Caroline Overington, typewriter monkey at the Government Gazette, was busted yesterday for doing openly what her paper does secretly. Mediawatch got hold of emails of her begging Danielle Ecuyer, Glenn Close to George Newhouse's Michael Douglas, to direct her preferences to Malcolm Turnbull.
"Have you decided how to preference yet??"
— Email from Caroline Overington to Danielle Ecuyer"
"no sweetie it is way too early, let's see what happens on policy
from the major parties- if anything!!!!!!
— Email from Danielle Ecuyer to Caroline Overington"
That was written after Overington scrawled a column saying Ecuyer planned to direct preferences away from Newhouse, who it seems she's been sharpening an axe for. Apparently the two of them went out for a few weeks, it didn't work out, and now she's back to boil his pets and derail his political career, er, run as an independent. Anyway, here's the money email.
"Too early! My girl, you've got four weeks!!
Please preference Malcolm. It would be such a good front page
story. Also, he'd be a loss to the parliament and George - forgive
me - would be no gain. ;)
— Email from Caroline Overington to Danielle Ecuyer"
How did she manage to type that with the Member for Wentworth's member in her mouth?
"I’m disgusted to have been lobbied by a journalist from The
Australian for my preferences.
— Statement from Danielle Ecuyer to Media Watch"
Hilarious! Read the whole transcript to see Overington's pathetic 'i was only kidding!' denials. Of course there's no mention of this on the GG's website and Overington will continue her employment as one of Rupert's flying monkeys but it must mean things are getting pretty desperate in the Liberal bunker if they have to resort to this.
The media as a whole have been absolute rubbish the whole campaign. Take the 'me too' meme for instance. They jump all over Rudd when he copies the government, yet when Howard copies every single Labor party campaign plank at his campaign launch and adds no new policies of his own they don't start chanting 'me too'. How about just reporting the fucking news instead of trying to be part of it?
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