New York Post endorses Obama

Rupert Murdoch, the conservative businessman who owns the Post, Fox News and other outlets, had made overtures to Hillary Clinton -- it looks like that d

Published January 30, 2008 10:53PM (EST)

About a year and a half ago now, it looked as if a very strange political alliance might be forming. Rupert Murdoch, the conservative businessman who once described himself as a "billionare tyrant" in a lighthearted moment on "The Simpsons," and who owns media outlets ranging from Fox News to (now) the Wall Street Journal, held a fundraiser for Sen. Hillary Clinton in 2006. This despite the fact that his own paper, the New York Post, had repeatedly gone after Clinton. For a while, it even seemed as if the Post's coverage of Clinton had softened as the relationship between Murdoch and Clinton continued.

Well, it looks like our moment of peace may have come to an end -- the Post has endorsed Clinton rival Sen. Barack Obama for the Democratic presidential nomination, and it didn't spare Clinton in the process. (The Post is still a conservative paper, and it wasn't exactly nice to Obama either, though.)

"Obama represents a fresh start," the Post's editorial reads.

"His opponent, and her husband, stand for déjà vu all over again -- a return to the opportunistic, scandal-scarred, morally muddled years of the almost infinitely self-indulgent Clinton co-presidency.

"Does America really want to go through all that once again?

"It will -- if Sen. Clinton becomes president ...

"Bill Clinton's thuggishly self-centered campaign antics conjure so many bad, sad memories that it's hard to know where to begin ...

"Now, Obama is not without flaws.

"For all his charisma and his eloquence, the rookie senator sorely lacks seasoning: Regarding national security, his worldview is beyond naive; America must defend itself against those sworn to destroy the nation.

"His all-things-to-all-people approach to complicated domestic issues also arouses scant confidence. 'Change!' for the sake of change does not a credible campaign platform make. But he remains a highly intelligent man, with a strong record as a conciliator.

"And, again, he is not Team Clinton.

"That counts for a very great deal."


By Alex Koppelman

Alex Koppelman is a staff writer for Salon.

MORE FROM Alex Koppelman


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2008 Elections Barack Obama Hillary Rodham Clinton Rupert Murdoch War Room