Clark Hoyt found his story for next week.

Today, the New York Times ran a lengthy article on John McCain that has already inspired late night talk show debate and merits a column from the public editor.

Part of its “Long Run” series, the Times questions McCain’s history of pretending to be above the Washington lobbying scene.

The piece has a lot of legitimate reporting on McCain’s hypocritical relationship with corporations. But this reporting will probably get lost in the rumors that McCain had an inappropriate relationship with a lady lobbyist.

But this obfuscation is the Times’s own fault. They lead with the smut:

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The story of Public Editors at The New York Times has been a little like Goldie Locks and the Three Bears. The first one, Daniel Okrent, had too much fun with the column. His succeesor, Byron Calame had too little. The current Public Editor, Clark Hoyt, is just right.

This week he writes about the “scandal” du jour: The New York Times giving Bill Kristol a one-year contract to be an op-ed columnist. In the two weeks in between the Times announcement and Kristol’s actual first column, blogger mayhem ensued, with everyone being outraged for no real reason.

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"While ombudsmen do not describe their newsroom relationships as particularly chummy, most say that reporters understand the public editor's role and are good sports about being critiqued. 'It's a professional relationship,' the Washington Post's Deborah Howell says. 'They don't have to like me, as long as they respect me.'"

Because, as Howell puts it, "You don't have any friends on this job." And we completely agree! The relationship between ombudsman and his/her fellow staffers is so inherently awkward that, fundamentally, it's all about mutual respect.

Or, in the case of New York Times' public editor Clark Hoyt, begrudging acceptance.

Mike Huckabee is currently fifth in the race for Republican nomination for President. His candidacy is so irrelevant that in a piece about the Times overlooking less popular candidates, Public Editor Clark Hoyt overlooked him.

If anyone can save the day, it’s Chuck Norris. The Sidekicks star has made a campy spot for the former Arkansas governor. Hey, maybe the Huckster will have more luck with a campaign based on irony than old-fashioned American values.