Murdoch's man returns from the frontline

Rupert Murdoch has appointed a new adviser to oversee his speeches - and who better to supervise the production of rightwing rhetoric than Bill McGurn, who worked as President Bush's chief speechwriter for three years. McGurn, who is becoming a vice-president of Murdoch's News Corporation empire and will write articles for company publications, did a previous stint as Murdoch's speechwriter. And to make the appointment even more fitting, he was once chief leader writer at the Wall Street Journal, which has just become part of News Corp. It seems he will be rewarded for his efforts in the new job - Murdoch noted that by heading to the White House McGurn had "made a financial sacrifice to serve our country in a time of war". McGurn promises to be an obliging servant of News Corp: "I look forward to working with Mr Murdoch, and helping in any way I can." A posting to Fox News's Baghdad bureau, perhaps?