I'm curious to see how Eric Alterman and his ilk who believe that the media -- especially News Corp.'s Fox News and The New York Post -- are part of a right-wing cabal react to this news.

Five executives on Kerry's list joined him in Davenport, Iowa, today at what the campaign called an "economic summit.'' In addition to Phillips, they were Owsley Brown, chief executive of Brown-Forman Corp.; Peter Chernin, chief operating officer of News Corp., which owns Fox News Channel; Charles Gifford, chairman of Bank of America Corp.; and Penny Pritzker, president of Pritzker Realty Group.

"I think the deficit is just plain bad for the country and bad for business,'' Chernin told an audience of about 250. "I don't think you can fight two wars, one internationally and one domestically, and at the same time cut taxes.'' [emphasis added]

So, what was that Alterman said? Something about you only being as liberal as the man who owns you?

Oh, and for those of you thinking that Chernin may have gone off the reservation, Fox News' coverage of the Kerry campaign event included a shot showing Rupert Murdoch in the audience.