Sick with corruption and criminality from top to bottom
We[1] are most amused by this.
And this.
Pedantic note: I understand Tom Watson's phrase to mean that some employees and directors of the Murdoch empire, that is, from lowly reporters to the Murdoch family themselves are corrupt and/or criminal. This is perfectly consonant with the case of Clive Goodman (at the bottom) and the allegations of perjury by James Murdoch when he gave evidence to the HoC Select Committee (at the top).
This has (as journalists like to say when being dismissive) predictably upset David Aaronovitch and, less predictably, given that he's employed by a rival publication, Blair loyalist John Rentoul. In short, I think it's a perfectly sensible thing to say, just as one can say certain banks are sick without meaning that every trader is performing fraudulent transactions.
God, I love it when they're angry. Peter Oborne has stirred them up too. I see John Rentoul's getting upset at that Dispatches too. But were Oborne's allegations based on envy as Rentoul suggests they were? You can work that one out by yourselves, and if you have, you can ask if Kuwait (which partly finances the Blair empire) is a state fit to enter this "League of Democratic Nations" opponents of the UN are always banging on about.
[1] I am, anyway.
Ridiculous exaggeration RT @AndrewSparrow Tom Watson says Murdoch empire is "sick with corruption and criminality from top to bottom"
And this.
@JohnRentoul @tom_watson Well Tom, what's the answer to John's question? What act of criminality can you ascribe to The Times? Name one.
Pedantic note: I understand Tom Watson's phrase to mean that some employees and directors of the Murdoch empire, that is, from lowly reporters to the Murdoch family themselves are corrupt and/or criminal. This is perfectly consonant with the case of Clive Goodman (at the bottom) and the allegations of perjury by James Murdoch when he gave evidence to the HoC Select Committee (at the top).
This has (as journalists like to say when being dismissive) predictably upset David Aaronovitch and, less predictably, given that he's employed by a rival publication, Blair loyalist John Rentoul. In short, I think it's a perfectly sensible thing to say, just as one can say certain banks are sick without meaning that every trader is performing fraudulent transactions.
God, I love it when they're angry. Peter Oborne has stirred them up too. I see John Rentoul's getting upset at that Dispatches too. But were Oborne's allegations based on envy as Rentoul suggests they were? You can work that one out by yourselves, and if you have, you can ask if Kuwait (which partly finances the Blair empire) is a state fit to enter this "League of Democratic Nations" opponents of the UN are always banging on about.
[1] I am, anyway.
posted by Chardonnay Chap at 9/27/2011 10:59:00 AM
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