The FoxNews-Rudy Connection: One More Link

The FoxNews-Rudy Connection: One More Link
Judith Regan
knows how to ignite a firestorm — and her lawsuit against NewsCorp is a classic case in point, specifically with respect to her allegations about NewsCorp's ties to and affinity for
Rudy Giuliani
. Regan claims that NewsCorp attacked her reputation to undermine her credibility with respect to former boyfriend
Bernie Kerik
, ex- NYC Police Commissioner under Giuliani — and that a NewsCorp exec even
about Kerik in order to protect Giuliani. Per Regan's complaint: "This smear campaign was necessary to advance News Corp.'s political agenda, which has long centered on protecting Rudy Giuliani's presidential ambitions." Yowzas.

Salon's Alex Koppelman and Erin Renzas looked into Fox News' ties to Giuliani, and found that Giuliani had cleaned up on Fox re: airtime ("a total of 115 minutes, more than any other presidential contender") and had a number of relationships, the most significant being a clear relationship between Giuliani and Roger Ailes, as well as a relationship with Fox News host Sean Hannity, who had stumped for Giuliani at a campaign fundraiser in August. What Koppelman and Renzas missed was Giuliani's reciprocal appearance on Hannity's behalf during this past summer's "Freedom Concerts" series. Hannity introduced Giuliani as "a hero of 9/11" at the concert — plus ran footage of the event on his Saturday-afternoon show on Fox, "Hannity's America," on August 18, 2007. So add that to the TV tally.

According to Koppelman and Renzas, Hannity claims that he is not supporting a candidate. We show the clip of Hannity calling Giuliani a hero of 9/11, you decide if that counts as support.

Update: TVNewser crunches the numbers a bit differently, noting that Giuliani is the fifth-most-booked candidate on FNC. The winner is...Tancredo! Well, if that doesn't put a dent in Judith Regan's lawsuit. Also, funfact: I think I may have been the first person to mention how Giuliani's kids don't talk to him on FNC. I have nothing except a Google search and women's intuition to back that up, but that'll do.

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