Vicki Iseman illuminates that infamous New York Times hit-piece for National Journal:

Iseman says she answered every question put to her by The Times, but that the newspaper “chose to disregard” many of her answers. “The New York Times set out to write a story about a ‘romantic relationship’ in exchange for legislative favors…. Make the lobbyist a prostitute — pretty heady stuff. The only problem was, they were wrong on all counts.”
In strong language, Iseman also lashed out at John Weaver, a former top McCain strategist who left the campaign after a power struggle in July 2007. She said that Weaver had an “ax to grind” and had used The Times to orchestrate the story and damage McCain’s presidential campaign. “The New York Times had four reporters [work] almost four months on this,” she said in an e-mail to National Journal this month, “and John Weaver made them his marionettes.”

Notice the headline: “Lobbyist Speaks: Rumor Of McCain Affair False, Damaging.” False, damaging, and published with actual malice or reckless disregard for the truth is a common definition of libel. I hope Iseman has hired a very hungry lawyer.