Another bitter blow for Twitter arrived on Friday as media baron Rupert Murdoch bid adieu to the microblogging service – or did he? On 4 March, the day of his wedding to actor-model Jerry Hall, Murdoch signed off thusly:
No more tweets for ten days or ever! Feel like the luckiest AND happiest man in world.
— Rupert Murdoch (@rupertmurdoch) March 4, 2016
The “or” leaves some hope for his 745,000 fans. But if this is it, he will be missed. The 84-year-old founder of News Corporation often made headlines simply by expressing his opinion on the news of the day, notably by predicting what would happen in conservative politics around the world, occasionally baiting the chattering classes by retweeting something like this:
Rupert Murdoch wants Michael Bloomberg to run for president http://t.co/i5nSdScxfv
— VJ Machiavelli (@VJMachiavelli) August 24, 2015
Memo to @rupertmurdoch WRONG & it's #FireAilesNow Time
And immediately following it up with something like this:
I did not say I would vote for him! Just a friend I admire.
— Rupert Murdoch (@rupertmurdoch) August 24, 2015
Recently, Murdoch avowed himself a fan of Republican presidential candidate Ben Carson and a sucker for rags-to-riches stories, though he tended to emphasize the riches over the rags. And while enthusiastic and reliably entertaining about politics, he was not always correct:
Seems Corbyn slightly less certain of winning, Cooper just might do it on preferences.
— Rupert Murdoch (@rupertmurdoch) September 9, 2015
And, as is so often reflected in the editorial pages of his newspapers, he held strong opinions about the necessity of the environment, and opinions about those opinions.
A climate change skeptic not a denier. Sept UN meets in NY with endless alarmist nonsense from u know whom! Pessimists always seen as sages
— Rupert Murdoch (@rupertmurdoch) August 27, 2015
He was also changeable – his disdain for Donald Trump transformed into something like grudging acceptance over the course of Trump’s campaign as Murdoch, with the rest of the world, gradually came around to the idea that the Las Vegas hotelier’s bid for the US presidency was more than a lengthy gag. In July, he was distinctly unimpressed …
When is Donald Trump going to stop embarrassing his friends, let
— Rupert Murdoch (@rupertmurdoch) July 19, 2015
alone the whole country?
… but by Wednesday of this week he had apparently made his peace with the idea of President Trump.
As predicted, Trump reaching out to make peace with Republican "establishment". If he becomes inevitable party would be mad not to unify.
— Rupert Murdoch (@rupertmurdoch) March 2, 2016
And of course, he regularly called for calm during times of turmoil and upheaval:
Conclusive win for gay rights, but let's not have war on freedom of speech or religion. Would defy all American ideals.
— Rupert Murdoch (@rupertmurdoch) June 28, 2015
But he paid attention to the news closer than most, and he always supported the home team, especially the old-style newspapermen and -women who had helped to sell his products, especially those with an eye for a catchy front page.
"Headless Body in Topless Bar". Brilliant author of iconic NYPost headline, Vincent Musetto. May he rest in peace.
— Rupert Murdoch (@rupertmurdoch) June 9, 2015
Now the octogenarian has found happiness in the arms of a former supermodel, Murdoch clearly isn’t feeling the need of Twitter. Love needs more than 140 characters. Farewell Rupert, the subtweeters will miss you.
