Did they or didn't they?
I was told that the McMahon campaign worked closely with the New York Times on the Blumenthal story -- providing military records, information on the deferments and, most damningly, that video from the Norwalk event.
And, last night, the campaign wasn't shy about saying so. Staffers tweeted on the topic and posted Kevin Rennie's blog entry about it on the campaign website. Just before 11 p.m. last night, they sent out a press release with Rennie's blog post -- in case you missed it.
Now, however, the website has been scrubbed and the campaign appears to be backing off its claim of credit.
A New York Times spokeswoman tells Politico that the story was the product of "extensive independent reporting."
If the McMahon campaign provided the video and other help, should the story have said so? Is this inside baseball or are there larger principles at play?
And one more question: Did the McMahon campaign undercut the story by giving the Dems an out?
That's the tack Democratic chair Nancy DiNardo is taking. "Linda McMahon's malicious, deceptive attack on Dick Blumenthal's record of service is the lowest kind of political smear,'' DiNardo said in a statement. "Her campaign admits they are the ones who cherry-picked the quotes and are behind the hit piece."