Posted on 11/11/2009 6:49:22 PM PST by markomalley
Veteran CNN anchor Lou Dobbs, whose populist views on the perils of immigration and his repeated questioning of President Barack Obama’s birthplace made him a controversial figure on a network that has traditionally eschewed opinion, announced Wednesday night that he is resigning.
While Dobbs will continue his radio show, he gave no indication of whether he will stay in television—it’s been rumored that he could end up on Fox. Dobbs said on his show “Lou Dobbs Tonight,” that he’s now “considering a number of options and directions,” and that CNN president Jon Klein has released him from his contract, which is not up until 2011. He has been with CNN for 30 years.
“Over the past six months, it’s become increasingly clear that strong winds of change have begun buffeting this country and affecting all of us,” Dobbs said. “And some leaders in media, politics and business have been urging me to go beyond my role here at CNN and to engage in constructive problem-solving, as well as to contribute positively to a better understanding of the great issues of our day. And to continue to do so in the most honest and direct language possible.”
While CNN executives boast of a non-partisan line-up in prime-time, Dobbs has remained an opinionated presence at the network. Earlier this year, there was a push from management for Dobbs to tone down his personal views and do a more straight newscast, thus fitting in with the network’s stated mission to provide a non-partisan alternative to MSNBC and Fox in the evening. But Dobbs continued to stray from the network’s goals this past summer by repeatedly calling into question whether President Barack Obama has adequately presented materials proving that he was born in Hawaii.
Klein said in a statement that Dobbs “has now decided to carry the banner of advocacy journalism elsewhere.”
“Lou Dobbs is a valued founding member of the CNN family,” Klein said. “For decades, Lou fearlessly and tirelessly pursued some of the most important and complex stories of our time, often well ahead of the pack. All of us will miss his appetite for big ideas, the megawatt smile and larger than life presence he brought to our newsroom, and we’re grateful to have known and worked with him over the years.”
Indeed, Dobbs has been at CNN since Ted Turner first had the idea of a 24-hours news network, and through the years, performed various on-air and executive roles for the network. He oversaw the network’s business programming for two decades, beginning in 1980. Dobbs later hosted “The Money Line News Hour” before launching “Lou Dobbs Tonight” in June 2003.
“I’m the last of the original anchors here on CNN, and am proud to have had the privilege of helping to build the world’s first news network,” Dobbs said in announcing his departure. “I am grateful for the many opportunities that CNN has given me over these many years, I’ve tried to reciprocate with the full measure of my ability and my energy.”
Dobbs said he wants to remain committed to issues that he’s most passionate about, including the plight of the middle class, health care, job creation, the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq – and immigration.
Dobbs argued stridently for tougher immigration laws, and often focused in his show on reports linking "illegal aliens" to crimes. In the past, Dobbs has talked about a "reconquista," where Mexicans crossing the border might reconquer part of the United States that used to belong to the country, including California and New Mexico.
"Lou Dobbs is almost single-handedly responsible for creating, for being the architect of the young-Latino-as-scapegoat for everything that ails this country," Fox's Geraldo Rivera said two weeks ago.
The liberal watchdog group Media Matters—along with other organizations—sponsored a “Drop Dobbs” campaign aimed at getting the controversial host off the air.
“For too long, CNN provided Lou Dobbs with its stamp of approval as he pursued a dangerous, one-sided and all too often false conspiracy tinged crusade against immigrants,” Media Matters’s president, Eric Burns said in a statement after the announcement that he was leaving CNN. “This is a happy day for all those who care about this nation of immigrants and believe in the power of media to elevate the political discourse.”
Dobbs was not particularly popular within CNN, which has been struggling to compete with Fox and MSNBC. "I think it's safe to say that he won't be missed among the rank-and-file employees at the network," said a CNN staffer. "The Dobbs show has existed in its own little universe for the last several years, in many ways cut off from the rest of the editorial process at CNN. Most people will be left wondering what this means for the primetime lineup and whether Klein can now deliver on his 'down the middle' mantra."
Dobbs, who considers himself as an independent with a strong populist streak, didn’t mention any groups by name that have criticized him. But in his farewell, Dobbs noted that major issues today are “defined in the public arena by partisanship and ideology rather than by rigorous empirical thought and forthright analysis and discussion.”
“Thanks for being with us,” Dobb said in signing off his final show. “As they say, 'I'll see you next on the radio.'"
Ha!
“Lou Dobbs is almost single-handedly responsible for creating, for being the architect of the young-Latino-as-scapegoat for everything that ails this country,” Fox’s Geraldo Rivera said two weeks ago.”
If we could get Fox to fire the ethnocentric, race-baiter Geraldo, Dobbs could take his place!
They shot at his house, they shot at his WIFE...
Nothing from TOTUS, of course.
Perfect!
I hope to see Lou with Stuart as regulars on Neil’s show. He will be on Fox Business soon.
Jerry Rivers, your career should have died with the “Al Capone” vault hoax.
Politico, why is it no hospital wants to claim that the “messiah” was born there?
Well, we don't want to rush to judgment, after all /sarcasm off
Jerry Rivers,,,,,
And the comic Lopez,,,,
CNN “eschews opinion”???!!! ROTFLMBO
I have as of yet to ever hear of ONE SINGLE person who can stand Geraldo...how does he keep a show anywhere, let alone on Fox?!?
Fox should give him a program with Pat Buchanan and their topics could be...let’s see...Immigration & Borders....one can only wish!
Since many of us went to CNN only because of Dobbs, now that they won’t have us, I wonder how their ratings will do?
I knew it was coming, but I was totally surprised when he announced it tonight. Good luck, Lou! Hope to see if you and Fox can work something out!
He must have seen how Glenn Beck fared when he got off the CNN sinking ship. Welcome to the light Lou!
Come on FOX, do the right thing - let a good man come home.
he is not constrained anymore and can go find his audience. and while he will not be another beck, dobbs may be a larger thorn in the WH's side.
Wonder if FOX would let him exercise his first amendment?
Isn’t/wasn’t he in the time slot against Shep’s second hour.
Could they have been holding a spot for him?
Limbaugh was going to invest some money in football, why not invest in television. Limbaugh, Dobbs and Beck buy a tv station.
I’m sure there enemies would want to run ‘em out of the country.
Dobbs is no conservative, but he was the closest thing to “centrist” that CNN had to offer. The token non-radically Socialist member of their staff is now gone.
I hope Lou goes on a journalistic rampage after that lying SOS Obama. Proving that Son of a Whore is not Eligible, a Communist, and belongs in jail as the Quisling he is.
Well, that second Shep hour isn’t that hot, is it? And Cavuto is ok, but weak.
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