Here and There

John Cassidy’s article in the October 16, 2006 issue of The New Yorker about Rupert Murdoch asks the question whether Murdoch is moving the left politically. Cassidy makes a pretty persuasive argument that this is indeed what’s happening, evidenced by the mogul’s apparently star-crossed admiration of both Clintons and Tony Blair and reluctance to embrace George W. Bush.

But does embracing centrist Democrats and moderate liberals such as Blair, necessarily mean Murdoch is gravitating toward the other end of the spectrum?

Didn’t we all move to the left when the political spectrum shifted under our feet? It used to be balancing budgets and embracing free markets were property of the right. Now they’re bona fide “Democratic” issues, and some conservatives in this country go as far as demanding protectionist measures, which in many cases fly in the face of laissez-faire relaxation.

By now, most Democrats are not, contrary to perception, soft on defense. They approve grotesquely inflated military budgets and give war plans the green light. Indeed, “peace movements” in this country have been pushed so far to the fringe as to render them legislatively obsolete and doomed to perpetual mockery.

The “right” in this country, well, do we really need to go over this? While under Republican watch, we’ve seen spending explode. The Bush Administration has engaged the country in multiple “interventionist” wars and battles.

Cassidy’s article hinges on whom he’ll support for president of the U.S. in 2008, of the two presumed frontrunners John McCain and Hillary Clinton. And Cassidy is right to suggest that the fact the Clinton is even being considered is meaningful.

Slamming Hillary and Bill Clinton in his papers and cable news programs got Murdoch readers and viewers. But now that Bill is out of office and Hillary is so popular representing the state of New York, less so.

Questions remain. Is it simply Murdoch’s rebellious nature? Is it the influence of his 37-year-old Chinese wife Wendi, whom Cassidy dubs “Murdoch’s closest confidant”? His past as a socialist? His Calvinist upbring?

I’d guess it’s a little bit of everything.

Either way, it would be nice to see the owner of Fox News removing his nose from the ass of either party, and instead going with ideas over ideology.

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