Former CNN host Lou Dobbs stuck to his guns when questions were raised if he was forced out at CNN in an interview with Fox News Channel's Bill O'Reilly.
However, Dobbs did make one distinction - how his detractors decided to pile on when he was critical of President Barack Obama instead of former President George W. Bush. He elaborated on this on Fox News Channel's Nov. 16 "The O'Reilly Factor."
"I discerned more of a difference between then, which was under the Bush administration, whom I was criticizing and now when it is the Obama administration and an entirely different tone was taken, not so much in the case of CNN management certainly, because there is no - my contract is very explicit. I have absolute editorial control. What I reported is what I chose to report."
In fact, Dobbs even suggested Bush should have been impeached during the summer of 2008 for the tainted-tomato salmonella scare on his June 19, 2008 broadcast. However, it was shortly after Obama's inauguration when the anti-Dobbs bandwagon kicked into high gear by the left-wing noise machine.
However, Dobbs said it was only recently that CNN President Jonathan Klein told him he decided he wanted to take the network in a different direction.
"The only issue that came up in the last 90 days of my employment there was John Klein and I talked about the issue of opinion itself and advocacy journalism," Dobbs said. "He wanted to take the network in a different direction. I quite understood that and tried to accommodate him."
And Dobbs reiterated his point that CNN management never tried to exercise editorial control over him in his 27 years with the network. He did take issue with those who conflated his anti-illegal immigration stance as being anti-immigrant, but he didn't outright say CNN's management treated him differently between the Bush and Obama administrations.
"I don't know if that was the distinction that triggered any response or difference in perspective on the part of CNN's management, but it is the only difference in between the way I was conducting myself under this administration and the previous administration," Dobbs continued.
O'Reilly pressed further and asked Dobbs if he had "heard" any rumblings over his opinionated program.
"What I heard, very directly, was they decided to take CNN in direction in which advocacy journalism would not be a part of it," Dobbs said.
O'Reilly said he was perplexed over that decision because CNN continues to struggle in the primetime cable news ratings, even against its sister network, HLN - which features opinionated hosts including Nancy Grace and Joy Behar.
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CNN - Objective Journalism
Tue, 11/17/2009 - 01:18 ET by SimJimIf CNN truly wants to move toward objective journalism then I'm sure we'll see many more departures. I won't be holding my breath.
Slimjim - Who else would depart? Lou Dobbs was the only on-air
Tue, 11/17/2009 - 01:35 ET by Rush Fanpersonality who criticized Obama and the Democrats. The rest of them are liberals who support Obama and the Dems. They are very much at home at liberal CNN and liberal parent TimeWarner.
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"They have plunged to such depths of incompetence and unprofessionalism and ignorance, it's actually hard for me to come up with accurate words to describe what has happened to them,…” ~ Rush Limbaugh on the media
"a Different Tone from
Tue, 11/17/2009 - 03:57 ET by notonmywatch"a Different Tone from Critics Under Obama Versus Under Bush"
Yeah, a different CALIBER of tone
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You betcha there is a change in tone
Tue, 11/17/2009 - 01:21 ET by legacyrepublicanYou betcha there is a change in tone. CNN went from tone deaf to off pitch.
I think Bush should of been
Tue, 11/17/2009 - 01:43 ET by Conservative VoiceI think Bush should of been impeached, but not for that reason. He is right though, the unreal unhinged attacks he gets are from the left zombies...you can tell because they are full of abolute hate that isn't based in any reality or reason.
What reason?
Tue, 11/17/2009 - 06:07 ET by pagg30"I think Bush should of been impeached, but not for that reason."
What reason?
Yea, Lets Hear
Tue, 11/17/2009 - 06:35 ET by GeneralAlYea, lets hear the reason Bush should have been impeached! Difd he make mistakes? Yes! But I'm sick and tired of everybody going after this guy, especially the ME TOO Conservatives! If Bush should have been impeached, then Clinton should have gone to jail and Obama should be tried for treason in a time of war! Its about time we start defending our side instead of joining the LIBERAL HATE MONGERS that constantly deride us! Why don't you guys man up?
Thanks General
Tue, 11/17/2009 - 06:53 ET by pagg30My point exactly.
NAiled it general
Tue, 11/17/2009 - 07:56 ET by 10ksnookerWell ...
Isn't this how it goes, impeach Bush. For what? ummmm uhhh ahhh uhhh ...
Hmmm...
Tue, 11/17/2009 - 09:18 ET by ontheright...not such a "Conservative Voice" afterall...
Seems very troll-esque...drop a bomb and then run away.
troll, no not so much, just
Tue, 11/24/2009 - 16:24 ET by Conservative Voicetroll, no not so much, just busy....I was rather surprised at the fire storm when I came back.
Yes Clinton should be in
Tue, 11/24/2009 - 16:29 ET by Conservative VoiceYes Clinton should be in jail and Obama should be tried for treason. I am not saying Bush should be impeached for mistakes...
Would you consider Glenn Beck a "Me Too" Conservative? Because I consider myself to be a Glenn Beck / Rush Limbaugh conservative.
I can't see one reason that
Tue, 11/17/2009 - 07:35 ET by NewsbusterbrownI can't see one reason that Bush should have been impeached. Did he bribe
anyone? No. Did he commit treason? No. Did he commit a felony (high crime) or
misdemeanor? No. If he passes the four tests for impeachment stated in the
Constitution, then there is no grounds for it.
That doesn't mean he didn't make big mistakes that hurt ultimately hurt the GOP, mind you.
“There are no easy answers' but there are simple answers. We must have the courage to do what we know is morally right.” - Ronald Reagan (1964 Republican Convention)
Did he protect the
Tue, 11/24/2009 - 16:22 ET by Conservative VoiceDid he protect the border? Did he uphold the constitution?
Lets see, hmmm no and no.
I think Bush should have been impeached....
Tue, 11/17/2009 - 08:04 ET by acaiguanaOh Really???
Thinking doesn't seem to be one of your strong suits.
The Left want Bush tried, tarred, feathered, hung until nearly dead, and then drawn and quartered.
You mean you aren't with them?
Empty headed ideas lead to empty promises and poor job performance.
For example, Obama can't seem to get anything done other than a $1 Trillion pork bill mislabled (as is the Democrat's wont) as a so-called Stimulus Bill.
And what have we the taxpayer to look forward to under our bungler in Chief?
Higher unemployment, longer unemployment, unprecedented personal bankruptcy, children at risk due to lack of homes due to a poor economy due to Obama policies.
And the Seniors? What can they expect?
Higher costs for medical care, lower Social Security due to inflation (it will come), less medical care, higher energy bills, intrusive Social Welfare workers (brown shirts) breaching the sanctity of their homes ordering their relatives about as if they were minions of some conspiracy to maltreat their parents.
Yeah, not only that but Mr. Joe Six-Pack gets to drive a wimpy car; pay more in every tax imaginable (soda, cigarettes, beer, taxi fares - whatever) and no way out.
They also get to be labled with a sexual slur of the most vulgar type; get abused for being pick-up truck drivers; get beat up by SEIU thugs for passing out innoculus posters; and finally get scorned by elitist snobs in Congress and the Senate and the NYT as being too stupid to 'understand' a multi-thousand page bill(s) that their betters do not even bother to read.
And race has nothing to do with it. The Leftist thugs attack all persons of color if there is any dissent.
Shades of China under Mao where neighbors informed on neighbors; those who didn't like the collectivism were cast out of society and left to die on the streets; and those who actually did something were shot in the back of the head and their families billed for the cost of the bullet.
Yeah, change we can believe in.
If the minority Left in America weren't so Obama-manically stupid and ignorant, we might be in trouble.
ACA
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Quoted from: 'Acaiguana notes from the Underground' (Soon to be at theaters near you)
haha, anyone who knows me
Tue, 11/24/2009 - 16:20 ET by Conservative Voicehaha, anyone who knows me knows I am far from being a leftist...
Bush should of been impeached over the border issue, and the border guard issue should of been investigated, because it smelled dirty.
I like Bush better than Clinton...Gore, Kerry, Obama...but that isn't saying a whole lot.
Conservative Voice - I've read your posts in the past and you
Wed, 11/25/2009 - 23:09 ET by Rush Fancertainly are no leftist. I would bet that many NewsBusters folks agree with you as to former President Bush's immigration policy, fiscal responsibility, etc. I certainly do. However, you took many of us by surprise when you suggested impeachment for Bush.
As a "progressive conservative" George Bush had many faults. But you have got to admire him for his steadfastness in the face of criticism on his Iraq policy from everyone on the left (and a few on the right). I admire him for his courage and unswerving conviction that we would finally succeed in Iraq. George Bush did not dither, like someone else we know.
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“Understand something about liberalism. They never stop until they get what they want, and when they get what they want, it's never enough. That's why it's a constant thing to have to oppose them. You can't join forces with them, you can't moderate them, you can't slow them down by joining them, you can't make them like you and have them change their agenda. They have to be stopped.” ~ Rush Limbaugh
Sure I can appreciate Bush
Fri, 11/27/2009 - 14:11 ET by Conservative VoiceSure I can appreciate Bush on what he did right, but are we going to play the leftists game and excuse behavior when they do something wrong...and not just philosophically wrong, or oops wrong, but an impeachable offense wrong. I disagree with his spending...but unless you can prove quid pro quo, he didn't do anything that merits impeachment. But the border issue, smells...and I think if it was investigated, especially around Ramos and Campeon, there would be impeachable offenses.
Lou made out like a bandit!
Tue, 11/17/2009 - 02:15 ET by thedailyzingNot only did he get paid 8 million clams to leave but now he can also get a job on channel that people actually watch! HAHA Can you say score? Dobbs made out like a bandit! To read more about liberal bias click here http://thedailyzing.com/334/7-habits-of-highly-defective-liberals/
I'm not a Dobbs fan. Not
Tue, 11/17/2009 - 06:37 ET by ApacheI'm not a Dobbs fan. Not because of his views but because of his schtick. But he came across well on BOR.
tone changers
Tue, 11/17/2009 - 07:25 ET by spepperyes, the tone changers absolutely revealed themselves after BHO was elected-- oh it was perfectly fine, when W was POTUS, that Mr. Dobbs et.al. went after him on the lack of his administration's dealing with illegal immigration-- and rightfully so-- but when Mr. Dobbs criticized "The Messiah" for the same lack of action, AS HE SHOULD, all of a sudden, whoops-- the tone changers took him off their Christmas Card mailing list-- not to mention drive-by shooting-- let me name some names here as suspects: SEIU and La Raza thugs--
Dobbs: They decided to
Tue, 11/17/2009 - 07:42 ET by ThisnThatDobbs: They decided to take CNN in direction in which advocacy be a part of it.
I wish I knew what that meant, especially the last part: advocacy be a part of it. What kind of advocacy is CNN going to support? When you say advocacy, you are trying to support some kind of cause, idea, or policy. Stay tuned, I guess. Maybe they think they are losing viewers because they're not left enough?
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"mmm, mmm, mm. Barrack-Hussain-Øbama↓." - The liberals coolaid drinking song
Hard News has no value anymore
Tue, 11/17/2009 - 08:00 ET by 10ksnookerOnly the pictures do ...
Which is why CNN is losing the game. Everybody has a point of view, they refuse to admit it, and that is what sells now -- Talent that interprets the news. Dobbs is right.
Rush has made a fortune interpreting the news for folks ...
Hard News used to be important, but when laced with liberal lies and propaganda, it becomes progressive pablum, which doesn't sell. But this is pre-Internet.
Hard News
Tue, 11/17/2009 - 12:47 ET by SimJimI believe we miss an important point if we simply point out the lack of hard news. I agree with your points, and I laugh at liberals who deny their own point of view influences their reporting, but hard news with no opinions interjected does not shield us from bias. What becomes news is probably more important than how the news is presented.
If ACORN engages in illicit behavior and no major news outlets report it then the media is advocating without doing a darned thing. If every time Cheney burps or Rove farts it is headline news, it may be accurate, but the media is still using their pulpit to influence the public.
The only fair and balanced resolution is for the left to do what the right has been doing right along. Man up and admit who you are and what you believe.