Lou Dobbs becomes a real problem for CNN (Flop Sweat continues...)

Baltimore Sun ^ | 8/2/09 | Dave Zurawik

[pissant]

Just when you thought 24/7 cable news TV couldn't get stranger, starting Tuesday night, viewers are likely to see advertisements on CNN "attacking" Lou Dobbs during his prime-time show on the same cable channel.

And if that simply seems to be one more instance of the polarizing rhetoric and toxic nastiness of cable news TV, it's not. Dobbs has become a real problem for CNN, and a liberal media watchdog organization has found a way to highlight what it sees as reckless behavior by Dobbs.

Dobbs has consistently been lending credence to the "birthers" movement, which claims President Barack Obama is not a U. S. citizen, and thus, not eligible to be president because he was not allegedly born in the United States. The view has been widely and thoroughly discounted -- most notably by Obama's Hawaiian birth certificate. But despite such facts, Dobbs has persisted.

The Media Matters ads on CNN, MSNBC and Fox News will take Dobbs to task for his on-air actions in relation to that issue. It is a clever and sound strategy in the world of corporate TV.

CNN can't really afford to ditch any ads that don't violate standards and practices. And if they refuse this one, which can still be seen on their competitors, they have a credibility problem.

Credibility is the real issue here, and loss of it is the great danger for CNN.

While CNN generally has lower prime-time ratings than its angry, opinionated competitors on the right and the left, it does have credibility and a kind of journalistic highground by "playing it down the middle." And that pays off on big news events when viewers want verified facts and information provided without partisan spin. The ratings during the election -- and even on events like

[FreeReign]

Funny,,,, I don't recall EVER Seeing an Hawaiian BC. I have seen a COUPLE of forged Hawiian COLBs, but not an actual Hawaiian BC.

The average person doesn't understand the difference between a Hawaiian BC and a Hawaiian COLB (if the polls are to be believed).

So Obama tries to discredit those who do understand the difference such as Dobbs because it's the only thing he can do to take the attention away from his communist agenda.

[TheSilentMajority]

Unfortunately one overzealous person thinking he is helping us made as bad a forgery as Obama’s ‘official’ birth certificate. Kenya was only declared free from the British on December 12 ‘63 and was only a declared a Republic in the December of ‘64, making this one impossible. This only undermines trust in the birthers, and is especially bad when the movement is still in its infancy.

Back on topic, I think it’s horrible that the liberal press can freely strangle anyone it views out of line; hopefully Lou will join a more ‘fair and balanced’ network.

[dr_who]

Wow, if this keeps up, I might even start liking Lou Dobbs.

[Post Toasties]

Why is the Left so bent on trashing birthers? After all, isn’t Hilliary Clinton, our very own Secretary of State, one of the original birthers?

[rawcatslyentist]

I'm not convinced of the "republic" argument.
Republic is such a commonly used term.
I mean case in point, we call this a "Republic". When the current govt is clearly a form of Nationalist Socialism.

Just about any nation state, in what ever state, at any time, can claim to be a republic.

Or in 0b0z0s werds, "Words, just words".

[Sprite518]

Oh you know Hillary is loving it. Now you have to ask yourself why are there some on the right (such as Ann) that take up the leftist side?

[Dryman]

“FREE THE LONG FORM!”

[Buckeye Battle Cry]

CNN “plays it down the middle”? This dude needs to set down the crack pipe and back away from it!

[BradyLS]

Heard this one thrown out today on the radio:

If Barry was a natural US citizen, (valid Birth Certificate, etc.,) Then at some point in the early 80’s, he _had to register for the Selective Service._

Anyone know if he ever did that???

[CodeToad]

“The view has been widely and thoroughly discounted — most notably by Obama’s Hawaiian birth certificate.”

Gosh, I guess someone must have seen it. So far, not yet.

[Old Teufel Hunden]

"While CNN generally has lower prime-time ratings than its angry, opinionated competitors on the right and the left, it does have credibility and a kind of journalistic highground by "playing it down the middle."

Well, we know where this writer is coming from if he thinks CNN is down the middle. I will say one thing, I think that Lou Dobbs belongs on Fox. They can get rid of Shep Smith and insert Lou Dobbs. Then their lineup would be complete.

I'm not a "birther", at least not anymore. I think the birth announcements in the two Hawaii newspapers solved it for me. However, he should still have his longform birth certificate released and more importantly his college transcripts, thesis etc... The President should always release this stuff. If you are President, your life is no longer private as you are the most powerful person in the world. We the people elected you (at least the left and the ignorant did) so you should show us your qualifications for the post. I had to release my college transcripts to be accessed by my employer, why not Obama?