DailyMail.com has uncovered a photo showing the terse exchange between Lachlan Murdoch, his sister-in-law Kathryn and a former speechwriter for Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton at this year’s event.
The New York Times reported on Tuesday that Pod Save America host Jon Lovett was at the annual party in Los Angeles when he began talking to Kathryn Murdoch, who is the wife of James.
Kathryn, well aware of how Lovett felt about Fox News, offered to introduce him to Lachlan, and later that night followed through on that promise.
Lachlan can be seen in the photo staring down Lovett while the media scion’s wife Sarah stands nearby.
The three are not the focus of the image and rather in the background of the shot, which shows Oscar winner Renee Zellweger posing with Lovett’s longtime boyfriend Ronan Farrow.
How to win friends and influence people: This is the terse conversation between speechwriter Jon Lovett and Lachlan Murdoch (above) that was detailed in The New York Times expose of the Murdochs
Drawing an audience: That photo showed Lovett and Lachlan in the background of a shot that was taken of Lovett’s boyfriend Ronan Farrow and Renee Zellweger (guests are seen on right staring on as conversation gets heated)
Boys: Lovett and Farrow have been together for years, with the journalist confirming their relationship last June in an interview with David Axelrod
Lovett, a former speechwriter for Obama and Hillary Clinton, was reportedly less than thrilled when he arrived to the party and learned that he would be seated with a member of the Murdoch family according to a source.
That all changed when he began to speak with Kathryn, who had supported his former boss in the 2016 election, prompting a text from her father-in-law early in the evening on election night that read: ‘I think your girl’s going to win.’
Kathryn then offered to introduce Lovett to her brother-in-law later in the evening when the topic of Fox News came up at the table.
‘I don’t need to talk to this person. It’s not going to be pleasant for anyone,’ said Lovett.
Nevertheless, she persisted.
Lovett ultimately proved to be a man of his word, approaching Lachlan asking: ‘Do you feel proud of what’s happening between 8 and 11 every night?’
Lachlan responded that he was, and said the show’s primetime lineup of Tucker Carlson, Sean Hannity and Laura Ingraham were doing a ‘great job.’
He then asked Lovett if there were any conservatives he would be happy to see on the channel, at which point Kathryn reportedly began listing off a number of anti-Trump Republicans.
At that point Lachlan reportedly turned away to join another conversation.
The Murdochs were at the party for perhaps the last time, after selling off their film assets to Disney.
Lovett meanwhile was with Farrow, who confirmed the pair’s relationship last June in an interview with David Axelrod.
MURDOCH MADE HIS SIX CHILDREN BILLIONAIRES, BUT REFUSES TO NAME AN HEIR TO HIS EMPIRE
Murdoch’s heirs are now battling behind the scenes for control of the empire, with the two top contenders appearing to be his sons James and Lachlan.
The brothers have had a tumultuous relationship over the years which had become more frayed than ever of recent after Lachlan was promoted over his younger brother by their father, despite James’ loyalty to the family company.
The media mogul is the father of six children, who range in age from 61 to 16.
The oldest is Prudence, who is Murdoch’s only child with his first wife, Australian model Patricia Booker.
She has held various positions in her father’s companies but now lives in Sydney where she is largely focused on raising her thee children.
Murdoch’s youngest children are Grace (18) and Chloe (16), the New York-based daughters born to Murdoch’s third wife Wendi Deng.
Chloe is currently attending an Ivy League college while her sister attends private school in Manhattan.
Then there are the three who are poised to take control of their father’s media empire -Elisabeth (50), Lachlan (47), and James (46).
All three work in media, with Elisabeth currently experiencing success with Vertical Networks, a startup that provides app-based series that are produced to be viewed in cellular devices.
The relationship between Lachlan and his father has run hot and cold over the years, but that all changed back in 2014 when Murdoch’s oldest son returned to New York to work for News Corp.
Now, he is the Chairman and CEO of the Fox Corporation.
James, the youngest of the three, was the most loyal, staying by his father’s side and joining News Corp shortly after he dropped out of Harvard.
That devotion was tested however when Murdoch elected to promote Lachlan over James reports the Times.
The brothers already strained relationship only got worse when Lachlan informed James of this decision over lunch.
James even briefly quit the company, but then ultimately decided to return just before his father’s fall.
Sister, sister: Murdoch’s youngest children are Grace (18) and Chloe (16), the New York-based daughters born to Murdoch’s third wife Wendi Deng (above in 2016 at Murdoch’s wedding to Hall) while Prudence (right) is the oldest
Third time not the charm: There was reportedly concern that Murdoch’s third wife Wendi Deng (above in 2012) could be a spy for China according to a 2017 report
FIRE AND ICE: HOW LACHLAN BEAT OUT HIS LOYAL BROTHER JAMES TO WIN CONTROL OF FOX NEWS, THEIR FATHER’S MOST VALUED ASSET
This all came about in the wake of the $52.4 billion deal that Murdoch made with the Chairman and CEO of Disney, Bob Iger, just a few weeks before his fall.
That deal stripped Murdoch’s media empire of its film and television assets, including: 20th Century Fox, Fox Searchlight, FX Networks, National Geographic Partners and a 30 percent stake in Hulu.
The Murdochs maintained control of Fox News and Fox Business Network on the news side and FS1, FS2 and Big Ten Network on the sports side.
Twenty-eight Fox affiliates are also still part of the company, now knows as Fox Corporation.
A bidding war with Comcast also manged to drive up the preliminary offer that Iger and Murdoch first agreed too, and Disney ultimately paid $71.3 billion in the deal.
That deal was also a source of tension between James and Lachlan, with James being in support of the sale and Lachlan opposed to selling off the company’s assets.
Things got so heated, that Lachlan even threatened to stop speaking with his father if he went through with the deal, an ultimatum that Murdoch did not heed and Lachlan did not follow through on in the end.
Lachlan also reportedly saw the sale as a failure brought about by his brother James’ failure to negotiate a deal to takeover British Sky Broadcasting, which the family had owned a 39 percent stake in at that time.
That stake was sold to Comcast for $15 billion following their losing bid for the Fox film and television assets.
The inability of James to negotiate a takeover on two occasions would seem to have less to do with his abilities however and more to do with the fact that both attempts came during the two most disgraceful periods of Murdoch’s reign.
The initial attempt at a takeover was blown out of the water back in 2011 following the phone-hacking scandal at the now defunct News of the World.
It was revealed that reporters at that paper and others in the News International family, which was a subsidiary of News Corp, had hacked into the voice mails of actors, models, royals and even a 13-year-old dead girl.
James was more confident five years later as he prepared to present the possibility of a takeover the second time.
The, the Roger Ailes scandal hit, becoming international news overnight.
Not only did the Murdochs not secure a takeover, but regulators voted that no member of the family would ever be allowed to serve in any capacity at Sky moving forward.
James was the chairman of Sky at the time.
Gap: Murdoch was seen just a few weeks before the fall (left in London in December 2017) but did not emerge again in public for four months (right in April 2018)
Last man standing: Lachlan (above in September with his father at the US Open) was given the chance to but out his three siblings and become the undisputed heir of the family’s empire, but declined the offer for financial reasons
LAST MAN STANDING: GOLDEN CHILD LACHLAN SECURES HIS PERCH WHILE DUTIFUL BROTHER JAMES FINALLY CUTS TIES
James had seemed destined to control his father’s empire for years, but things all changed with the return of Lachlan.
Murdoch frequently told people he loved all his children, equally, but most point out that it was Lachlan who was his father’s clear favorite.
James meanwhile was dealt another difficult blow last year when he came to realize he would not be able to assume the position he had been eyeing at Disney during merger talks.
He then did something unexpected according to three sources, and threw in the towel.
This was no passing phase either, as evidenced by James’ plan to seize control of who would step into their father’s shoes.
Over the summer, James reportedly approached Elizabeth and Prudence with a proposal that would put an end to the power struggle once and for all.
The three all agreed that they would sell their voting interest in the company to Lachlan, giving him total control of the Fox Corporation and allowing them to pursue their own endeavors.
Both agreed, and the three soon got their father on board, seeming to cement the deal.
In a surprising twist however, it was Lachlan who rejected the offer.
He did this despite his father expressing his excitement about the two taking control of the company.
A spokesperson for Lachlan said that the proposal was not financially feasible, despite the windfall each child received in the Disney sale.
James then began setting up his own business, where he would use the vast fortune he had amassed to invest in start-ups and give back.
There was also the Quadrivium foundation he founded with his wife Kathryn, meant to neutralize the charged atmosphere created by outlets like the ones his father owns.
Old oligarchs: Murdoch has a very small group of friends, with Patriots owner Robert Kraft one of the few confidants (pair above in 2005 with Vladimir Putin)
White party: Ivanka Trump was one of the select guests who attended the Chloe and Grace’s 2010 baptism ceremony in the River Jordan (front row l to r: Ava Jackman, Anneka Mudoch, Grace Murdoch, Chloe Murdoch, Rupert Murdoch. second row l to r: Deborah Lee Furness, Wendi Deng, Queen Rania of Jordan, Nicole Kidman. third row l to r: Bert Sugarman, Kathy Freston. fourth row l to r: Ivanka Trump, Hugh Jackman. fifth row l to r: Jared Kushner, Larry Page, Tom Freston)
MEDIA MOGUL TO POLITICAL POWERHOUSE: HOW MURDOCH’S OUTLETS HELPED ELECT TWO NATIONAL LEADERS AND GAVE HIM ACCESS TO THE WHITE HOUSE
At the same time, Murdoch’s media companies have played major roles in the election of President Donald Trump in the United States and Prime Minister Tony Abbott in Australia.
That is due in large part to the reactionary model he favors from his news stations and print outlets.
Lachlan sides on his father in that regard while James is opposed, having twice been publicly humiliated by the actions of family-owned companies at critical times in the media empire’s history.
The election of President Trump has also given Murdoch a backstage pass to the wheelings and dealings going on at the White House.
This is thanks to the almost advisory role his employees have been unofficially given by the commander-in-chief, who is more likely to speak with Sean Hannity or Judge Jeannine Pirro than members of his own administration on some issues.
The sitting president also has a voracious appetite for the 24/7 news coverage that Murdoch ushered in with Fox News, and the network’s largely favorable coverage has resulted in Trump almost exclusively sitting down for interviews with Fox News hosts.
Now, with a recent sale to Disney having stripped Murdoch of most of his media assets in the United States and made all six of his children billionaires, the family can focus on its most successful creation – Fox News.
And as of now, it is Lachlan who is holding the reins to that polarizing entity, with no noticeable desire to change its course.
How the family will deal with Lachlan wrestling control from them, should he win out in the end, remains to be seen.
And the Times reports that past efforts have managed to quickly spin out of control.
‘Murdoch tried to manage the tensions, arranging for group therapy with his children and their spouses with a counselor in London who specialized in working with dynastic families,’ reveals the Times.
‘There was even a therapeutic retreat to the Murdoch ranch in Australia. But these sessions provided just another forum for power games and manipulation.’
humiliated: James gave evidence during a probe into the New of the Wold hacking scandal (above) that killed the Murdochs first attempt at a Sky takeover
Smack: Murdoch’;s third wife Wendi launched into action at that hearing when a man threw pie in Murdoch’s face (above)
LEVELING THE PLAYING FIELD: JAMES TRIES TO MITIGATE THE IMPACT OF FOX NEWS AFTER HIS SUGGESTIONS TO REVAMP NETWORK ARE SHOT DOWN
There are many who feel that Fox News leans too far right and is too reactionary for a news network, a criticism that neither Murdoch or son Lachlan have ever paid much mind to over the years.
That is still the case now as well, despite James launching an initiative with the aim of leveling the playing field.
Once the Ailes scandal broke at Fox News, James immediately sprang into action with a list of ideas he felt could save the company.
His biggest concern was the tone of the network, and he urged his father to keep the conservative voice that the brand had become known for while making sure to follow that other Fox News mantra – fair and balanced.
The Ailes scandal was a difficult time for the company, but did succeed in bringing Lachlan and James together at the outset.
That was thanks to the disdain the two men shared with Ailes, though for very different reasons.
Sources claim that Lachlan had come to dislike Ailes after he learned that his father had told the disgraced executive ‘don’t worry about the boy’ back more than a decade before the scandal.
James on the other hand took issue with his professional manner, and suggested that maybe David Rhodes of CBS could take over the top spot.
He also wanted to see the company focus more on digital and develop its website.
Lachlan did not want to see any change at Fox News however, which was the same position as his father.
Then, in January 2017, James and Lachlan again butted heads when the younger brother suggested that a statement be drafted to reassure the company’s Muslim employees after President Trump announced his travel ban.
The Times reports that Lachlan did not believe this was necessary.
At that point, having seen the damage caused by Fox News, James decided to open up a new office in Greenwich Village and start forging ahead with charitable efforts.
Best men, again: Murdoch has often said he loves all his children equally, but sources say that Lachlan has always been the ‘golden child’ in his father’s eyes (Lachlan and James with dad at his fourth wedding)
FAIRYTALE ENDING: JAMES TRIES TO SECURE TOP SPOT AT DISNEY WITHOUT ALERTING FAMILY
James became a crucial player and negotiator for the company in the lead-up to the deal between Disney and Fox.
He spent much time with Iger, and the CEO in turn kept James in the loop on most developments.
There was initial concern about the money, and Murdoch had almost called off talks in the fall of 2017 when he felt that Iger was coming in too low with his proposal.
A few months later, a handshake sealed the deal.
James was not happy with just a financial windfall however, and since Lachlan had been given the position he thought would be his at Fox, the younger brother devised a plan.
Sources claim that without the knowledge of his brother or his father, James tried to add a new clause to the agreement that would guarantee him Iger’s job once the CEO stepped down from the company.
Iger managed to stoke James’ ego enough to make him believe the the job was potentially his without ever making a definitive statement about the subject.
By that time, both Lachlan and Murdoch had learned of the plot and assured Disney executives that James’ future employment was not a concern they needed to address as part of the deal.
Having words: Lachlan and former Obama speechwriter Jon Lovett were spotted having a tense exchange at the Vanity Fair Oscar party (above)
Charitable endeavor: In the lead-up to the election, Kathryn and James reached out to Ivanka Trump and her husband Jared to attend a salon they were hosting that featured an appearance by Adm. James Stavridis, who was being discussed as Clinton’s possible pick for VP
TAKING A STAND: JAMES’ WIFE KATHRYN TAKES ON FOX NEWS AND TALKS BACK TO LACHLAN
James’ wife Kathryn Hufschmid does not share the same political beliefs as her in-laws, something that a former member of the Obama administration learned firsthand at the Academy Awards this year.
The sale of Twentieth Century Fox and Fox Searchlight to Disney gave the Murdochs one final chance to attend the annual Vanity Fair party before cutting ties with Hollywood.
Jon Lovett, a former speechwriter for Obama and Hillary Clinton, was reportedly less than thrilled when he arrived to the party and learned that he would be seated with a member of the Murdoch family according to a source.
That all changed when he began to speak with Kathryn, who had supported his former boss in the 2016 election, prompting a text from her father-in-law early in the evening on election night that read: ‘I think your girl’s going to win.’
Kathryn then offered to introduce Lovett to her brother-in-law later in the evening when the topic of Fox News came up at the table.
‘I don’t need to talk to this person. It’s not going to be pleasant for anyone,’ said Lovett.
Nevertheless, she persisted, and brought Lovett over to meet Lachlan.
Lovett, who host the anti-Trump podcast Pod Save America, proved to be a man of his word, asking: ‘Do you feel proud of what’s happening between 8 and 11 every night?’
Lachlan responded that he was, and said the show’s primetime lineup of Tucker Carlson, Sean Hannity and Laura Ingraham were doing a ‘great job.’
He then asked Lovett if there were any conservatives he would be happy to see on the channel, at which point Kathryn reportedly began listing off a number of anti-Trump Republicans.
At that point Lachlan reportedly turned away to join another conversation.
Kathryn also provided an olive branch to two members of the Trump administration – Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump.
In the lead-up to the election, Kathryn and James reached out to Ivanka and her husband to attend a salon they were hosting that featured an appearance by Adm. James Stavridis.
At the time, he was being discussed as Clinton’s possible pick for vice president in a race that few predicted would be won by Ivanka’s father.
It was the mistreatment and alienation that Kathryn and James had endured after the News of the World scandal that made her reach out, knowing firsthand how lonely it could be when former society friends turn their backs.
The two also reassured the couple that they would be welcomed back into society once the election was over.
Kathryn presumably had no idea at the time that President Trump would win the race and her guests that evening would become members of the administration.
Modern family: Georgia May Jagger, Lachlan Murdoch, Prudence Murdoch, James Jagger, Gabriel Jagger, Elizabeth Murdoch, James Murdoch and Lizzie Jagger; Murdoch and Jerry Hall; Chloe and Grace
FOX NEWS 2.0: LACHLAN DEVELOPING A MORE RIGHT WING AND REACTIONARY VERSION OF THE CABLE NEWS NETWORK DOWN UNDER
Lachlan has also been developing Sky News After Dark in his father’s native Australia.
The project is an extension of his years spent at network Ten, where he began working in 2010 after purchasing a minority stake in the company.
He tried to save the struggling network with a bit of controversy and nepotism, though neither approach was successful in the end.
The dance show his wife Sarah created was not a hit while his hire of right-wing pundit Andrew Bolt drummed up controversy but not viewers.
He eventually lost his entire investment in 2017 when Ten was auctioned off and CBS’ bid was selected over the one submitted by Murdoch.
Just prior to that, the Murdochs had won their bid for Sky News Australia, and so Lachlan moved Bolt over to his new network.
Bolt, who had been charged with violating the country’s Racial Discrimination Act when he was hired at Ten, was given a nightly talk show.
Caroline Marcus, a coal supporter of the burkini ban was also added to the lineup, as was Ross Cameron, who made headlines with his anti-gay, anti-Muslim comments.
Cameron and his co-hosts branded themselves as ‘Trump’s Aussie mates,’ though one was let go early into the show’s run.
Mark Latham was fired after making multiple offensive and homophobic remarks about a teenager after he participated in a video for International Women’s Day at his high school.