Maurizio Belpietro

Maurizio Belpietro (born 1958), Italian journalist and television presenter.

Quotes

Well, now that almost a year has passed, I can say it. When I took over as editor-in-chief of Libero on 12 August 2009, my legs were shaking.
- Beh, ora che è passato quasi un anno, lo posso dire. Quando il 12 agosto del 2009 ho assunto la direzione di Libero, mi tremavano le gambe.
  - 'Editoriale, Libero-news.it (July 18, 2010)

A few days ago, I mentioned a bad dream that had disturbed my sleep. It was a nightmare in which Berlusconi was forced to resign and a public health government replaced him, introducing electoral legislation that took us back twenty years. In the end, a large coalition comprising Fini, Casini, Bersani, Di Pietro and Vendola defeated Il Cavaliere, bringing his long reign to an end and plunging us back into the First Republic.
- Qualche giorno fa riferivo di un brutto sogno che aveva turbato i miei sonni. Un incubo in cui Berlusconi veniva costretto a dimettersi, un governo di salute pubblica lo sostituiva predisponendo una legge elettorale che ci riportava indietro di vent'anni e, alla fine, una grande ammucchiata composta da Fini, Casini, Bersani, Di Pietro e Vendola batteva il Cavaliere, chiudendo la sua lunga stagione e facendoci ripiombare nella prima Repubblica.
  - As quoted in Editoriale, Libero-news.it (July 29, 2010)

History has taken it upon itself to disprove the narrow-minded and the liars with a long trail of blood.
- La storia si è incaricata di smentire gli ottusi e i bugiardi con una lunga scia di sangue.
  - Ass quoted in Le Brigate Balle di Santoro e Repubblica, Libero-news.it (November 6, 2010)

For me, a journalist is someone who seeks out news, not someone who has been handed a burgundy leather badge despite never having found a single news story in their life.
- Per me il giornalista è colui che cerca la notizia e non chi ha ricevuto un patentino di pelle bordeaux nonostante una notizia in vita sua non l'abbia mai trovata.
  - As quoted in Editoriale, Libero-news.it' (November 11, 2010)

(Referring to Silvio Berlusconi) If, in order to keep the left, the wheeler-dealers and the spendthrifts at bay, I have to pay the price of having a head of government who touches women's bottoms, I have no hesitation. Better an old pig than lots of young hypocrites like Fini.
- (Riferendosi a Silvio Berlusconi) Se per tenere a bada la sinistra, i maneggioni e gli spreconi devo pagare il prezzo di un capo di governo che tocca il sedere alle signore, non ho esitazioni. Meglio un vecchio porco, di tanti giovani ipocriti tipo Fini.
  - As quoted in Editoriale, Libero (January 16, 2011)

From an interview of Claudio Sabelli Fioretti, Sette (January 9, 2011)

If we [il Giornale] are the newspaper of Forza Italia, la Repubblica is the newspaper of the DS.

When someone talks about freedom of the press, I laugh. I remember Eugenio Scalfari's heartfelt articles when De Benedetti ended up in prison. I remember memorable and comical pieces in Repubblica when De Benedetti presented his financial company. Not even the reports of the Duce's speeches were so enthusiastic. And la Stampa‘’ has to report on these days of crisis at Fiat. And Libero is running a series of investigations into the Roman health service without mentioning that its publisher, Angelucci, owns several clinics in Rome.

I got my biggest scoop when I found out that Antonio Baldassarre, former president of the Constitutional Court, was telling people that a general had told him that in order to stop the referendum on the Guardia di Finanza, he had gone to Scalfaro, who in turn had intervened with two members of the Constitutional Court. I got myself invited to a dinner, sat next to Baldassarre and listened to his story, which ended up in the newspaper the next day. Compared to that, the Watergate scandal was child's play.

(To the daily newspaper Libero) I had already hired Guzzanti. Vittorio had been less effective in recent years, Romagnoli had disappeared a bit, I was trying to hire Battista, but he said no, he was afraid, perhaps he dreamed of more important things. Galli della Loggia I simply forgot about him.

When I asked Luca Telese to come and work for us [Libro], Luca stammered: ‘But I'm left-wing.’ I replied: ‘Who better to report on the crisis of the left?’

(About Sandro Bondi) He courageously said that Forza Italia must not become a party of membership cards. That people should not think in terms of factions but in a big way, like Berlusconi. Bondi was publicly mocked by Scajola for that courageous interview.

The owner of the Omega agency gave me a photomontage with Pivetti‘s face on the body of a topless ballerina in a tutu. Knowing Farina’s total devotion to her, I called him and said, ‘Tomorrow I'm putting this photo of Pivetti with her breasts exposed on the front page’. He turned pale and started sweating. ‘Well, bare breasts, no, slightly exposed’. And I said, ‘What are you talking about, her tits are out’. He was a wreck: ‘We can't publish this photo’. ‘Are you kidding? On the front page! I spent a lot of money.’ Increasingly pale and exhausted, Farina took the photo, pulled out his cheque book and said, ’How much? I'll buy it.’

I have voted for various parties. Never the PCI or anything like that. Never AN. Never DC. Sometimes socialist, PRI. Once Lega. Last time Forza Italia.

Something tells me that the Sallusti&Santanchè duo will prove to be more active, imaginative and lively than the Feltri&Belpietro duo. In any case, it will be entertaining, given that Sallusti is to Pavolini what Feltri is to Badoglio.
- Qualcosa mi dice che la coppia Sallusti&Santanchè si rivelerà più attiva, fantasiosa e vitale della coppia Feltri&Belpietro. Comunque ci sarà da divertirsi, essendo che Sallusti sta a Pavolini così come Feltri sta a Badoglio.
  - Gad Lerner. As quoted in Lerner: «Sallusti sta a Pavolini così come Feltri sta a Badoglio», ilpost.it (January 11, 2011)

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Maurizio Belpietro