CNN Refuses to Run Ad Critical of Lou Dobbs
An ad criticizing CNN host Lou Dobbs will not be seen during his show, thanks to the news network's parent company, Time Warner Inc.
Dobbs put himself in the middle of controversy by repeatedly featuring so-called "birther" groups, who believe President Obama was not born in the United States, and thus is not qualified to be President. Even though he entertains their opinions, Dobbs has said he believes Obama was indeed born in the country.
A watchdog group called "Media Matters" says the debate is "false" and a "conspiracy," and is critical of Dobbs for continuing the dialogue. So it created this ad:
The group bought time on CNN, hoping to air the spot during Dobbs' show this week. But Time Warner stepped in, and now five of the six cable operators in New York, Washington and Atlanta have refused to run the ad. In addition to its own Time Warner Cable in New York, Cablevision Systems Corp. in Brooklyn and the Bronx and a Comcast Corp. division in Washington and Atlanta rejected the spot, according to Jessica Levin, a spokeswoman for Media Matters.
CNN spokeswoman Christa Robinson said, "CNN retains the right to object to any ad run by the cable operator on our network whose purpose is to attack CNN or our employees."
The ad is still set to run on FOX News and MSNBC in those three markets.
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I don't understand the position of the rightwingers here that CNN owes Lou Dobbs a show, no matter what he says or does. They'd better put me on the air soon, because they're denying me my free speech rights every day I don't get a contract to do on-air pontificating. Did they object when MSNBC fired Michael Savage? Okay, that might be a bad example -- maybe they love Michael Savage. Would they object if MSNBC fired Rachel Maddow or Keith Olberman? I very much doubt it. I have to go to MSNBC for examples, because CNN doesn't really have an unabashedly liberal commentator with his own thirty minute nightly show. They only have a bunch of pussyfooters like Wolf Blitzer and Rick Sanchez, a blowhard like Campbell Brown who tries to be obnoxious toward both sides alternately, the sensationalism of Nancy Grace, and Lou Dobbs -- who has been given a pulpit for all his pet hates. Every night, Dobbs slants the coverage to punish Obama for coming along and capturing the country's imagination just when Lou was flirting with the notion of doing a George Wallace and running as a third party candidate. When nothing Dobbs tried against Obama stuck, he started having crazies like Orly Taitz (she of the forged Kenyan birth certificate) on the show all the time, calling their "concerns" "valid." He's gone round the bend, and he needs to be kicked out the door. When Olberman talks about Blackwater or Maddow talks about C Street and the Family, there's actually something THERE. Lou tries to have it both ways by claiming genteelly that he personally doesn't doubt Obama's American birth, but lending his soapbox to the most ridiculous figures in the lunatic fringe and implying that their conspiracy-mongering is the President's fault and that Obama is hiding something. It's too cute by half.
Whoa! Dobbs has the First Amendment guaranteeing his right of free speech , and he chooses to apply it to opinions about the news, as O'Reilly, Beck, Limbaugh and Olbermann do, in various ways.
We also have that amendment for us "common people" so that we have the pleasure of expressing opinions about breaking stories.
I can't imagine a world where we all spout the same thing because it is politically correct. Nor would anyone be happy if we are forced into one version of "news".
Real news has been supplanted with a bias in every venue: TV, Internet and radio. No matter how flippy the statements may be, the biggest danger is not being able to say anything that someone may not like, and get stuffed into PC speech, or end up in a gulag somewhere for being an individual.
Shutting down Dobbs will only be the beginning of an Orwellian scenario.
I guess I don't understand how Lou Dobbs's free speech depends on CNN's continuing to employ him. They let Tucker Carlson go, and he's still talking. CNN has no obligation to provide Dobbs with a podium for disseminating fake conspiracies, and it shouldn't. If Dobbs can't meet CNN's standards for honest reporting (and I hope they have some), he should go. He'll have no trouble meeting Fox's.
This birthing stuff in beyond nonsense. Dobbs should be the one not aired.
We have the First Amendment for a very good reason, especially these days when the TV, radio and Internet are the way for normal citizens, and perhaps even illegal aliens, to get their views out into the public.
If that is denied to Dobbs or anyone else, it drives a small wedge into that freedom. Those wedges have been known to cleave large blocks of wood, both literally and figuratively.
Should we now get to state-run media like Iran's three channels feeding out politically correct think, or an Internet that is censored like the Red Chinese do, plus their politically correct censored TV?
Like Lou Dobbs or not, we still fortunately have a choice whether to watch him or not and come over here to give our opinions.
Point being, be careful what you wish for.
There's nothing constitutional over protecting someone from being fired over what they say. Nor is there a constitutional basis for opposing\supporting calling someone to be fired over what they say. This is absolutely in no part a legal issue.
I'm a little confused. I subscribe to Time/Warner Cable Manhattan, and that's how I get Fox News and MSNBC (although I never watch Fox News). So if Time/Warner won't allow it to be run, how can Fox News and MSNBC run it on Time/Warner? I think it needs to be run. Dobbs is giving this birther nonsense credibility, and CNN refuses to make him stop it. What's he going to be promoting next: the phony Kenyan birth certificate? The Protocols of the Elders of Zion?
We have this right in “America”
it's called “FREEDOM OF SPEECH”
The right, guaranteed by the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution , to express beliefs and ideas without unwarranted government restriction
Seems a lot of people wish to not allow Lou Dobbs the same
basic rights they have.
I've had the pleasure of watching a few of his reports.
Even if I do not agree with everything he says. I do
believe in his right to say them.
On the Obama birth certificate issue. Common
any natural citizen can produce documents of proof.
This should be a non issue. Obama could make this
all go away easily.
He hasn't, so human curiosity kicks in.
Even for me...
I want to see the documents now.
doesn't protect you from getting fired if you say something that your employer doesn't like. Which isn't even what's happening here. It's that someone put together an ad criticizing Mr. Dobbs, and CNN isn't showing it. No one's having their rights infringed by the government.
of the people in America who want the country protected from the invasion of illegal aliens, La Raza and all the pro illegal political yelling. Lou is for Legaql Immigration and all that is right for the people of the United States. He is NOT for those out to destroy our country and our culture. If you could silence him then you give up your right to Free Speech and America loses for all time.