Monday, October 19, 2009
What a shame Ted Turner ever sold CNN. The once mighty cable news network has disintegrated into a clownish, second-rate version of FOX News staffed by morons like Wolf Blitzer, Kyra Phillips, Rick Sanchez and Lou Dobbs.
And speaking of Lou Dobbs, what a perfect time to revisit Ted Turner’s April 1st, 2008 sit-down interview on PBS’ Charlie Rose. The visionary founder of CNN tells Rose he would fire Lou Dobbs:
Rose: Lou Dobbs used to be a friend of yours.
Turner: He’s still a friend of mine.
Rose: Yeah.
Turner: But I think he’s kinda flipped out. I wouldn’t, Tom Johnson and I wouldn’t let him do this when he was working at CNN. He just had to do the financial news straight, you know, and not fill it up with his opinions about who he hates and doesn’t like the Mexicans and immigration.
Rose: So what would you do if you were running CNN today?
Turner: I’d call him in and chew him out.
Rose: You’d say either you tow the line or you can’t work here?
Turner: That’s exactly right.
Rose: That’s what you’d do?
Turner: That’s what we did before.
Rose: With him [Dobbs]?
Turner: Yeah.
Rose: Yeah.
Watch it:
12 Comments
+ at 6:12 pm
I know Lou Dobbs doesn’t get ‘tingly feelings’ up his leg for the President, but he’s about the only commentator on that network with an ounce of journalistic integrity. He asks tough questions, and attempts to be somewhat objective, unlike any of his liberal counterparts, who by the way, pretend to be un-biased, which is more than deceptive.
+ at 6:16 pm
So what’s stopping Turner from buying CNN?
He’s a billionaire. If he doesn’t have sufficient money to mount a hostile takeover, he could form a group of capital investors committed to bringing real journalism back to cable. People like George Soros and Steven Speilberg?
Just present the offer to the board and the board presents the offer to the shareholders.
+ at 6:27 pm
h1jen1,
Are you kidding me?
Lou Dobbs is one of the opinionated, biased and racist personalities on cable. But don’t believe me, take Dobbs at his own words.
During a CBS News interview with Lesley Stahl, which aired on May 6 on 60 Minutes, Dobbs defended CNN correspondent Christine Romans’ citation — initially made on the April 14, 2005, edition of CNN’s Lou Dobbs Tonight, when the false claims that “there were about 900 cases of leprosy [in the United States] for 40 years,” and that “[t]here have been 7,000 in the past three years.”
The day after the 60 Minutes interview, during the May 7 edition of Lou Dobbs Tonight, Dobbs and Romans again defended the claims, with Romans attributing them to the late “Dr. Madeleine Cosman” (who did not have a medical degree but, rather, a Ph.D. in English and comparative literature).
In fact, according to the National Hansen’s Disease Program (NHDP) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), there have been just 431 reported cases of Hansen’s disease, or leprosy, over the “past three years.” The NHDP reported 8,490 cases of Hansen’s disease from 1966 to 2005, as compared with Cosman’s claim in a 2005 article that “in 40 years … 900 people were afflicted.” Cosman appears to have derived her false claim by misinterpreting a February 18, 2003, New York Times article.
If I were you I would take Lou Dobbs and his remarks with a grain of sand.
+ at 6:55 pm
Dobbs isn’t evil. He’s just wrong.
+ at 8:23 pm
Whenever I see Lou Dobbs, I keep thinking about saltines. Same with that Casey Wian feller who licks Lou’s boots.
+ at 8:28 pm
I know Lou Dobbs doesn’t get ‘tingly feelings’ up his leg for the President, but he’s about the only commentator on that network with an ounce of journalistic integrity. He asks tough questions, and attempts to be somewhat objective, unlike any of his liberal counterparts, who by the way, pretend to be un-biased, which is more than deceptive.
WTF?!? The guy ought to be wearing a swastika armband and do his reports in front of a burning cross. I guess if racism doesn’t bother you, or the nuttiness of the afterbirthers, he could be called “objective.”
Christ, I see some stupid frigging things in the comments here.
+ at 8:34 pm
Oh, I get it now. If you want to have a few good laughs, drop by h1jen1’s electronic feces. Here’s some of the smellier stuff…
Lots of people complain about the cost of healthcare. Does anybody value the actual services provided by healthcare? These services are about our health, and ultimately, the length of our lives? How is that worth so little? Moreover, health insurance is not car insurance. Car insurance is basically a ‘just incase’ policy. Health insurance is very different. People who have health insurance generally use health services. So basically, you pay a premium for the option to have a wide selection of access to health services at your disposal.
See? You stupid libruls, you don’t know wtf is good for you. But let’s go on, shall we?
The media feels so powerful and mighty for altering the historic election of President Barack Obama.. Turns out, the joke’s on them..More sickening is the unlikely idea that the media is not aware of the ‘dots’ I am getting ready to put together..Which leaves only one analogy. The media enjoys having become the ‘bottom’ or ’submissive’ partner of this abusive relationship.
Methinks that there was some heavy smoking and/or drinking being done when this one was being carried to term.
+ at 9:13 pm
A few weeks ago I read where FOX Business News (now, there’s an oxymoron) is in discussions with Dobbs to leave CNN and join FOX when his contract is up. Anyone else hear this? I don’t watch either CNN or FOX but I am familiar with both and I think Dobbs belongs with Murdock’s Cirque de Freaks.
+ at 9:45 pm
“but he’s about the only commentator on that network with an ounce of journalistic integrity”
Wait….What?? Really?? Lou Dobbs has about as much integrity as the Pope has girlfriends. Just a little word or two of advice sunshine with the broken mind, you really shouldn’t smoke weed, eat acid, and drink vodka when you are posting.
+ at 5:54 am
So is Turner saying he was aware of Lou Dobbs’ xenophobia and racism years ago when he was hired by CNN to report on the business news?
If so, why by-pass many other talented and capable reporters and reward him with a lucrative career in broadcast television?
This says something about Ted Turner as well.
+ at 2:18 pm
h1jen1: Thanks. I needed a good laugh.
+ at 9:26 pm
Now that anti-Latino xenophobe Lou Dobbs has done us (all non-rightwing republicans) a favor by leaving CNN, it’s time to fire Christine Romans — Dobbs’ anti-Latino bootlick.