Rupert Murdoch's takeover of the Wall Street Journal this week is drawing the ire of some Democrats running for President.
Connecticut Senator Chris Dodd called the deal "a serious threat to our democracy." John Edwards urged fellow Democrats to oppose and block the merger and refuse campaign contributions from News Corp execs.
But the Democratic frontrunner, Hillary Clinton, hasn't said a peep. Perhaps that's because Clinton has been courting the Aussie billionaire since she became a New York Senator---and vice versa. Murdoch threw a lavish fundraiser for her at the News Corp tower last year. And he and son James, the heir apparent, both wrote big checks to Clinton's presidential campaign this June. Nine News Corp executives have thus far given a total of $20,900 to Clinton this election cycle.
Ari Berman
Rupert Murdoch’s takeover of the Wall Street Journal this week is drawing the ire of some Democrats running for President.
Connecticut Senator Chris Dodd called the deal "a serious threat to our democracy." John Edwards urged fellow Democrats to oppose and block the merger and refuse campaign contributions from News Corp execs.
But the Democratic frontrunner, Hillary Clinton, hasn’t said a peep. Perhaps that’s because Clinton has been courting the Aussie billionaire since she became a New York Senator—and vice versa. Murdoch threw a lavish fundraiser for her at the News Corp tower last year. And he and son James, the heir apparent, both wrote big checks to Clinton’s presidential campaign this June. Nine News Corp executives have thus far given a total of $20,900 to Clinton this election cycle.
She calls him "smart and effective." He calls her "a good Senator" and "very, very gutsy originally on the war in Iraq."
So you see, the Journal is not Murdoch’s only recent prize.
Ari BermanTwitterAri Berman is a former senior contributing writer for The Nation.