Anchor-Advocate on Immigration Wins Viewers: CNN's Lou Dobbs

[DeepModem Mom]

NYT: Anchor-Advocate on Immigration Wins Viewers
By BILL CARTER and JACQUES STEINBERG
Published: March 29, 2006


(Chester Higgins Jr./The New York Times)
Lou Dobbs, the CNN anchor, a central figure in the debate over immigration policy.

The nation's most prominent opponent of current immigration policy began his day yesterday on the "Today" show on NBC, debating a Hispanic defender of illegal immigrants. He moved on to "American Morning" on CNN to denounce a bill passed by the Senate Judiciary Committee on Monday as "an amnesty program."

By nightfall he was on a plane headed to Mexico, where he intended to assess critically the planned discussions on the issue between President Bush and President Vicente Fox of Mexico.

This central figure in the increasingly fractious debate over future immigration policy was not a senator or congressman, nor even a lobbyist on either side of the issue. It was instead, a television news anchor, Lou Dobbs of CNN.

In the course of insistently offering his ever more passionate views on immigration all across the television landscape in just one 24-hour period, Mr. Dobbs underscored that what works in cable television news is not an objective analysis of the day's events but hard-nosed, unstinting advocacy of a specific point of view on a sizzling-hot topic....(I) n the past several weeks, Mr. Dobbs has ratcheted up his criticism of Bush administration policies, first on the Dubai ports deal and now on immigration, to a point where in the view of many he has become a significant factor in shaping public opinion on these issues....

***

The management of CNN denied yesterday that Mr. Dobbs's soaring profile on the immigration issue — and the increased ratings he has garnered along with it — would steer the network toward adding more opinions on other news programs....

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/03/29/politics/29dobbs.html?hp&ex=1143608400&en=ac0249cf3c44a187&ei=5094&partner=homepage

[thinkingwoman]

1. "adding more opinions on other news programs"??

Do they honestly think they have a single "news" program withOUT opinions? :eyes:

It boggles the mind. Truly.

[Neil Lisst]

2. Lou Dobbs is fighting for American jobs, and sound fiscal policy.

He's the most intelligent commentator on television regarding the state of America's economy.

[NNN0LHI]

3. Lou Dobbs intelligent?

http://mediamatters.org/items/200505130008

CNN's Lou Dobbs offered his own "facts" on evolution

During a debate on "the origin of life," CNN host Lou Dobbs stated on his own authority: "The fact is that evolution, Darwinism, is not a fully explained or completely rigorous and defined science that has testable results within it." The National Academy of Sciences (NAS), which advises the federal government on "scientific and technical matters," disagrees with Dobbs' "facts" about evolution.

The NAS considers evolution "the central unifying concept of biology" and "one of the strongest and most useful scientific theories we have." The academy's 1999 book Science and Creationism (National Academies Press, 1999) further states:

Progress in science consists of the development of better explanations for the causes of natural phenomena. Scientists never can be sure that a given explanation is complete and final. Some of the hypotheses advanced by scientists turn out to be incorrect when tested by further observations or experiments. Yet many scientific explanations have been so thoroughly tested and confirmed that they are held with great confidence.

The theory of evolution is one of these well-established explanations. An enormous amount of scientific investigation since the mid-19th century has converted early ideas about evolution proposed by Darwin and others into a strong and well-supported theory. Today, evolution is an extremely active field of research, with an abundance of new discoveries that are continually increasing our understanding of how evolution occurs.

NAS is comprised of 2,000 members and 350 foreign associates, including more than 190 Nobel Prize winners.

[Neil Lisst]

6. Uh, try something in the realm of BUSINESS or POLITICS

Quotes about his beliefs on evolution are irrelevant to his role as one who is seeking to protect American jobs and the American economy.

There are plenty of people who are highly intelligent and knowledgeable in business and politics, and who also believe Genesis is factual. So what? Irrelevant.

What you've done is raise an issue that is not germane, in a failed attempt to show that Lou Dobbs is not intelligent.

[Marie26]

7. I think it's relevant

Anything that shows a willingness to ignore facts in favor of ideology is relevant.

[Neil Lisst]

8. but that's exactly what you're doing

you're showing a willingness to ignore facts in favor of ideology

You don't like him because of what he believes about immigration. Why don't you acknowledge your real reason for disliking him?

You think it's relevant because you don't care for the man.

Like I said, it's not relevant. You know what is relevant? Your bias against him for political reasons.

[Marie26]

9. How's that?

Yep, I don't like Dobbs, partly because of how he treats immigrants & partly because of his personality. But what facts am I ignoring? I didn't say anything about the facts, just stated an opinion that this is relevant. If Russ Feingold was a Creationist, I'd think that is relevant as well. Creationism involves believing that the Earth is 6000 years old, & human beings were created out of dust in a mystical Garden of Eden. It involves ignoring 200+ years of scientific evidence on evolution - geological evidence of the Earth's age, archeological fossils of dinosaurs & hominids, & biological DNA similarities. That's ignoring a whole lot of facts - in order to support a particular (often religious) ideology. Honestly, I get a little suspicious of any (educated) person who can believe that - it seems to suggest a willingness to blind oneself to the facts unless they fit your personal opinions. It's a bit fanatical. Just my opinion, though.

[countryjake]

4. I hope there's a dysentery amoeba down there with his name on it!

[DBoon]

5. I hope the worm in the tequila bites back

nt