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by Mark Silva
Lou Dobbs, who helped build CNN, says there was no room left for his "advocacy'' journalism at a network seeking "neutrality.''
"CNN decided to go one way, and ultimately it became clear to CNN management and myself, that we were going to go different directions,'' Dobbs, who abruptly resigned as evening news anchor on the cable news network, said today, on NBC's Today.
Was it opinion in general, or perhaps his opinions, which CNN had grown weary of, Today's Matt Lauer asked Dobbs.
"Since I take it a little personally, perhaps it just mine,'' Dobbs replied. "They made it clear, they wanted the network to go middle of the road, neutral... I'm not a neutral guy.''
In his 27 years at CNN, he said, "no one ever tried to interfere with my editorial judgment.'' His audience wanted his analysis and opinion, he maintained. But the network insisted that "the issue is one of advocacy, neutrality'' at a network trying to hold the middle ground in an era of sharply opinionated cable news programming.
Asked about critics who contended that Dobbs was peddling hatred with his drumbeat of criticism for illegal immigration, Dobbs told Lauer: "If saying that people should absolutely be honoring our borders and ports as a sovereign nation, then forgive me.
"There is one logical syllogism that I can't overcome... You cannot substantively reform immigration law unless we control immigration.''
Dobbs was pressed for another political opinion, on Sarah Palin, enjoying a lot of coverage for the rollout of her memoirs, Going Rogue.
"She is certainly the frontrunner in terms of her popularity in the Republican Party,'' said Dobbs, calling the former Alaska governor the "de facto'' leader within her party, "staking out her territory'' now.
Would he vote for her?
"Frankly, based on what I've seen, personally no,'' Dobbs said. "I'm an independent... I think the woman had a brilliant address at the Republican convention last year.... Since then, she's left a lot to be - I'll put it this way -- desired as a person who is seeking votes.. But that's what this may be about, campaigning for votes like mine, that aren't persuaded at this point.''
Comments
CNN has turned into another Obama pupet joing ABC, Lou Dobbs was all that was left of
Free Speech on CNN.
Posted by: Inky | November 17, 2009 9:58 AM
Dobbs !!
Get you to the Hen House, on Fox Noise !!
SUPPORT OUR TROOPS, BRING THEM HOME, ALIVE AND WHOLE. NOW.
Posted by: Don Fitzgerald, IL | November 17, 2009 10:03 AM
In other words, CNN is forcing out people who have a right wing opinion, but its leftwingers are free to go on opinionating.
For the record, this hard fact: political contributions of CNN employees since 1999: $45,000 to Democrats, $9,000 to Republicans. Nope, no bias here, folks.....
Posted by: Bruce | November 17, 2009 10:07 AM
Wah wah wah. Someone needs to hold Mr. Dobbs' hand...all the way to Fox. He will fit in just fine with the inbreds who infest that station.
Posted by: Doug R. | November 17, 2009 10:42 AM
CNN is trying to define their center-left establishment sycophant views as the gold standard of reporting. If anyone would like to do something about it, point out their lies and bias and - even more importantly - the things they don't mention. For examples, here are links to my posts about them:
http://24ahead.com/s/cnn
Posted by: 24AheadDotCom | November 17, 2009 12:35 PM
Bruce...my guess is you don't post on any conservative sites offering the views of the left so why don't you take your bias bull down the road? One of the very first posts on this site 5 years ago was you complaining about bias.......you have to be by far the most pigheaded partisan out there.
Posted by: bill r. | November 17, 2009 12:58 PM
Of course, if Obama would've produced that doggone birth certificate, then Lou Dobbs wouldn't have been kidnapped by an "army of invaders."
Posted by: Shimmy | November 17, 2009 1:49 PM
Bruce...my guess is you don't post on any conservative sites offering the views of the left so why don't you take your bias bull down the road? One of the very first posts on this site 5 years ago was you complaining about bias.......you have to be by far the most pigheaded partisan out there.
Posted by: bill r. | November 17, 2009 12:58 PM
No, no little bill - you are!
Case in point? partisan sheeple rarely, if ever give rational or reasoned responses, they just call names and make fun of others. When was the last time you actually made a point that wasn't a juvenile attempt an "your moma does"?
Posted by: springfield | November 17, 2009 2:32 PM
go bleed somewhere else with your PETA freaks.
Posted by: springfield | November 16, 2009 11:45 AM
I bet each of you nut cases have been teabagged at one time in your pathetic lives! drug across your chins while you lap up the mess!
Posted by: springfield | November 12, 2009 4:16 PM
Your so up-tight and got such a huge stick up your A** perhaps it is you who needs some real teabagging in your life!
Posted by: springfield | November 13, 2009 3:10 PM
Wow ...I felt so bad and so humble that I took a couple of minutes to view some of your literary works. for the life of me, I can not understand why you do not give up the third shift at Burger King and pursue a writting carrer. As to whether your moma does or doesn't is really not my problem.
Posted by: bill r. | November 17, 2009 4:08 PM
Kool-Aid drinking MSNBC Obama worshippers are happy LD left liberal CNN. Lib-tards, you have til the mid-elections to try and destroy this great country, but you're gonna lose! LOL!!!!
Posted by: True American | November 17, 2009 4:29 PM
There goes DonF again..
still nothing positive
Life is good - why are you so pissed off.. you have no idea what hard times are..look around the world and check on what others have to suffer and maybe you might like it here better. it is not perfect by a long shot, but better than most places
Posted by: LostinSeattle | November 17, 2009 4:33 PM