
Despite recent campaign flubs that have significantly challenged the inevitability of Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY) winning the Democrat nomination for president, the supposedly smartest woman in the world continues to go after prominent media members.
After highly-publicized attacks on NBC's Tim Russert and David Gregory last year, Hillary has now set her sights on CNN's Lou Dobbs, referring to "commentators who are doing well for themselves by making [immigration] a hot issue," while asking "does all that hot air solve anything?"
On Wednesday's "Lou Dobbs Tonight," the host marvelously struck back by stating that "candidates that pander to both extremes, are, as far as I am concerned, abject fools" who "will pay a price for it in the general election when they have to answer to the great center of the country":
More presidential candidates are responding, beginning to respond to voter frustration over the issue of illegal immigration. They're presenting their own plans to fix our broken borders but not all of the presidential hopefuls are welcoming a debate about the tide of illegal aliens coming across our brooders. As Louise Schiavone reports now, Senator Hillary Clinton says my concerns on the issue of illegal immigration are just all that hot air as she put it.
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It's fascinating to see Senator Hillary Clinton and Senator Barack Obama otherwise intelligent and generally respectful people decide to take me on this issue. The motivation I can't imagine because both people in point of fact have modified their views considerably over time.
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I think that what both candidates will discover on this issue is that the left wing of the liberals in the Democratic Party in the primary process support illegal immigration just as the right wing of the conservative element of the Republican Party supports illegal immigration for entirely different reasons. By the way, the candidates that pander to both extremes, are, as far as I am concerned, abject fools. They will pay a price for it in the general election when they have to answer to the great center of the country. Louise, thank you very much; Louise Schiavone reporting from Washington.
Senator Clinton, I'm just so hurt. We can talk about that later.
Frankly, right-thinking Americans should hope the Clintons and their staff continue to go after media members, for with each shot across the bow they appear to be digging their own grave.
What follows is a partial transcript of this segment:
LOU DOBBS, HOST: More presidential candidates are responding, beginning to respond to voter frustration over the issue of illegal immigration. They're presenting their own plans to fix our broken borders but not all of the presidential hopefuls are welcoming a debate about the tide of illegal aliens coming across our brooders. As Louise Schiavone reports now, Senator Hillary Clinton says my concerns on the issue of illegal immigration are just all that hot air as she put it.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
LOUISE SCHIAVONE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Illegal immigration, despite all the talk and all the promises, it's the unfinished work of this congress and this president.
PRES. GEORGE W. BUSH, UNITED STATES: It's in the nation's interest to get a comprehensive bill done. I believe we can get it done.
SCHIAVONE: There never was a final bill or a signing leaving states and localities to do what Washington could not.
MARK KRIKORIAN, CENTER FOR IMMIGRATION STUDIES: The activity to regain control of the immigration situation needs to come from federal and state and local levels.
SCHIAVONE: Last year, nearly 300 measures became law in 46 states. Iowa voters prepare to the nation's first to judge the candidate, the issue is alive.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: People here illegally are going have to get in line with everybody else.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We will say no to sanctuary cities.
SCHIAVONE: It's ranked second as a concern among republicans only behind the economy in the latest CNN Opinion Research Corporation poll in Iowa. Although polls indicate it's less important to democrats, candidates have had plenty to say about it.
SEN. BARACK OBAMA (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: We're not going be able to solve it if we're just shouting about it like Lou Dobbs and folks on television.
SCHIAVONE: This week, Senator Hillary Clinton leveled this apparent swipe at CNN's Lou Dobbs.
SEN. HILLARY CLINTON, PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: There are even some commentators who are doing well for themselves by making this a hot issue but ask yourself, does all that hot air solve anything?
SCHIAVONE: That so called hot air did generate enough heat to help crush what both sides considered to be a flawed immigration bill not just last year but two years in a row. It helped derail a highly controversial effort in New York to give driver's licenses to illegals.
(END VIDEOTAPE) SCHIAVONE: As you know well, voters is this year are looking for leaders not unlike the commentators that have shaken off Washington's paralysis. Voters know the problems borne of illegal immigration. Lou?
DOBBS: It's fascinating to see Senator Hillary Clinton and Senator Barack Obama otherwise intelligent and generally respectful people decide to take me on this issue. The motivation I can't imagine because both people in point of fact have modified their views considerably over time.
SCHIAVONE: They evidently believe according to the polls that the issue of illegal immigration really doesn't matter to the democratic base. As you say, it's an interesting assumption that people in general don't care about the economic costs, the crowded classrooms and hospital rooms.
DOBBS: I think that what both candidates will discover on this issue is that the left wing of the liberals in the Democratic Party in the primary process support illegal immigration just as the right wing of the conservative element of the Republican Party supports illegal immigration for entirely different reasons. By the way, the candidates that pander to both extremes, are, as far as I am concerned, abject fools. They will pay a price for it in the general election when they have to answer to the great center of the country. Louise, thank you very much; Louise Schiavone reporting from Washington.
Senator Clinton, I'm just so hurt. We can talk about that later.
—Noel Sheppard is the Associate Editor of NewsBusters. Follow him at Facebook and Twitter.




















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I don't agree with Dobbs
January 3, 2008 - 10:06 ET by DaBirdI don't agree with Dobbs many, many issues. But you have to respect his stance on illegal immigration. I wish some of our republican leaders had half of the passion Lou Dobbs has on this issue.
How typical of the Clinton regime
January 3, 2008 - 10:11 ET by c5thenTry and silence the nay-sayers and get the media and reporters to "toe-the-line". If Hillary gets elected, this country will see what the founders menat by a "tyranical government". It will be that absolute worst scenario possible, in my opinion.
The day that "politician" became a career choice is the day we started losing the Republic. Let's get it back! Alan Keyes '08.
Lou
January 3, 2008 - 11:58 ET by well99Is right on about illegal immigration.The anti worker Dems and Chamber of Commerce Repubs are selling us out.Gotta love Obama and Hillary whineing because they are afraid the issue will have a light show on it.They want socialized medicine yet they cant build a fence.
Hot Air
January 3, 2008 - 10:22 ET by mattmI think the Clinton's cornered that market since the days of Cattle Futures and bimbo eruptions.
the right wing of the
January 3, 2008 - 10:45 ET by dscottthe right wing of the conservative element of the Republican Party supports illegal immigration for entirely different reasons.
Ahem, I'm right wing and I don't support illegal immigration, I resent this false moral equivalence with the left. There are two parts of the Repub party supporting illegal immigration, RINOs and silver spoon Repubs. RINOs who kowtow to the left on social issues and the silver spoons who run businesses that profit from cheap illegal labor. Neither of these groups is considered Right Wing.
What Lou Dobbs is trying to do is acknowledge the position of what most of the public holds without acknowledging that the Right Wing holds exactly the same position. If he were to acknowledge it, he would forced to say that liberals once again find themselves out of step with the public. Saying such things about liberals in an election year is forbidden to the MSM. Lou Dobbs is attempting to side step a truth about the public he is loathe to acknowledge, moderates are only right wingers who haven't been motivated yet.
Hanlon's Razor: Never attribute to malice that which can be adequately explained by stupidity. dscott's corollary: The line between malice and stupidity is called depraved indifference.
I agree.
January 3, 2008 - 10:58 ET by c5thenThose in the repub party who "support" illegal immigration should be classified as the left wing of the party.
The day that "politician" became a career choice is the day we started losing the Republic. Let's get it back! Alan Keyes '08.
Both Dobbs and O'Reilly
January 3, 2008 - 11:06 ET by Chris NormanBoth Dobbs and O'Reilly bring up the "extreme" right of the GOP to balance their criticism of the Far Left. They can never accurately cite much from this mythologcal "crazy right" bogeyman they dredge up for populist center "balance", though.
SOmebody send Dobbs "The List"
January 3, 2008 - 10:57 ET by JayTeeSomeone better send Dobbs the long List of Dead people surrounding the Clintons....
You don't wanna be the man who gets the blame for a failed Hillary Nomination.
March 15 2008 GatheringofEagles.org with MAF, FW, VFF, etc. will congregate in DC to Support Our Troops and Gen David Petraeus
Dobbs is spot on
January 3, 2008 - 11:48 ET by celatorWhat Dobbs is saying in a polite manner is that politicians who try to BS the American people will get their butts handed to them on a silver tray---not by Dobbs, but by the voters. What Barack and Clinton fear the most is a Dobbs pointing out that they are full of it, and that everyone knows it. A friend of mine said the other day that the Democrat candidates are basically politically untethered to any values or ideas the average voter can identify with. Interesting idea.
Immigration - pandering to the blind
January 3, 2008 - 11:52 ET by Gary HallNoel. I think that this presentation from Obama, in the full view of the idiot press, adds a bit of clarity to what Dobbs said, as well as exposing the their bias. It is impossible to imagine how anyone could have done anything other than laugh, or boo, if they had not had their blinders on.
What follows are excerpts from Sen. Obama's remarks at the recent CNN hosted Democrat presidential debate in Las Vegas. Wolf Blitzer posed the illegal immigration question. These excerpts are in order. I have only removed the fluff around his words -- his [Obama] plan -- and [added my comments], for entertainment effect.
Resume Help
January 3, 2008 - 12:37 ET by River CityLou may want to dust off the resume. If Hillary wins he may have to look for a new position. I would imagine she (or Her people) will make it clear they will not do business with him. If he can't get interviews with her administration he will be severly limited in what he can do in his job. Freedom of the Press will be a memory in the New Clinton administration. The press (non-Clinton favored) will be wishing for the good ole days of the Nixon presidency.
"We are going to take things away from you on behalf of the common good." Hillary Clinton, 6-28-04 San Francisco
WTF?!
January 3, 2008 - 15:12 ET by UndercoverConservativenow there's a new Media Big Lie-that "extremists" from both sides support illegal immigration. Maybe some big name backroom Republicans might support illegals, but conservatives *do not*. This arse makes it sound like there's only Illegal Immigration as a choice. At no time did this windbag ever reveal the truth, that most *do not want* illegal immigration of any sort. The "extremism" can only be interpreted as the extent of enforcing existing law and the penalties for violation. How the hell is it "extremism" to demand enforcing the long standing pre existing laws of the land?
This guy is just pulling a Hillary, pretending to show some balance or to show some fake middlee-of-the-road-ism when he's still really about pushing for the Democrat's agenda of "let's make all the illegals legal so they'll vote for us in gratitude. Who cares what it costs the country and it's people as long as WE get *power*! Then we'll do it again when we've screwed up the country so badly that only misinformed or uneducated third worlders would vote for us!"
Well
January 3, 2008 - 15:53 ET by well99Since whan is a conservative a right winger?Conservatives arent extremist.Neither are liberals.There is a difference between left/right wingers and Lib/Conser.