"Murdoch is a big bad bastard": Keating

Tony Blair's advisor, Alistair Campbell, wrote that former Prime Minister Paul Keating gave Blair some advice about dealing with Murdoch:

“On Murdoch, he told TB: ‘He’s a big bad bastard, and the only way you can deal with him is to make sure he thinks you can be a big bad bastard too. You can do deals with him, without ever saying a deal is done. But the only thing he cares about is his business and the only language he respects is strength’.”

Paul Keating is quoted in the Fairfax press today [2/11/09]:

''News Corporation is not only now specialising in tabloidism of the worst variety, but in Britain of course a number of their journalists have been charged for phonetapping other journalists and individuals in public life,'' he said.

''Against that background its chief executive chairs the Right To Know campaign. So on the one hand Mr Hartigan poses as the guardian of ethics and morals in newspapers. On the other hand he has his ratpack off the leash running around at night denying people their privacy and forcing lenses into their faces.''

How refreshing it would be if current politicians had the balls to criticise Murdoch's slimey ways, fat chance - he owns them all!