Lou Dobbs goes birther [Archive]

Alferd_Packer

18th July 2009, 08:21 AM

Yet the guest host on Dobb's TV show, Kitty Pilgrim, debunks the nonsense.

http://mediamatters.org/mmtv/200907170043

The best part is right after Kitty lists and details all the facts proving that Obama was born in Honolulu, she asks Alan Keyes what more would take to convince him that President Obama is legally qualified to be president

Keyes: "some evidence."

(laughter in the background)

LightinDarkness

18th July 2009, 08:43 AM

Corsair 115

18th July 2009, 09:27 AM

I had heard of Lou Dobbs as a Believer in the North American Union lunacy, but had not heard he embraced the birther woo.

Oh, back when I had CNN on cable, Dobbs was most certainly a North American Union/NAFTA superhighway proponent. I saw it for myself numerous times on his broadcast. As a Canadian, it drove me nuts, because, as I've said before 'round here, anyone who thinks the NAU is real is someone who clearly, clearly, does not know anything about Canadian politics.

My favourite Dobbs comment though goes back a few years, when he basically imlplied that Canada was another "cheap foreign labor market" like China or India. That was the point when I realized that his grasp of economics and politics were a lot looser than he projects it to be.

dudalb

18th July 2009, 12:05 PM

Although Media Matters is the epitome of left-wing propaganda, indeed that is their job description, they do hit the nail on this one.

I had heard of Lou Dobbs as a Believer in the North American Union lunacy, but had not heard he embraced the birther woo. I just don't understand it. If he thinks supporting this stupidity will get his ratings up hes even more deranged, everyone - left, right, and center - will be rushing towards the exits and send his ratings plummeting after this stunt.

Agreed on all points.
Anybody who accepts what Media Matters says blindly is a fool, since they are just as willing to lie and distort to promote their left wing agenda as the right wing groups they critcise.(I particularly dislike their blind support for Castro Jr down in Venezuala). But they have the goods on Dobbs, alright.

Dobbs is a demogogue pure and simple. He will embrace any idiocy, left or right, that will make him look like he is "standing up for the little guy". I have written him off because of his obvious antipathy toward Hispanics, and
that he has apparently forgot everything he ever knew about economics with some of the stupid statements he makes on a regular basis.

Frankly, Dobbs is one of the reasons I have lost all respect for CNN. What they are doing with their Headline News NEtwork is the other.

Thunder

18th July 2009, 12:36 PM

My cousin and Uncle are "birthers".

though my cousin had the balls to admit, that its really Obama's policies that he disagrees with, regardless of his birth status.

Sword_Of_Truth

18th July 2009, 02:40 PM

Frankly, Dobbs is one of the reasons I have lost all respect for CNN.

I've never liked Dobbs. Watched his show all of twice. Now it turns out he's a whacko? Meh.

What they are doing with their Headline News NEtwork is the other.

I thought HNN was a good idea in its original format. Just a half hour rundown of the days tops stories repeating ad infinitum. You could watch it for 30 minutes and be all caught up.

Now they've gone and destroyed it by trying to turn it into a "real" channel.

dudalb

18th July 2009, 10:18 PM

I've never liked Dobbs. Watched his show all of twice. Now it turns out he's a whacko? Meh.

I thought HNN was a good idea in its original format. Just a half hour rundown of the days tops stories repeating ad infinitum. You could watch it for 30 minutes and be all caught up.

Now they've gone and destroyed it by trying to turn it into a "real" channel.

I agree 100%. It was great to tune in on the half hour any old time and get the latest news.
And "Real" is the last thing I would call the circus that is HNL...Jane Velez Mitchell ,ugh. Nancy Grace, double ugh. Showbiz Tonight goes beyond ugh into Barf Bag territory.
Robin Meade in the Morning is HOT but that just about the only redeeming thing about HNL.The whole channel is a blatent appeal to the Lowest Common Demoninator. CNN should be ashamed.

zaphod2016

21st July 2009, 10:05 AM

I have written [Dobbs] off because of his obvious antipathy toward Hispanics...

I don't know why, but I always feel the need to remind people that Dobbs' wife is Hispanic (http://hispanic.com/blogs/elpundit/archive/2007/06/25/lou-dobbs-anti-immigration-guess-what-he-has-a-hispanic-wife-children.aspx).

I'm not sure if this means Dobbs is an even bigger hypocrite than previously assumed, but I'd like to think it means that people can oppose open immigration for reasons other than racism.

P.S. They took yer job.

Praktik

21st July 2009, 10:14 AM

I don't know why, but I always feel the need to remind people that Dobbs' wife is Hispanic (http://hispanic.com/blogs/elpundit/archive/2007/06/25/lou-dobbs-anti-immigration-guess-what-he-has-a-hispanic-wife-children.aspx).

I'm not sure if this means Dobbs is an even bigger hypocrite than previously assumed, but I'd like to think it means that people can oppose open immigration for reasons other than racism.

P.S. They took yer job.

Well - I would classify Dobb's racism in a different category from say, people who would committ violent acts or otherwise be overtly racist.

I think there's a tendency when one accuses someone of racism that they're actually saying they wear a white robe on the weekends.

But racism comes in many forms, and while I don't think Dobbs is the kind who thinks Mexicans are an "inferior race" he is certainly insensitive to them and takes a kind of Buchanan-esque view of traditional, white america.

Greg_in_CO

21st July 2009, 10:36 AM

Factcheck.org published a pretty well documented debunking of the birth certificate conspiracy last summer; writing about their visit to the Obama headquarters to examine the certified copy of the certificate of live birth.

However, just as no photo evidence will every convince the Apollo deniers of manned lunar landings, even if Hawaii's Secretary of State releases for examination the original copy of the birth certificate for every birther to examine, it wouldn't sway any opinions; they'd just move the goalposts again. This was the case last summer after Factcheck's examination. The birthers alleged that the real reason for Obama's visit to Hawaii was to "doctor his records" rather than to be with his ailing grandmother.

T.A.M.

21st July 2009, 10:59 AM

I agree 100%. It was great to tune in on the half hour any old time and get the latest news.
And "Real" is the last thing I would call the circus that is HNL...Jane Velez Mitchell ,ugh. Nancy Grace, double ugh. Showbiz Tonight goes beyond ugh into Barf Bag territory.
Robin Meade in the Morning is HOT but that just about the only redeeming thing about HNL.The whole channel is a blatent appeal to the Lowest Common Demoninator. CNN should be ashamed.

I haven't watched HLN in about 2-3 years for those very reasons. It is a circus of entertainment news, crackpot commentators, and crazy lawyer rantings.

TAM:)

Arus808

21st July 2009, 11:13 AM

eghad, they have orly on there as well. she looks even more whacked...

dudalb

21st July 2009, 02:20 PM

Frankly, that CNN continues to employ Nancy Grace with all the crap she has pulled on the show:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nancy_Grace

is a freaking disgrace.
That is what scares me most about journalism today:Common Decency seems to be vanishing.

jaydeehess

24th July 2009, 08:41 AM

Oh, back when I had CNN on cable, Dobbs was most certainly a North American Union/NAFTA superhighway proponent. I saw it for myself numerous times on his broadcast. As a Canadian, it drove me nuts, because, as I've said before 'round here, anyone who thinks the NAU is real is someone who clearly, clearly, does not know anything about Canadian politics.

My favourite Dobbs comment though goes back a few years, when he basically imlplied that Canada was another "cheap foreign labor market" like China or India. That was the point when I realized that his grasp of economics and politics were a lot looser than he projects it to be.

I don't know when you saw that Corsair , but I witnessed him state that just a few months ago. I just about spewed the ginger ale I was drinking at the time.
"Cheap" labor market? Canadians receive the same or better wages and employer or employee paid benefits as in the USA. The major difference is that in Canada , Health Care is the responsibility of the Provincial gov'ts.

In my case (and Corsair's), Ontario, (the province with the largest population and the largest manufacturing sector) gov't health care does not cover drugs, dental care, vision care(exams and glasses for eg.) and employees contribute through paycheck deductions to the health care system. On my last pay this health care tax amounted to just under $40

I had already taken a dislike to Dobbs before then and this simply cemented the idea that he was as informed and balanced and Glen Beck or O'Reilly. That is to say the man is an idiot playing the part of an informed and balanced newcaster. It therefore comes as little suprise to me that he would be on the side questioning the birthright of Obama.

CurtC

24th July 2009, 10:15 AM

Yet the guest host on Dobb's TV show, Kitty Pilgrim, debunks the nonsense.

http://mediamatters.org/mmtv/200907170043

Did you see Jon Stewart's ridiculing of this whole affair? It's hilarious:

http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/wed-july-22-2009/the-born-identity

Corsair 115

24th July 2009, 10:32 AM

I don't know when you saw that Corsair , but I witnessed him state that just a few months ago. I just about spewed the ginger ale I was drinking at the time.

What I saw was several years ago at least, back when the Canadian dollar was a fair bit lower against the U.S. than it is these days. I did a doubletake as well when I heard Dobbs' comment. I even sent an e-mail to his show about it, asking how the largest trading partner of the U.S., a nation with a governmental and economic system every bit as developed as the United States, is somehow a "cheap foreign labor market." I also pointed out how the exchange rate is not something that Canada can explicitly control, so if the market values our dollar cheaply and gives us an advantage as a result, that's not our fault.

Greg_in_CO

24th July 2009, 12:05 PM

Anyone catch Liddy on Hardball yesterday? He's really flipped his lid now; acted not only delusional, but really confused. I loved it when Tweety handed him a copy of the birth certificate; Liddy commented that it had a redaction on it, Tweety handed him an un-recacted copy, then Liddy said nothing! He acted as the the exchange never happened and just started stammering. Pathetic.

headscratcher4

24th July 2009, 12:44 PM

I thought he was having a stroke...not a I made as hell my head is going to blow-up kind of tv stroke...but an actual brain bleed mind shutting down "I should be going to the hospital now..." stroke. Not that I give him much credibilty anyway, but if that is they way he does his readio show, he would be in danger of putting his listers to sleep....

BTW, it should always be mentioned in connection with Liddy that he is a convicted felon.

Ohnoes

24th July 2009, 12:57 PM

Even McCains lawyers checked into it, but unlike most Birthers....They accepted the truth!

"We never saw any evidence that then-Senator Obama had been born outside of the United States. We saw rumors, but nothing that could be sourced to evidence. There were no statements and no documents that suggested he was born somewhere else. On the other side, there was proof that he was born in Hawaii. There was a certificate issued by the state's Department of Health, and the responsible official in the state saying that he had personally seen the original certificate. There was a birth announcement in the Honolulu Advertiser, which would be very difficult to invent or plant 47 years in advance."

http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2009/07/mccain_campaign_lawyer_no_evid.html?ft=1&f=103943429

headscratcher4

24th July 2009, 01:01 PM

Even McCains lawyers checked into it, but unlike most Birthers....They accepted the truth!

http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2009/07/mccain_campaign_lawyer_no_evid.html?ft=1&f=103943429

It just shows how insideious the whole conspiracy is.

Brainster

24th July 2009, 03:51 PM

The Southern Poverty Law Center calls on CNN to fire Dobbs (http://www.splcenter.org/news/item.jsp?aid=390):

Respectable news organizations should not employ reporters willing to peddle racist conspiracy theories and false propaganda. It's time for CNN to remove Mr. Dobbs from the airwaves.

I'm not sure that racism is really at the heart of this, but I certainly agree that Dobbs should be canned for promoting idiotic theories.

Corsair 115

24th July 2009, 11:11 PM

I'm not sure that racism is really at the heart of this, but I certainly agree that Dobbs should be canned for promoting idiotic theories.

Has Dobbs gone on about the North American Union and the NAFTA Superhighway lately? I recall that was another favourite topic of his a year or two ago.

Anyway, I'd like to add the slandering of the largest U.S. trading partner to the list of objectionable offences. But I'm a bit biased on that one I admit. ;)

Caustic Logic

30th July 2009, 01:15 AM

I saw the hardball segment. Man, Liddy... he was also the main source for the Silent Coup book, in which Watergate was John Dean's idea, to destroy evidence there that his wife was a whore. That would explain it all, huh? One link (http://www.historycommons.org/context.jsp?item=a050691deanprostitution#a050691de anprostitution)
Anyway... He and Dobbs both ask why they don't just release the BC, even tho
we've all seen the short one. Does anyone here happen to know if there IS a more formal, more satisfactory version of the BC that should exist but hasn't been revealed yet? I'm a novice on the issue, sorry if it's a dumb question.

Dr Adequate

30th July 2009, 01:48 AM

Anyway... He and Dobbs both ask why they don't just release the BC, even tho we've all seen the short one. Does anyone here happen to know if there IS a more formal, more satisfactory version of the BC that should exist but hasn't been revealed yet? I'm a novice on the issue, sorry if it's a dumb question. There's the original document that the State of Hawai'i keep in their vaults, but they keep it in their vaults, they can't give it to Obama or to Lou Dobbs.

Besides that, no. If you were born in Hawai'i, and you apply to Hawai'i for your birth certificate, what Obama has is what you get.

SezMe

30th July 2009, 02:05 AM

I'm not sure that racism is really at the heart of this, but I certainly agree that Dobbs should be canned for promoting idiotic theories.
Hang on a minute, Brainster. You think promoting something idiotic is justified cause for dismissal? Who decides "idiotic"? If I am in charge, 90% of the TV news "personalities" are going to get the heave-ho under that criterion.

Myron Proudfoot

30th July 2009, 06:45 AM

If I am in charge, 90% of the TV news "personalities" are going to get the heave-ho under that criterion.

I'm trying to see the downside to this, really, I am.....

OTOH: Dobbs has also been pussyfooting with various RW racist groups over the past few years by promoting such nonsense as Mexicans spreading leprosy to the US.....

dudalb

30th July 2009, 12:24 PM

Tonight, On Larry King, CNN is showing what it is billing as a "no Holds Barred" Left vs Right debate.
Ann Coulter vs Al Sharpton.
The mind boggles....

LightinDarkness

30th July 2009, 02:01 PM

Lou Dobbs appears to be alone in the fray. All of the RNC leaders and the major right wing pundits (Rush Limbaugh, Ann Coulter), have all in the past 48 hours denounced the birthers as nutty fruitcakes. I even (GASP) saw a media matters clip of Bill O'Reilly debunking the thing multiple times.

It is good to see reason wins even in the face of partisan politics. I only wish the left had done so when 9/11 became a fashionable response to Bush derangement - but hey, this is a good start.

Caustic Logic

30th July 2009, 03:52 PM

There's the original document that the State of Hawai'i keep in their vaults, but they keep it in their vaults, they can't give it to Obama or to Lou Dobbs.

Besides that, no. If you were born in Hawai'i, and you apply to Hawai'i for your birth certificate, what Obama has is what you get.

Thanks, you rock. I was wi\ondering if there's a level where these guys had, like A point, and were being dragged along by one hair and their own desire to be dragged along. Looks like that except without the hair. :wave1

To Sez Me: I was inclined to agree with Brainster and with the SPLC that this stupid talk is kinda in that "shouting fire in a crowded theater" category. For some reason 9/11 stuff isn't, but talking to gun-totin racists from CNN's balcony, the theater gets smaller and more dangerous to yell in, maybe. But then maybe he becomes a martyr, etc... It's complex stuff, I hope CNN is dealing with it. I can't.