Inside Barack Obama's Secret Meeting With Rupert Murdoch And Roger Ailes

Vanity Fair:

Just before the New York Democratic primary, when I found myself undecided between Clinton and Obama, I said to Murdoch (a little flirtation, like a little gossip, softens him), "Rupert, I don't know who to vote for--so I'm going to give you my vote. You choose."

He paused, considered, nodded his head slowly: "Obama--he'll sell more papers."

Even though his daughter Elisabeth and her husband, high-flying P.R. man Matthew Freud, have been raising money for Obama in Notting Hill, in London, where they live, and his wife has been attending fund-raisers for Obama in Los Angeles with David Geffen, this is a leap for Murdoch. Murdoch has traditionally liked politicians to come to him. His historic shift in the 1990s to Tony Blair came after Blair made a pilgrimage to Australia.

Obama, on the other hand, was snubbing Murdoch. Every time he reached out (Murdoch executives tried to get the Kennedys to help smooth the way to an introduction), nothing. The Fox stain was on Murdoch.

It wasn't until early in the summer that Obama relented and a secret courtesy meeting was arranged. The meeting began with Murdoch sitting down, knee to knee with Obama, at the Waldorf-Astoria. The younger man was deferential--and interested in his story. Obama pursued: What was Murdoch's relationship with his father? How had he gotten from Adelaide to the top of the world?

Murdoch, for his part, had a simple thought to share with Obama. He had known possibly as many heads of state as anyone living today--had met every American president from Harry Truman on--and this is what he understood: nobody got much time to make an impression. Leadership was about what you did in the first six months.

Then, after he said his piece, Murdoch switched places and let his special guest, Roger Ailes, sit knee to knee with Obama.

Obama lit into Ailes. He said that he didn't want to waste his time talking to Ailes if Fox was just going to continue to abuse him and his wife, that Fox had relentlessly portrayed him as suspicious, foreign, fearsome--just short of a terrorist.

Ailes, unruffled, said it might not have been this way if Obama had more willingly come on the air instead of so often giving Fox the back of his hand.

A tentative truce, which may or may not have vast historical significance, was at that moment agreed upon.

Read the whole story: Vanity Fair

Comments

[Bettysdad]

Who knows.

Maybe Obama told Murdoch that if Murdoch behaved he wouldn't have too much trouble from an Obama administration.

[MagisterLudi]

If you beleive that I got a du-nce cap to sell you for 1,000 bucks.

[Bettysdad]

I assume you've already used it, and are desperate for a mere grand.

[peter777]

Murdoch and his building media empire is dangerous. The Congress must do all in its power to limit the consolidation of the media. Expansion of empires like Murdoch's is not in the public interest. The fairness doctrine should also be implemented broadly to cover any government licensed system. That would include cable.

[MagisterLudi]

And thats why Junior is making deals with Murdoch...­.right?...­. to benefit Democracy... or just himself. Easy to figure out.....

[isis]

Young people watch FOX and laugh at it. The main FOX audience is old and crabby. Murdoch is smart to try to increase his audience a bit.

[indyleftist]

Obama is going on the O'rielly factor now

[RobinSeattle]

Well, that was a big waste of time.

I find it disturbing that these politicians feel obligated to call on Murdoch to kiss his ring. How nauseating because he is such a barbarian and hates average working stiffs like me.

I'm gratified that he apparently (I have to at least partially suspect that this is just p.r. spin) embarrassed by Bill O'Reilly and the Fox News Channel in general, but Obama should have told Ailes and Murdoch both to get stuffed since you now they aren't going to change their ways.

This was almost teenage in its simpleminded adoration of Murdoch. And that made this article a complete joke.

[polaris12]

It could not have been a "secret" meeting if there was a reporter there taking notes.

[fisharefreinds]

It is sad, but Murdoch was always for Obama.

[esquire07]

Murdoch is the biggest threat to Free Speech in America. We can only hope he gets terminal cancer in the next year or two. Two much power in one person's hand is a threat to society.

[UnknownSoldier]

That is not a very nice thing to say about anyone. You shouldn't carry that much anger around inside of you, it can only lead to something unhealthy happening to you.

[biglover]

Well Unknown, I agree with ESQUIRE 07 and in fact, I hope Karl Rove contracts a viral form of cancer which causes him enduring pain and he suffers until he dies. I would say I just expelled all my anger.

These are despicable lowlifes and the worst of the worst isn't good enough for them

[RobinSeattle]

I can hear your voice in my head sounding like HAL in 2001, A Space Odyssey, so soothing, and seducing us to surrender to this oppressive megalomaniac so he can use us up and then throw us away like used tissue. You are really a corporate robot. How does it feel to sell your humanity for a few shekels? You're as dead inside as a mausoleum.

[Bettysdad]

There are lats and lots of people that need to suffer tremendously.

Starting with every single Republican.

[Chris]

Let's see now that he does not need to pander to the left wing barack is ok with going on Fox News.

[TroubleNYC]

If they had a secret meeting it seems Hannity didn't get the memo.

[UnknownSoldier]

Rupert could care less what Fox News is doing, so long as Roger Ailes keeps bringing in the money. Page Six of the Post is where Rupert causes his mischief.

[gakabani]

Maybe Obama is selling his soul to the devil!

[SEQUOIABISON]

Be very cautious Barack, you know what happens when you lay down with dogs that have maggots and fleas?

When they relegate Hannity to sweeping the floor at Fox instead of making on air vile untrue statements about your candidacy then you will know that they are interested in becoming fair and balanced.

Obama/Biden

[dabrigadier]

wayoutleft - You are a typical Democrat that just loves to loose. Obama does not discuss everything you want to hear him discuss in a 5 minute conversation with Murdock like Media Monopoly & you are ready to toss away your vote to the green party. This will be a close election we cannot afford to waste our vote because someone does not answerer every question you want answered. you have to be politically savvy. If he brings that up now! Murdock will play videos of Rev Wright everyday till the election. There is a time & place for everything & the alternate candidates are scary. Let's get it right for once Democrats please!!!

[wayoutleft]

respects to all. i wish you all as many elected dems as we have in my state. i was with obama until he dumped rev wright and his church. but i always get about that far with dems except dennis, russ, and the black caucus. so i really wish barack well- but i would like the third party left to raise eyebrows nov 4. that would be good for the democrats- since they will definitely win.

[wayoutleft]

see? that's the problem- right there in this piece. barack meets with murdoch and the subject is NOT press monopoly - not a chance; the subject is- who would have guessed- barack obama. the disastrous results of concentration of media into a very few hands is apparently not even on obama's radar. the only subject that involves murdoch barack is concerned with is- naturally - coverage of himself.
that's the obama problem in a nutshell. that's why i'm voting mckinney/clemente of the green party. this piece in - where else- vanity fair says it in a way i never could.

[laborgrunt]

Although i do not agree with how your voting, I agree with your sentiment. I noticed that too, Barack could have discussed many more important things but didnt. Still McKinney has no chance and Barack is WAY better than McCain, please reconsider, especially if you live in a battleground state.

[WongChin]

You can't be serious, of course. He is NOT yet president; he is candidate! The senator is in the middle of a grueling campaign, and--I don't need to say it--this is NOT the time for him to argue with Murdoch and Ailes in a private meeting about media monopoly. Anybody wanting to know the candidate's view about media monopoly should ask him!

[wayoutleft]

i need to know if he's speaking for me or not. i think barack says different things to different people on the issues. he's flipped too many times for me to believe he's ever going to stand up to petraeus or murdoch.

[dudeismyname]

The posts by wayoutleft and laborgrunt demonstrate one of the worst tendencies of the left: the tendency toward a form of magical thinking. The sort of thinking that believes- feels- that a lone hippy shouting at the establishment- "speaking truth to power"- is somehow more effective than organized, persistent group action, because that requires a degree of compromise. Obama really COULDN'T have discussed "more important" things with Murdoch, because he was then as he is now, just a candidate, nothing more. He has no power and no ability to influence Murdoch, yet. Do you believe he was going to convince Murdoch on the issues, influence him to stop his evil ways? Please. He was laying the groundwork for more favorable coverage by Murdoch's outlets. That's the most he can hope for (and even that's a longshot).

[wayoutleft]

if he's the right candidate- he's not "just a candidate, nothing more". obama operates in a major key and a minor key. on one hand, he's The One. he's leading mankind into a golden post-everything future. on he other hand, like when he's flipping on fisa or complaining to murdoch about coverage, he's just a senator, or just a candidate. he is at the mercy of the political winds and has to compromise. barack is a real heroic inspirer when he is in a produced, controlled situation that he himself has designed. but on the fly, in the flow of changing circumstance, like the russian invasion of georgia, not so much. then he gets real ordinary fast and has to have bloggers and heads explain how he has to stay low-profile, keep options open.

[isis]

That's not true. Obama sponsored a bill against media consolidation along with Dodd and several others.

[wayoutleft]

it's not enough. bills can be misleading pr. he's got to put it front and center in the campaign. media control will not be an issue of consequence in the campaign.

[DogTown]

Murdoch knows who the winner is!