Right Thinking From The Left Coast
Don't stay in bed, unless you can make money in bed. - George Burns

Rupert’s Milions
by Lee

Hypocrisy, thy name is John Edwards.

John Edwards, who yesterday demanded Democratic candidates return any campaign donations from Rupert Murdoch and News Corp., himself earned at least $800,000 for a book published by one of the media mogul’s companies.

The Edwards campaign said the multimillionaire trial lawyer would not return the hefty payout from Murdoch for the book titled “Home: The Blueprints of Our Lives.”

The campaign didn’t respond to a question from The Post about whether it was hypocritical for Edwards to take money from News Corp. while calling for other candidates not to.

In addition to a $500,000 advance from HarperCollins, which is owned by News Corp., Edwards also was cut a check for $300,000 for expenses.

Edwards claimed $333,334 in royalties from last year’s release of the book, according to media accounts. The campaign said last night that those funds were part of the advance.

He says he gave that amount to charity, which would also provide tax benefits for Edwards. “We’re more than happy to give even more of Murdoch’s money to Habitat for Humanity and other good causes,” spokesman Eric Schultz told The Post yesterday.

He declined to show proof, however, that Edwards had donated the $500,000 advance or $300,000 expense checks to charity.

He wouldn’t return the money, and won’t provide proof that it was given to charity.  What a paragon of integrity.

Posted by Lee on 08/03/07 at 07:45 AM (Discuss this in the forums)

Comments


Posted by on 08/03/07 at 08:04 AM from United States

What if he needs that money to sue a tobacco company?

Posted by on 08/03/07 at 10:52 AM from United States

Seriously, this stunt by Edwards is nothing more than a limp pander to the leftist fringe.  Murdoch doesn’t give a shit about a person’s politics--Michael Moore’s books were published by a division of Murdoch’s empire, for god’s sake.  All Murdoch cares about is making money, and his news networks tilt right because Rush showed that right-leaning news can make people rich.  If Murdoch thought he could make more money being a AOL-Time Warner or CNN clone, he would do it.

Between Edwards’ hiring of insane leftist Amanda Marcotte as his campaign blogger (before a blog blitz forced her to resign to avoid further embarrassing the guy), to the $400 haircuts while lecturing others on poverty awareness, to this cheap superficial stunt, it’s amazing that he is getting any support for President other than the fringes of the far left. 

The man is clearly not cut out for the serious job of being President of the United States, but I guess 37 pieces of flair and a great smile are all it takes to impress members of the media these days.

Posted by on 08/03/07 at 03:08 PM from United Kingdom

He wouldn’t return the money, and won’t provide proof that it was given to charity.  What a paragon of integrity.

What a trial lawyer.

I guess 37 pieces of flair and a great smile are all it takes to impress members of the media these days.

Hasn’t it been that way since at least Kennedy, maybe Roosevelt?  And Blair showed that the problem isn’t only American.

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