The Empire Strikes Back!

Yesterday was a long and busy day for me and although I managed to watch most of Rupert and James Murdoch’s questioning by the Culture, Media and Sports Select Committee live I had to finish the rest later on BBC Parliament – so yes I missed the foam pie throwing and Mrs. R Murdoch’s left hook live – but they were equally exhilarating yet appropriate for late night TV.

After two weeks of intense and focused scaremongering from the left media and their portrayal of the Murdochs as evil power hungry broadcasting mongrels who will stop at nothing. I was shocked to see a frail 80 years old father and his young compassionate son respectfully and humbly apologizing for their collective failure and poor judgment while trying to explain and assist the committee to understand what happened or did not happen.

Both father and son came across well – in body language (listening and making good positive eye contact) and tone of voice (spoke calmly, clearly making sure they were heard). They were credible and sympathetic in manner and substance. They were simply impressive.

However, I can’t say the same about the committee, except for Tom Watson MP who clearly has became learned in this particular case and was persistent to direct his questions to Murdoch Senior alone – whom he felt should shoulder the full responsibility – and succeeded.

Beside Wendi Deng’s left hook I also missed the highest point of the hearing – Louise Mensch MP beautifully dropping Peirce Morgan in it – by quoting parts of his book where he allegedly admits to using phone hacking to get a journalistic scoop. She also took the whole issue of phone hacking broader, showing that it was an acceptable practice in the culture of tabloid journalism. Thus explaining the only reason the News of the World is alone under the limelight now is because no one has gone after the others!

Wonder who will be the Watson after Morgan and the rest!?