I listened live to Lou Dobbs announce his departure from CNN after working there for 30 years. As Joseph Farah observed, this left “the network in a state of programming irrelevancy.”
For years there has been just one reason to tune in to CNN. His name was Lou Dobbs.
What makes Lou Dobbs so special is his independence and fearlessness. Dobbs clearly set his own agenda. He had no interest in the “conventional wisdom” of his industry. Dobbs thinks like a real American newsman – a throwback to an age when journalists actually believed they were watchdogs of government and asked tough questions in the interests of the people.
When virtually his entire profession and elites in all the other political and cultural institutions of our time were making excuses for allowing tens of millions of illegal aliens to occupy our country, Lou Dobbs was alone in his focus on the issue critical to America’s safety and security.
Here’s a bit more about the forces behind the purge:
Months ago, the president of CNN/U.S., Jonathan Klein, spelled out two options for Lou Dobbs, the network’s most outspoken anchor. Dobbs could vent his opinions on radio and anchor an objective newscast on television, or he could leave CNN altogether.
On Wednesday, Dobbs made his decision: He chose opinion.
Dobbs told viewers that he was resigning from his CNN job immediately. Sitting before an image of an American flag on his studio set, he said “some leaders in media, politics and business have been urging me to go beyond the role here at CNN and to engage in constructive problem-solving as well as to contribute positively to the great understanding of the issues of our day.”
He remained vague about how he would contribute “to the national conversation,” saying that he was considering “a number of options and directions.”
The synophobia, the protectionism, the populism—there was a lot to disagree about with Dobbs. But Mr. Farah is right; CNN is not much without him.
To get an idea of the kind of malicious attacks the man faced, read this drivel on the huffing post.
The drive to get rid of Dobbs, I predict, will miscarry.
