Lou Dobbs Claims Dubai Ports World is Trying to Shut Him Up

On Monday’s installment of “Lou Dobbs Tonight,” Dobbs claimed that officials from Dubai Ports World, the company in the middle of the current port controversy, are putting pressure on CNN to silence him and CNN’s coverage of this issue (video link to follow):

“Dubai Ports World tonight is making what I consider to be a rather astonishing new attempt to silence me and our coverage of this ports deal and our reporting of what at least I consider to be legitimate national security concerns about this transaction. Dubai Ports World has actually refused to grant CNN anymore interviews from Washington or London, and it's refused to allow CNN to videotape its operations in the United Arab Emirates and Hong Kong if we were to show you the video on this broadcast.”

Dobbs stated that such pressure has happened before:

“This is not the first time that Dubai Ports World has tried to silence me. Last week, a spokesman for the public relations firm that represents the company, Mark Dennis, declared, ‘CNN won't shut up Lou Dobbs.’ And as a result, they weren't going to cooperate.”

Dobbs finished with a solemn vow for his audience:

“Well, let me assure you that this latest attempt to silence our reporting and to explore the national security interests just like their last effort won't succeed. CNN's management, to its great credit, says it won't comply with any of Dubai Port World's demands, and I'll guarantee you that we're going to continue to report on the facts of this deal, we're going to continue to analyze it, we're going to continue to absolutely scrutinize our elected officials and administration officials who, in some cases, are not being straightforward about the national security interests and the reasons motivating this deal.”

Coincidentally, Dobbs spent virtually the entire program on Monday discussing Dubai Ports World and the ensuing controversy. It didn’t appear that Dobbs or his producers saw the delicious irony in this.

Video Link courtesy of Crooks and Liars.