The McCain campaign has vigorously denied a report in the National Enquirer magazine that the Republican's vice-presidential pick, Alaska Governor Sarah Palin, has had an extramarital affair with her husband's business partner.
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The story, which appeared just hours before Mrs Palin was due to address the Republican convention, was branded "scurrilous" by the chief strategist, Steve Schmidt. He said it was totally untrue.
"The smearing of the Palin family must end. The allegations contained on the cover of the National Enquirer insinuating that Governor Palin had an extramarital affair are categorically false. It is a vicious lie," said Mr Schmidt.
"The efforts of the media and tabloids to destroy this fine and accomplished public servant are a disgrace. The American people will reject it."
It follows revelations earlier in the week that Mrs Palin's 17-year-old daughter, Bristol, was five months pregnant and planned to marry the father Levi Johnston and have the baby.
The magazine has a reputation for digging dirt on politicians' lives.
It insisted that Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards was having an extramarital affair and had had a child with his lover, while his wife was ill with breast cancer.
The allegations were denied for months until the National Enquirer finally published photos of the duo meeting in a hotel in Los Angeles.
Anne Davies is the Herald ' s Washington correspondent. She filed this article from St Paul, Minnesota.
