Phone hacking scandal deepens

[Jan Klimkowski]

So today's sizzling soaraway sins of the Murdoch Empire include:

1) the resignation of Rebekah Wade/Brooks:

a) presumably she wrote her own resignation letter, without any help, 'cos the flame-haired one opined that "her desire to remain on the bridge.... is now detracting attention from all our honest endeavours to fix the problems of the past." Presumably she meant "distracting". Perhaps she could consider rehiring some of those sub-editors she fired;

b) Wade/Brooks still maintains she didn't know what was happening when it was happening, so her "apology" is heavily qualified:

"As chief executive of the company, I feel a deep sense of responsibility for the people we have hurt and I want to reiterate how sorry I am for what we now know to have taken place,"

"what we now know" - disgraceful evasion;

c) followed by the truly delusional: "The reputation of the company we love so much, as well as the press freedoms we value so highly, are all at risk.... "

Press freedoms are at risk precisely because of the criminality and corruption of NI organs.

d) then the snivelling: "As you can imagine recent times have been tough. I now need to concentrate on correcting the distortions and rebutting the allegations about my record as a journalist, an editor and executive."

No chance.


2) the senile megalomania of Rupert Murdoch continues to flourish in his onanistic interview with his own organ, the Wall Street Journal

a) Murdoch claimed the company has handled the crisis "extremely well in every possible way", making only "minor mistakes".

He must be taking PR company Edelman's advice that "Sometimes, you just have to stand up there and lie".

b) "When I hear something going wrong I insist on it being put right."

To which I can only respond :rofl::rofl::rofl:

c) Murdoch said he would use his appearance before the Commons culture, media and sport committee next Tuesday to challenge "some of the things that have been said in parliament, some of which are total lies".

The man's either a fool or incompetent. Senile megalomania in full bloom;


3) Murdoch has now met the family of murdered schoolgirl Milly Dowler

a)

Rupert Murdoch has made a "full and humble" apology to the family of the murdered schoolgirl Milly Dowler at a private meeting held at a central London hotel.

The global head of News Corporation "held his head in his hands" and repeatedly told the family he was "very, very sorry", according to the Dowlers' lawyer Mark Lewis.

Milly Dowler died in 2002. Only this morning, Murdoch was playing with his WSJ organ and talking of only having made "minor mistakes" in the handling of the crisis;

b)

Murdoch had called the meeting at which Milly Dowler's parents Sally and Bob and her sister Gemma had told Murdoch his newspapers "should lead the way to set the standard of honesty and decency in the field and not what had gone on before".

Murdoch had replied that the News of the World's actions were "not the standard set by his father, a respected journalist, not the standard set by his mother".

Perhaps the old man is preparing to meet his maker.

At best, self-pitying tears years too late.

At worst, a cynical PR exercise as his empire continues to implode.