Posted on 07/26/2009 1:17:40 AM PDT by FTJM
CNN/US president Jonathan Klein is rebuffing the mounting criticism of the network over Lou Dobbs’ continued airing of “birther” theories, saying that Lou runs “his own show” that merely hosts “panels” with birther theorists and asserting that CNN respects viewers enough to let them “make up their own minds.”
Klein, in an interview with me just now, also took a shot at Dobbs’ critics, saying they’re politically motivated: “I understand that people with a partisan point of view from one extreme or another might get annoyed that certain subjects are aired.”
CNN is under mounting pressure to get Dobbs to stop giving airtime to birther theorists and suggesting there’s something to their case, which he’s been doing even though the network has repeatedly debunked the theories. Jon Stewart recently mocked Dobbs for not even watching his own network. Media Matters has blasted CNN for “mainstreaming the fringe.”
The Southern Poverty Law Center called for Dobbs’ firing today, and MoveOn is demanding CNN apologize for Dobbs’ “helping to spread hate and fear.”
“Look, Lou’s his own show, and CNN in general has repeatedly and thoroughly reported on the facts behind this situation,” Klein said to me, adding that Lou had merely hosted “a few conversations with people representing a wide range of opinions.”
Klein said that Dobbs has repeatedly stated that he believes that Obama was born in Hawaii, and has simply been examining the “phenomenon that for some people this won’t go away.”
Asked if CNN is concerned that Dobbs’ repeated granting of airtime to theories the network has conclusively debunked amounts to overkill and could harm CNN’s credibility, Klein brushed off the possibility. “We respect our viewers enough to present them the facts and let them make up their own minds,” he said, adding that what Dobbs does is “his editorial decision to make.”
Klein sent a private memo to Dobbs staffers yesterday saying the birther story is “dead” and questioning its legitimacy, but Dobbs has continued to discuss it on the air, anyway. Klein said the memo wasn’t a sign of concern, however, calling that conclusion “overblown.”
Asked if CNN would take any action if Dobbs continued airing the birther theories, Klein said No: “I think no good journalist would ever say that a particular story will never be covered again. Every day brings new facts, new pegs.”
Notice that Klein calls the the birther’s theory a “conspiracy” by the right wing. If Obama’s birth certificate isn’t an issue, why call so much attention to it by demanding Lou Dobbs be fired? If there is no truth to the so-called “conspiracy”, then so what? Ignore it! They got their man elected, didn’t they? What about the conspiracy to eliminate all Republican-based news outlets? How about we start calling these liberals out on the carpet for trying to sink Limbaugh,removing Free Republic from all the major search engines and for going after Dobbs?
He fails to mention that the issue began with Clinton supporters who still want the original certificate released.
ping for later
“Without getting into all those points, there is just one little thing that I know other FReepers have commented on. Some FReepers (that I’ve seen) swear *absolutely* that Pakistan was never off limits to US citizens.”
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Hasn’t ever been a travel ban. I’m old enough to remember.
1981 NYTimes travel section article on trip to Pakistan:
Letter to editor from U.S. consul welcoming Pakistan tourism:
(He mentions a problem getting into India from Pakistan at the border crossing unless you already have a visa for India.)
1981 U.S. State Dept.travel advisory on how 30 day travel visas available at airport:
http://dosfan.lib.uic.edu/ERC/travel/cis/southasia/TA_Pakistan1981.pdf
IIRC there were travel warnings in the mid-80’s that there was fighting in the Khyber Pass area. But never any travel ban.
You said — But never any travel ban.
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Yeah, that’s what many FReepers insist is true...
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