NYT in the Tank for O'Bama?

I saw this while home for lunch:

McCain Campaign: New York Times Blocked Op-Ed Response to Obama

The short version: Barack Diddy Wah Diddy Obama did an Op-Ed in the NYT, McCain submitted one in counterpoint. NYT declined to print it.

They said:

“I’d be very eager to publish the senator on the op-ed page. However, I’m not going to be able to accept this piece as currently written. I’d be pleased, though, to look at another draft. Let me suggest an approach,” Times op-ed editor David Shipley wrote the campaign via an e-mail later distributed by McCain’s team.

The suggestion? Let me break it down.

“It would be terrific to have an article from Senator McCain that mirrors Senator Obama’s piece.

Mirrors? How is that even possible? Hello? They hold opposing viewpoints.

To that end, the article would have to articulate, in concrete terms, how Senator McCain defines victory in Iraq. It would also have to lay out a clear plan for achieving victory — with troops levels, timetables and measures for compelling the Iraqis to cooperate.

Ah, the timetable. Maybe his plan doesn't include something that would tell our enemies when we would be the most vulnerable.

Silly, I know, but possible.

Oh, and I'm sure this has nothing to do with anything:

Shipley, who was named deputy editor in January 2003, served in the Clinton administration as a senior presidential speechwriter and special assistant to the president from 1995 to 1997.

Nope, no bias here.

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