Posted on 02/07/2011 10:15:30 PM PST by bruinbirdman
Hosni Mubarak's control of Egypt's state media, a vital linchpin of his 30-year presidency, has started to slip as the country's largest-circulation newspaper declared its support for the uprising against him.
Hoping to sap the momentum from street protests demanding his overthrow, the president has instructed his deputy to launch potentially protracted negotiations with secular and Islamist opposition parties. The talks continued for a second day on Monday without yielding a significant breakthrough.
But Mr Mubarak was dealt a significant setback as the state-controlled Al-Ahram, Egypt's second oldest newspaper and one of the most famous media publications in the Middle East, abandoned its long-standing position of slavish support for the regime.
In a front-page leader, the newspaper's editor-in-chief, Osama Saraya hailed the "nobility" of what he described as a "revolution" and demanded that the government embark of irreversible constitutional and legislative changes.
"The state and all its denizens, the elder generation, the politicians and all other powers on the political stage must humble themselves and rein themselves in to understand the ambitions of the young and the dreams of this nation," he wrote.
There was no call on the president to resign and while it may yet prove that Al Ahram's editorial shift may be tactical rather than genuine, opposition supporters expressed astonishment at the development.
Mr Saraya built his reputation as a dependable apologist for the president.
Last year, he became the subject of opposition mockery after Al-Ahram doctored a photo to show Mr Mubarak striding in front of President Barack Obama and other world leaders at the White House, when in fact he was at the rear. Caught out, Mr Saraya defended the deception as legitimate "expressionism".
Mr Saraya's change of heart comes amid growing anger among state journalists following the killing of Ahmed Mohamed
(Excerpt) Read more at telegraph.co.uk ...
That is not a good sign.
The Obammunist controls the media pretty well. Says one thing does another.
yitbos
I agree not a good sign for Mubarak.
yitbos
I only saw bits and pieces of the interview.
Don’t waste your time.
Ted Baxter is Ted Baxter.
End of story.
LOL.
well who do you think is pulling the strings on this revolution?
Community organizers.
yitbos
Yawn...
Satan.
I’m with you
The writing is on the wall. Just a matter of time now.
Satan’s minions are filling Satan’s cup. Satan is laughing himself into a frenzy thinking he has everything almost within his grasp. Prayerful for God to chain him.
But the good news is that in THE BOOK, Satan LOSES and so does his minons.
I’m sure obama could give him a few pointers.
True...may this be soon...in Jesus name I pray .... Amen.
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