Cue the Tiresome Non-Apology Apologies

News Corporation's extensive, oligopolistic broadcast interests- Fox News, Direct TV, etc- are required by the FCC to have a broadcasting license owned by a person of "good character." So let's go down the checklist of "good character" for Rupert Murdoch.  And perhaps we should examine giving out American citizenship so easily to foreigners in charge of criminal enterprises.

Rebekah Brooks, Europe's News International Chief resigned today, caught in some incredibly brazen lies to Parliment, and that means incidently that Murdoch betrayed his last real friend.

As for his "We are Sorry," ad from today's Guardian stories, it scrupulously avoids taking the slightest responsbility on his part.  The NY Times version is attached helpfully to a News Corp press release denying previous allegations on the same topic, slopping over with 100% bullshit. Today's tiresome non-apology apology drips with: "I am so very sorry that people were hurt and that this all happened while I was standing there innocently playing golf with Tony Blair."

So once again, let's go to the tape on the correct form of apology.

I can't quite call this a prediction yet, but as this unfolds over the next months, and it will, I would give odds on the Conservative government falling when the Liberal Democrats shift support to Labour - the Liberal Dems' demands will include Labour cleaning house as well. Both Blair and Gordon Brown, about whom Murdoch just made the horrendous error of calling him a liar regarding NoW breaking into his small child's medical records, have long relationships with Murdoch. 

The Iraq war comes again to mind. 

As for the U.S., DoJ is now responding, at least on the limited 9/11 hacking issue.  It's all News Corporation, an American company. If that turns out to be true (who wants to bet they didn't? I'll give you 2 to 1), it would be entirely appropriate for the FCC to attack News Corp's right to hold a broadcast license - that's Fox News, Fox, Direct TV, etc, etc, etc. 

As for me, I call now to revoke Murdoch's citizenship. It's a stain on all of us.