GIULIANI AXIS

NYT EXAMINES MURDOCH, AILES, GIULIANI AXIS
Wed Aug 01 2007 14:39:11 ET

Having failed to thwart a Murdoch purchase of the WALL STREET JOURNAL, the NEW YORK TIMES intensifies battle with the NEWS CORP. empire on Thursday, newsroom sources tell the DRUDGE REPORT.

The paper is preparing a provocative examination of Republican presidential contender Rudy Giuliani's relationship with FOX NEWS chief Roger Ailes.

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TIMES reporter Russ Buettner has been pestering and pumping Murdoch executives for details on Rudy and Roger, company sources claim.

The duo "have been pulling for each other for nearly two decades," reports Buettner.

"Ailes served as a consultant to Giuliani's first mayoral campaign. Giuliani officiated at Ailes' wedding and intervened when FOXNEWS blocked from securing a cable station in the city."

NYT editors have set a Page One placement for the report, insiders claim.

FOX says the Rudy and Roger relationship "has not and will not affect coverage, but Giuliani, the frontrunner, already has more face time on the network this year than any other candidate," zaps Buettner.

Developing...