By James Caldwell, Torch assistant editor

The Associated Press published a big story today on former WWE CEO Linda McMahon's Senate campaign in Connecticut heading into this weekend's Republican delegate meeting. The story was quickly picked up by several mainstream news outlets, including the Washington Post.

McMahon has quotes in the report trying to draw sympathy after being faced with questions during her campaign on pro wrestling's history of health issues and early wrestler deaths. McMahon gave her standard response that WWE has "evolved" and added a Wellness Policy to improve wrestler health.

"It's always interesting that you are seemingly punished or looked at askant for what maybe you weren't doing 20 years ago, instead of being credited for how you've evolved it, learned in the process, taken better care of people, and all of the evolutions of content and programming and been in business that long and been on television," McMahon said. "It's a testament really to the creativity and ingenuity that's the product, I think."

The other item that has been scrutinized is WWE's history of questionable content during the Attitude Era. McMahon tried to use the argument that it's a matter of "personal taste" and doesn't reflect on her character as a potential Senator.

"It's push-back that WWE has heard over time. To produce seven hours of fresh programming every single week, with no reruns for 52 weeks a year, you do some storylines, you know, better than others," McMahon said. "It becomes a matter of taste."

The AP published the story on the basis of this week's big news in the Connecticut Senate race where Democratic candidate Richard Blumenthal's Vietnam War record came under scrutiny. McMahon gained in the polls following the news and her chances improved of competing against Blumenthal if she receives the Republican nomination over Rob Simmons.

Caldwell's Analysis: It's the same rhetoric from McMahon trying to point everyone to the post-Wellness Policy period, where WWE actually has taken steps to improve wrestler health. The key issue is WWE turning a blind eye to escalating health issues when they did not have a Wellness Policy while they were making their money. McMahon has been resistant to those questions, though. It would expose her campaign, which is being funded by the money she made as CEO of a company that peaked financially when the company did not have a Wellness Policy to monitor the health of its wrestlers. In the 2000s, the bill came due on wrestlers dying young or having numerous health complications. WWE had already made its fortune, defeated the competition, and become publicly-traded by the time they instituted a Wellness Policy. Credit WWE for "evolving," but it was way, way after the fact. McMahon has yet to account for the pre-Wellness Policy period.

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