Posted on 08/02/2007 8:12:20 PM PDT by doesnt suffer fools gladly
Edwards Raps Hillary for Murdoch Ties
By NEDRA PICKLER,AP
Filed Under: Elections News
WASHINGTON (Aug. 2) - John Edwards criticized Democratic rival Hillary Rodham Clinton on Thursday for taking more than $20,000 in donations from News Corp. officials, arguing that the company's Fox News Channel has a right-wing bias and Democrats should avoid the company.
John Edwards says Democrats shouldn't take money from News Corp. Most of Rupert Murdoch's donations go to Republicans, but he gave $4,200 to Hillary Clinton's Senate campaign and held a fundraiser for her.
Edwards led the Democratic candidates' boycott of Fox's plans to host a Democratic presidential debate. Now he is objecting to News Corp.'s purchase of Wall Street Journal publisher Dow Jones & Co. and highlighting the relationships that Clinton and other rivals have with the company's executives.
"The time has come for Democrats to stop pretending to be friends with the very people who demonize the Democratic Party," Edwards said in a statement.
He challenged his rivals to refuse contributions from executives of News Corp., and return any they had already received. The Edwards campaign sent an e-mail to supporters with the subject line "Unfair and Unbalanced," asking them to donate in support of his stand against the company.
Said Edwards spokesman Eric Schultz: "Thousands of good people work at Fox News and News Corp., but this is about the bias of top executives, those who make real editorial decisions like Rupert Murdoch, people who continually sanction unfounded attacks on Democrats. And that's why Democrats like Senator Clinton should either reject their money or return it."
The campaign timed the challenge to come two days before Edwards, Clinton and other candidates are scheduled to appear at a convention of liberal bloggers, who applauded Edwards' revolt against the Fox-sponsored debate in March.
Most of Murdoch's donations go to Republicans, but he gave $4,200 to Clinton's Senate campaign in 2006 and held a fundraiser for her at News Corp.'s midtown headquarters. He also donated $2,300 to her presidential campaign, according to online campaign donation database Political MoneyLine. Murdoch's son James, who is seen by many as a likely candidate to eventually succeed his 76-year-old father, gave $3,450.
A Political MoneyLine search of donors employed by News Corp. finds $20,900 in donations to Clinton's presidential bid from nine company attorneys and executives, including Murdoch's No. 2, Peter Chernin, who gave the maximum $4,600 allowed.
Chernin is a frequent donor to Democratic causes. He's also contributed $2,100 each to Democratic presidential candidates Barack Obama and Chris Dodd, Political MoneyLine shows.
The Clinton, Obama and Dodd campaigns did not respond to requests for comment.
Dodd also issued a statement this week objecting to News Corp.'s purchase of Dow Jones and expressing concern about consolidation of U.S. media outlets.
"The Wall Street Journal has provided a valuable and important news choice to the American public for years," Dodd said. "With News Corp.'s purchase of the newspaper, I am concerned that it will be very difficult for the Journal to offer fair and balanced reporting under the pressures of a giant-media conglomerate."
He accepted $500,000 for an advance on his “coffee table book” according to Britt Hume tonight on Fox News, and got another $300,000.
Edwards says he gave it all to charity.
How about a followup. Let’s see the checks for charity, Breck Girl.
He’s toast, and any hope of being selected as a VP candidate is in the tank as well.
He’s a rich, pretty girlie-man with no credibility.
Soon, he will be as untouchable as Dukakis and Mondale (Carter is krypton to Democratic candidates as well).
Hey, John. How about Hillary soliciting $1.6 mil from the guy who ripped off Fidel Castro for 8.7 mil? Doesn’t that count?
it’s much more ethical to get all your money from lawyers and investment banks
JOHN EDWARDS (D)
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Sounds like Edwards doesn’t like conservatives.
And that Hillary only likes them for their money.
Probably gave it to his own foundation.
Edwards did NOT give any money to charity without a major photo op to prove it. Have you seen anything like that?
This is funny. Methinks Rupert knows what he’s doing.
This is funny. Methinks Rupert knows what he’s doing.
Edwards did not give the advance of 500,000 and 300,000 to charity, he said he gave the profits of the book sale to charity. I never heard of the book, so don’t know if there was any profits.
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