lose anyway Is that an acceptable standard?

The gates fall for good Prosecutor Ken Starr sought to trap Clinton on perjury charges Starr found reporters to be a willing audience Then as now, highly partisan environment

Overruling the editors Newsweek holds story of Clinton- Lewinsky affair Were the editors seeking to verify it — or kill it? We’ll never know, because Matt Drudge broke the story

Media, politicians rebuked Clinton’s approval rating rose to highest of his presidency Republicans defeated in midterm elections

A non-sex non-story Drudge alleges a Kerry affair U.S. media are wary, ignoring story or reporting denials Gatekeeping role is damaged but not destroyed

Bill Keller “We believe in a journalism of verification rather than assertion”

Bill Keller “We believe in a journalism of verification rather than assertion” Did the Times live up to that standard?

Anonymous sources “The use of unidentified sources is reserved for situations in which the newspaper could not otherwise print information it considers reliable and newsworthy” — New York Times policy on confidential sources

Anonymous sources “Confidential sources must have direct knowledge of the information they are giving us — or they must be the authorized representatives of an authority, known to us, who has such knowledge” — New York Times policy on confidential sources

Anonymous sources “We do not grant anonymity to people who are engaged in speculation, unless the very act of speculating is newsworthy and can be clearly labeled for what it is” — New York Times policy on confidential sources

Additional questions Is John McCain’s sex life the media’s business — and ours?

Additional questions What do you make of the Times’ decision to hold the story since December?

Additional questions Do you think the Washington Post story is better than the Times’? Why?