What's the deal with Lou Dobbs?

[FatDave]

I haven't started watching his show until he started covering the UAE ports deal, and he seems to be doing an outstanding job on that. Seems like he's doing what every journalist should be doing all the time on every issue. He's digging up the dirt and calling the Bush admin on their bullshit.

Then I come to find out that he wrote a book called "Exporting America: Why Corporate Greed Is Shipping American Jobs Overseas", which as a computer programmer is a topic near and dear to me.

But along with recent praise he's been getting on DU, I keep hearing (er, reading) people say that he's usually pretty conservative in his views and has been a supporter of the president. Sometimes they put it in terms not nearly as nice as I just did.

Like I said, I don't know, I never watched his show before last week. Can anybody give me any examples of things he's said in the past that make him look like just another Bush bootlicker? I'm not doubting at all that he's said them, I just want to know where he stands. I want to know who I'm dealing with before I praise him too much.

Any input would be appreciated. Thanks.

FatDave

[rodeodance]

1. Hi poll for today here: Yes 96%

QUICKVOTE
Do you believe that Congress should limit ownership and operation of America's strategic infrastructure assets to the U.S. government and U.S. companies?
Yes
No


http://www.cnn.com/CNN/Programs/lou.dobbs.tonight/

[liberal N proud]

11. 97%

29 morons think otherwise.

[Minnesota Libra]

14. Latest poll results.......

Yes - 97%
No - 3%

[rodeodance]

16. hi neighbor across the Mississppi/st croix

[HockeyMom]

2. One of the byproducts of this deal

IS the outsourcing of American jobs; the busting of the Union, so this UAE can use the increased visas to hire cheap, foreign labor. You see, it's follow the money all around.

[rox63]

3. Check out his views on immigration n/t

[mzmolly]

8. He's against importing slave labor.

Bush is all for it.

[acmejack]

4. Here is the straight poop on him Dave!

Welcome to the site! http://www.pbs.org/now/politics/dobbs.html

[tsuki]

5. He is a conservative leaning moderate. I don't always agree

with him, but he is interesting to listen to. He believes in America, not in corporations. I take exception with some of his beliefs, like supporting Judith Miller and saying he'll never forgive Fitzgerald. I have an opposite position.

[Coexist]

18. He sounds more like a Libertarian to me

maybe that we can't pigeonhole him is a good thing.

[Ignacio Upton]

25. Libertarians believe in free trade and open borders

Dobbs is a Paleo-Conservative Republican in the Pat Buchanan mold who has become turned off by Bush. I agree with him on some issues, but not on others.

[mzmolly]

6. He's what you might call a REAL journalist/reporter.

I don't always agree with him, but I know I'm watching a person with "some" integrity when I tune in.

[lapfog_1]

7. Lou is perhaps the last of the true conservatives

somewhat isolationist, very much for less government involvement in peoples lives, No to outsourcing, No to illegal immigration.

He is definitely not a bushbot, nor really a pro-corporatist. But not really progressive either. Libertarian... sort of.

A pragmatic, pay as you go moderate (in these extremely conversative nutjob days).

[SillyGoose]

24. I agree with you 100%...in fact you took the words right out of my mouth.

[Frank Cannon]

29. I agree. I'd WELCOME true conservatives in government...

compared to the bloodthirsty psycho fascists that we have now.

Bush, Cheney, et al, make Dwight D. Eisenhower look like a long-haired, pot-smoking, free-loving hippie dippie doo-dah man.

Dobbs gives me hope that there are still some sane Republicans out there.

[shireen]

9. Lou's an original thinker

He's a great example of why blanket labels like "conservative" and "liberal" can be misleading. He has many conservative opinions, but he has a deep sense of fairness and justice which is why is is speaking out so strongly about the UAE port deal and exporting of jobs.

He's a good guy. One of last true journalists left in this country.

[W_HAMILTON]

10. I was just thinking the same thing...

I wasn't sure how Dobbs was viewed here at DU, but when I've watched him, he comes off as unusually, dare I say, fair and balanced :) I doubt I would agree with him on everything, but lately, he has been a critic of what this administration has been doing wrong, and that's more than you can say for alot of these news anchors out there.

[land of the free]

12. he is a fervent opponent of immigration, outsourcing, free trade

very isolationist and protectionist. I've probably watched his show a few dozen times, and I've never seen one show go by without him railing on border/immigration issues and free trade. He is absolutely relentless about illegal immigration.

He's also extremely critical of many of this President's actions and policies, particularly regarding outsourcing and the deficit. He's been very firey in his opposition to many Bush policies. I'd say he's become more & more critical of Bush in the past year.

Oh... also, he kissed Judy Miller's ass so much in an interview after she left jail, I swear his lips are still brown.

He's an interesting guy to watch. I don't always agree with much of what he says, but he seems to be very consistent in his opinions, and I respect that. He's not just yelling anybody's talking points (except for his terribly treated buddy, Miller... that was just pathetic pandering for a friend, IMO).

I'd agree with lapfog_1 that he seems to fit into a Libertarian category in some ways. I'd call him more of a traditional conservative than moderate, but as others said, he seems rather fair and reasonable. He comes with plenty of ammo to support his points of view.

He's worth watching.

[napi21]

13. I've been watching Lou for a little over a year.

He's totally against ILLEGAL immigration...not all immigration. He supports Capitalism, but says it must be restrained, or you end up with run away greed like we have now. He rants all the time about outsourcing, and has actually gotten into some pretty heated arguments on hos show about it!

The DUers you hear bashing Lou always seem to talk about what he was like a long time ago. He had a primarily financial show, and I guess he was very pro business back then.

[rodeodance]

15. Polll---still at 97%--

QUICKVOTE
Do you believe that Congress should limit ownership and operation of America's strategic infrastructure assets to the U.S. government and U.S. companies?
Yes
No


http://www.cnn.com/CNN/Programs/lou.dobbs.tonight/

[SofaKingLiberal]

26. 98% now

}(

[cal04]

17. good for Lou giving it to King

I'm sure the people here on Long Island are calling his office about this deal, especially since 911
He tried to say this wasn't political and Lou said but your party has made security and the war on terror political
so do you want to go into the elections selling your ports to this company
Of course King answered no UNLESS they are clean

[Minnesota Libra]

19. I for one like Lou Dobbs and tune in.....

.....as much as I can. He doesn't mind calling a spade a spade. Having said that, I must admit I don't agree with everything out of his mouth but at least I find out the truth about what's going on.

[Ksec]

20. He used to be a die hard rethug

Lately hes gone away from the stern capitalist stances he so loved, and become somewhat of a compassionate guy thats looking out for the working American. I dont know what happened to him but my guess is he saw the failures of capitalism unchecked and unregulated. He saw that Labor will always go to the cheapest source and thats not good for Middle America or the poor.

[MADem]

21. Lou is a CLASSIC conservative

Rock Rib Republican; devout Catholic; member of Opus Dei. Settled with CNN for an undisclosed sum after one of his bosses made snarky comments about his religion which caused him to leave the network and go forward with a harassment action. He later returned, to popular acclaim because his show is tight and fact-based, unlike a lot of the slop they carry.

His wife was bagged at National with a gun in her purse. She "forgot" it was there. Dunno if she got off or paid a fine.

He puked up the KoolAid well before the crowd. He liked what the Monkey was saying, but it took him less time than most to realize the guy was full of shit....the words he was spouting didn't match the policies his administration was implementing.

[FatDave]

22. A sensible conservative? I thought they were extinct.

If I think back a long ways, I do seem to remember saying "I see your point, but..." to conservatives. But that was so long ago....

Thanks everybody for the info. Sounds like a pretty decent guy over all.

[spanone]

23. Lou has been screaming about our borders and outsourcing for years

This is the perfect storm for Lou.

[napi21]

27. He's really wound today! Supposed to be on Wolff's show next

to debate som guy (congressman I think) about this Port deal. I don't usually watch Wolff on his second show, but I'm going to tonight. Lou is a GREAT debater!

[AntiFascist]

28. Tomorrow he may need to speak for his corporate masters....

but today he speaks for democracy! Especially when 90+% of the American public agree!

[Joe for Clark]

30. He is a conservative, that is not a bad thing here,

A popultist - is that term used anymore??

Confusing Bush with a conservative is wrong. A conservative has a principle based in the constitution. That book "Imposture", it is a good book. Bush isn't a conservative, he is an asshole. A conservative is someone you you could have a reasoned disagreement with - this guy will veto it without knowing the contents.

The terms are outdated - conservative and liberal. Because the groups really do agree on the essence, I think.

Joe

[Nothing Without Hope]

31. Don't have links to his past ones, but here are several VIDEOS

of his blasts on the port deal this week:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x484331
thread title (2-21-06 GD): VIDEO- Lou Dobss on CFIUS (the secretive agency that okays this type of {deal}
Comment/excerpt: Hard-hitting report on the “firestorm” on the UAE ports deal on CNN/Lou Dobbs. Apparently the Committee on Foreign Investment in the US, which is run by the Treasury Department (and CSX’s former CEO, John Snow, is now Sec. of the Treasury – a clear conflict of interest) and is so secretive, even the Secretary of Defense didn’t know about the deal. There have been many questionable approvals in the past, and a GAO report has questioned CFIUS’s narrow focus on boosting foreign trade without any real understanding of national security concerns. We need to get a linked copy & analysis of the Fall 2005 GAO report on CFIUS's poor record in comprehending national security concerns - mentioned near the end of the video clip.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x484025
thread title (2-21-06 GD): VIDEO- Shut Up, Lou Dobbs (PR campaign to sell public on UAE ports)
Comment/excerpt: Another fine liveoaktx/Can-o-fun video clip.Lou Dobbs says that the big PR campaign entourage from the UAE that is in Washington to promote the ports sale has REFUSED TO SPEAK TO CNN “BECAUSE CNN WON’T SHUT UP LOU DOBBS.” Lou Dobbs says his reporter is outside the UAE (she speaks too) and the UAE is welcome to come and speak about the deal any time they want. He emphasizes that their refusal is NOT because of misreporting or mistakes, but because they want to suppress the story.
Related story on the video page: http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=10000101&sid=aqdTWrVO5Rq8


http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x494300
thread title (2-22-06 GD): VIDEO- Bush and his UAE Pals- (Dobbs)
liveoaktx/Can-o-fun video of a fine Lou Dobbs segment. It brings out Carlyle Group and Neil Bush’s funding by UAE. Also Snow’s former position as CSX CEO. David Sanborn just appointed to head the government agency that supervises the ports. Even mentions Bob Dole’s lobbying for the deal. Liveoaktx comments: “Snow has some chutzpah going out as a spokesman.”

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=364&topic_id=507202
thread title (2-24-06 GD): VIDEO-Lou Dobss-Which Governor LIKES the Port Deal?
Liveoaktx/Can-o-Fun video. Lou quotes statements from six state governors who would be affected by the ports deal. All but one were opposed to what has happened. Only ONE expressed “complete confidence in the president.” Guess which southeast state he’s king … er…governor of?

[Emit]

32. According to my spouse....who is a Republican...

"Lou resides in the policy area of world trade and globalization where a particular flavor of Republican ideologically meets the ideology of folks that set things on fire at G-8 and World Bank conferences. Likely Pat Buchanan is there too along with a couple of vegan dumpster-diving punks that I know, certainly for different reasons. It is like an Ouroboros or snake eating its own tail. The question is which end is the head and which end is the tail?"

http://www.crystalinks.com/ouroboros.html