Chapters 17 and 18 Summary and Analysis

The McCain camp learned that The New York Times was planning to print an article about an affair between McCain and a female lobbyist, Vicki Iseman. The article would also describe McCain's associations with corporate lobbyists. McCain told the editor of The Times that the story was false and convinced the paper to withhold the story for the time being. McCain held town hall meeting after town hall meeting. Romney was reeling from his defeat by Huckabee in Iowa and McCain beat Romney by five points in New Hampshire. It was crucial that McCain win South Carolina. His friend, Senator Lindsay Graham of South Carolina, garnered several important endorsements for him. But if he didn't do well, the donations would stop and he'd be done. Although it was touch and go, McCain pulled out a winner.

It was on...