Feb. 21 (Bloomberg) -- Republican presidential candidate John McCain today denied having a romantic relationship with a telecommunications lobbyist and said she had no influence over his decisions or actions as a lawmaker.

McCain, an Arizona senator and former chairman of the Commerce Committee, was responding to a New York Times report that raised questions about his relationship with lobbyist Vicki Iseman. The article said that as he was preparing to make his first run for president eight years ago, McCain was confronted by aides about his relationship with Iseman. McCain said today he had no such meetings.

``It's not true,'' McCain, 71, said at a press conference in Toledo, Ohio, where he was campaigning for the state's March 4 primary. ``I'm very disappointed in the New York Times.''

The report was published as McCain closes in on the Republican presidential nomination after most other contenders have dropped out of the race. Former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee continues his campaign, even though McCain has four times as many delegates in the race for the party's nod.

The lobbying firm where Iseman is a partner, Alcalde & Fay in Arlington, Virginia, released a statement today defending Iseman and calling the report's allegations ``completely and utterly false.''

`Full Support'

``The story is based upon the fantasies of a disgruntled former campaign employee and is without foundation or merit,'' said the statement signed by Kevin Fay, president of the firm. Iseman's career ``has been exemplary and she has our full support.''

Huckabee said he believed McCain's denials.

``I have gotten to know Senator McCain over the past 14 months,'' he said in an e-mailed statement. ``I know him to be an honorable man of integrity and have no reason to doubt him.''

Aides to the two Democratic candidates, Senators Hillary Clinton of New York and Barack Obama of Illinois, said they would have no comment.

The New York Times article cited unidentified people involved in McCain's 2000 presidential campaign and said the aides were concerned that the relationship with Iseman had become romantic. They sought to block Iseman's access to McCain and asked her to stay away from him, according to the Times, which endorsed McCain in the New York primary.

1999 Meeting

The Washington Post reported that former McCain adviser John Weaver, after a discussion among the campaign leadership, met with Iseman in 1999 to ask her to stay away from McCain. Weaver told the Times that they talked about ``her conduct and what she allegedly had told people, which made its way back to us.''

McCain said he knew of no such meeting and that his aides had never confronted him about Iseman.

``It certainly didn't happen to me,'' he said.

Weaver, in a statement published today on the Post Web site, said he didn't inform McCain of his meeting with Iseman. He said McCain's staff heard that Iseman had been telling people ``she had strong ties to the Commerce Committee.''

Vin Weber, a former U.S. representative who worked on McCain's 2000 campaign, said in an interview on Bloomberg Television that he wasn't aware of any concerns about the candidate's behavior or relationships.

No Indications

``I never heard the name Vicki Iseman, I never heard any stories about staff having to talk to the senator about anything like this,'' said Weber, who was an adviser to former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney's presidential campaign this year.

McCain's efforts on behalf of one of Iseman's clients, Paxson Communications Corp., now Ion Media Networks Inc., were first raised as an issue in the 2000 presidential race.

McCain wrote letters to the Federal Communications Commission in 1999 urging it to proceed with a review of Paxson's bid to buy a Pittsburgh television station that had languished for almost two years at the agency.

McCain said today that he wrote the letters to the FCC because the commission was taking twice the usual time to review ownership issues. He said he wrote to the commission, not to influence its decision, but to tell it to ``go forward.''

``At no time have I ever done anything that would betray the public trust or make a decision which would in any way not be in the public interest,'' McCain said.

`Friend'

McCain said he considers Iseman ``a friend'' who he sees at various receptions and fundraisers. He said he hadn't seen her in several months.

His wife, Cindy, said McCain would never disappoint their family or the nation. ``He's a man of great character,'' she said while standing beside him at the press conference.

While the story may deal a temporary blow to the candidate, it is probably better that it came out now rather than closer to the November general election, said Clyde Wilcox, a government professor at Georgetown University in Washington.

``No one will be looking into this as the regular campaign unfolds,'' Wilcox said. ``If it develops a lot further, it hurts him on two fronts: with the evangelical base of the party because of the rumors of the sexual affair, and with independent voters who see him as an ethical straight shooter.''

Some Republicans said the fact that the story was published by the New York Times may actually help McCain within the party.

`Rally' Around McCain

``Conservatives dislike the New York Times, and this has a chance to rally them around McCain,'' said Scott Reed, who managed Bob Dole's 1996 presidential campaign and isn't aligned with any candidate.

Gary Bauer, the president of American Values, an Arlington, Virginia-based advocacy group, and a McCain supporter, said the report ``could very well cause a backlash of support for him.''

The McCain campaign sent out a fundraising letter today that sought to capitalize on that sentiment.

``The liberal establishment and their allies at the New York Times have gone on the attack,'' campaign manager Rick Davis wrote. ``With your immediate help today, we'll be able to respond and defend our nominee from the liberal attack machine.''

New York Times Executive Editor Bill Keller defended the newspaper's decision to publish the article and the timing.

``On the substance, we think the story speaks for itself. On the timing, our policy is, we publish stories when they are ready,'' Keller said in an e-mailed statement.

To contact the reporters on this story: Nicholas Johnston in Toledo, Ohio at njohnston3@bloomberg.net; Julianna Goldman in Washington at Jgoldman6@bloomberg.net

Last Updated: February 21, 2008 18:30 EST