During his final commentary segment, in which Geraldo Rivera praised the role of the Catholic Church in the immigration debate, the sometime boxer took a swing at CNN's Lou Dobbs.
"Now as Congress approaches a compromise that rejects the severe and mean-spirited sanctions advocated by people like the shrill CNN commentator Lou Dobbs, instead choosing a path to legalization for the 11 million the role of the Catholic Church has played will go far to restore its own tattered image..."
The following is Rivera's full commentary:
Geraldo Rivera: "Of all the hot button domestic issues currently igniting impassioned debate in our country the hottest of all is immigration. When that draconian legislation was proposed in Congress that would’ve made felons of the 11 million men, women and children living here illegally several dramatic things happened. First then most visibly hundreds of thousands of immigrants and their supporters took to the streets of cities all across the country to express outrage over the mean-spirited proposal. But of all the gathering forces on both sides of this incendiary issue none has been as potent or potentially influential as the U.S. Roman Catholic Church. The Church has boldly stepped forward to advocate for moderation, reason and compassion. This is Father Larry Dowling yesterday in suburban Chicago."
[Father Larry Dowling: "We fail to recognize inestimable benefits our immigrant brothers and sisters bring to this great nation."]
Rivera: "And of all the clerics perhaps none has been a more effective advocate than the head of the huge and heavily Hispanic L.A. Archdiocese, Roger Cardinal Mahony."
[Cardinal Roger Mahony: "This is a unique opportunity and God help us if we let it pass without enacting good, sound and just immigration reform."]
Rivera: "Now as Congress approaches a compromise that rejects the severe and mean-spirited sanctions advocated by people like the shrill CNN commentator Lou Dobbs, instead choosing a path to legalization for the 11 million the role of the Catholic Church has played will go far to restore its own tattered image and as its Alien’s Prayer says: ‘For migrant workers, that they may labor in safe and just conditions and that we who benefit from their labor may be truly grateful for what they provide, we pray to the Lord. Lord hear our prayer. Amen.’ That’s it for us. Thank you very much for watching, we’ll see you next time."
