Gag Me!

So Murdoch buys MySpace, and he's the genius? Plus, as Ailes well knows, no one is afraid of Fox (just ask the Bancrofts), it's just Democrats do not want to lend legitimacy to scurvy propaganda outfits, no matter how much money they dump into the Congressional Black Caucus. And gag me with this most undemocratic gathering singing paeans to democracy!:

Mr. Murdoch hosted the 9th annual presentation of the Eric Breindel awards for opinion writing alongside Fox News boss Roger Ailes and Newsweek senior editor Lally Weymouth.

Ms. Weymouth glowingly introduced Mayor Bloomberg.

“Everybody in New York that I know thinks he’s a brilliant mayor,” she said. “And everyone thinks he would be a brilliant president.”

“Nine years ago, who would have thought this would be one of the most prestigious awards in journalism?” Mayor Bloomberg said. “But, then again, nine years ago, who would have guessed the hottest thing on television would be a national talent show called American Idol. Or that the highest-rated news program would be one calling itself a 'No Spin Zone.' Or the most popular site on the Internet would be an interactive photo album called MySpace.”

“What will Mr. Murdoch think of next?” he asked. “I guess you’ll just have to ask the Bancroft family.”

...“We’ve become increasingly successful, and yet we’ve been increasingly criticized," [Mr. Ailes] said to the crowd about his company. "Sometimes for being too pro-American. Sometimes we’re too pro-Israel. Sometimes too pro-democracy.

"I’ve been quoted as saying, ‘This is a great country.’ A lot of people are trying to get in, nobody’s trying to get out. The press is an essential pillar of that democracy. The press didn’t invent democracy. Democracy invented freedom of the press. So we will investigate anything and find the truth, and report it, but we do not get up every morning, assuming that our country is guilty. We just happen to like democracy."

And he had some choice words for Democratic candidates who have decided not to debate on Fox.

“The candidates that can’t face Fox, can’t face Al Qaeda,” said Mr. Ailes. “And that’s what’s coming.”