John McCain’s campaign team is threatening to sue America’s National Enquirer after the tabloid ran a story claiming vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin has had an extramarital affair.
Although the National Enquirer is usually considered a trash tabloid in political circles, the publication has earned a degree of relevance after breaking news of the John Edwards affair.
The paper had insisted the Democratic candidate had a child with his lover while his wife was ill with breast cancer and eventually proved it with pictures of the pair meeting at an LA hotel.
“Following our John Edwards exclusives, our political reporting has obviously proven to be more detail-oriented than the McCain campaign's vetting process,” the Enquirer said in a statement.
But Chief Republican Strategist Steve Schmidt said the new Palin report was “scurrilous” and completely untrue.
"The smearing of the Palin family must end. The allegations contained on the cover of the National Enquirer insinuating that Gov. Palin had an extramarital affair are categorically false. It is a vicious lie," said Mr Schmidt.
"The efforts of the media and tabloids to destroy this fine and accomplished public servant are a disgrace.
"The American people will reject it."