So News Corp./Fox News/Rupert Murdoch are all part of the "vast rightwing conspiracy" huh?

Drudge:

MURDOCH TO HOST FUNDRAISER FOR HILLARY CLINTON Mon May 08 2006 18:25:16 ET

Rupert Murdoch has agreed to host a political fundraiser for Hillary Clinton this summer!

Murdoch's surprise decision to raise money for Clinton in July, on behalf of NEWS CORP., parent company of FOXNEWS and the NEW YORK POST, underlines a dramatic turn of relations between Murdoch and Clinton, who in 1998 coined the phrase “vast rightwing conspiracy” to denounce critics of her husband.

The move by Murdoch is believed to reflected his views of her as a senator, rather than as a presidential candidate in 2008.

Last week, Clinton surprised Washington and media watchers by attending a FOX NEWS anniversary party, where she toasted Murdoch.

Political powerbroker and studio head Harvey Weinstein is said to have convinced Hillary that Murdoch could be a friend, not a foe, in her ongoing political maneuvers.

Developing...

What is going on here!? One can only hope that this is part of a "vast rightwing conspiracy" and Murdoch is hoping to get on the inside to get the dirtiest of dirt to filter down to Fox News Channel. Though if we're talking about Hillary for president, I suppose that won't be necessary, considering polls continute to show us just how unelectable she is anyway. I don't think Murdoch could do anything about that.

What's weird is this isn't new to some people. I mean, we all brushed off Hillary's little appearance at the Fox News Sunday anniversary party a couple weeks ago, but NewsMax was noticing these two getting cozy almost a year ago, and they weren't the only ones.

I see now that the Financial Times is on top of this story as well. I think the author of this piece also reveals her obvious liberal bias, unless she's a columnist that I'm just not familiar with. But as I read this story, it comes off as reporting of hard news, despite it's obvious bias:

Rupert Murdoch, the conservative media mogul whose New York Post tabloid savaged Hillary Clinton’s initial aspirations to become a US senator for New York, has agreed to host a political fundraiser for her re-election campaign.

The decision underlines an incongruous thawing of relations between Mr Murdoch and Mrs Clinton, who in 1998 coined the phrase “vast rightwing conspiracy” to denounce critics of her husband, such as Fox News, the conservative cable channel owned by Mr Murdoch’s News Corporation.

Mr Murdoch will host the fundraiser, due to be held by July, on behalf of News Corp.

One person involved in the event said it reflected his views of her as a senator, rather than as a presidential candidate. “They have a respectful and cordial relationship. He has respect for the work she has done on behalf of New York. I wouldn’t say it was illustrative of a close ongoing relationship. It is not like they are dining out together.”

The decision reflects an assiduous courtship by Mrs Clinton and former President Bill Clinton. Last month Mrs Clinton surprised Washington by attending the “Fox News Sunday” 10th anniversary party, where she chatted with Mr Murdoch.

Mr Clinton has encouraged Mr Murdoch’s involvement with his Global Initiative and has invited him to speak again at the second forum in September. The former president will also address News Corp’s summer conference.

The fundraiser for Ms Clinton’s re-election is in stark contrast to the brutal coverage from the New York Post of her first Senate campaign.

The partisan tabloid ran unflattering pictures, and frontpage headlines pleading: “DON’T RUN”. A poll from the Post’s website during the campaign identified her as the sixth “most evil” person of the millennium, ahead of Benito Mussolini and Vlad the Impaler. Her husband ranked second.

One media lobbyist said: “Murdoch will be for the Republicans but he is also smart enough to know that the Republicans might not win. At some level, whether nationally or in New York, Hillary is the future and what savvy businessman would not want to put a line of interest in someone who will be the future?”

Mrs Clinton’s campaign office declined to comment.

I put the obvious biased portion in bold, and incase ya missed it, they called Fox News a "conservative cable channel". Setting aside the obvious fact that they call it a "cable channel" rather than "cable news outlet" or "cable news channel" or "cable news network", no just a "channel"... No, my problem is with her calling it a "conservative" channel. Of course liberals will want to go point-counterpoint on this, but that's not the issue in this case. The issue is whether or not someone should be writing (again what appears to me) a hard news piece, with obvious opinion added to it. Someone please correct me if this is a Caroline Daniel "column" rather than a news story, and I'll accept that. But as far as I can tell, Caroline Daniel is a news reporter for FT, not a columnist.

Others:
Early Spin Blog, Right Voices

***UPDATE***
Exclusive photo of Hillary steppin' With Rupert Murdoch, a.k.a R-Mur.