Tuesday, July 28, 2009

Lou Dobbs is NOT a legitimate reporter or news commentator

Lou Dobbs is making a mockery of CNN and news reporting by claiming that President Obama needs to provide a birth certificate (he already has and posted it on the internet). Would Dobbs be making this claim if the President had more "mainstream" name? CNN needs to censure Dobbs. This is not a freedom of speech issue, Dobbs can say whatever he wants on his own radio show. Its his credibility on CNN that needs to be challenged.

The following is an article from David Brock of Media Matters:

From David Brock of Media Matters:
Recently, CNN's Lou Dobbs has repeatedly used his prominent platform as a prime-time host on CNN, as well as his daily nationally syndicated radio show, to legitimize paranoid conspiracy theories about President Barack Obama's birth certificate. Despite the fact that these fringe ideas have been thoroughly debunked, he continues to mainstream extreme right-wing rhetoric by asserting that Obama needs to "produce a birth certificate" and giving birther conspiracies airtime on his shows.

In response to Dobbs' relentless trafficking in these fringe conspiracy theories, CNN President Jon Klein initially declared the story "dead," saying anyone who "is not convinced doesn't really have a legitimate beef." But less than 24 hours later, Klein caved in to Dobbs, reversing himself completely. He even went so far as to reportedly call Dobb's coverage of the birther movement "legitimate."

Klein's caving to Dobbs raises a serious, troubling question: Who is really calling the shots at CNN? We need your help today to publicly pressure CNN credibly address its Dobbs problem.

http://dobbsconspiracy.com/

Contrary to Klein's description of Dobbs' birth certificate coverage as "legitimate," CNN's own hosts have debunked and ridiculed the story as "ludicrous," "nutty," and "conspiratorial."

Nevertheless, Dobbs has repeatedly claimed on both his television and radio shows that President Obama has failed to adequately address the claims of birther conspiracy theorists. He has said that Obama needs to "produce a birth certificate" and that the birth certificate the president posted online more than a year ago has "some issues." Rather than correct the record in response to criticism of his coverage of birther theories, Dobbs has lashed out at "lily-livered lefties" who criticized him because he "had the temerity to inquire as to where the birth certificate was." He even claims a "national left-wing media conspiracy" is attacking him over the birther issue.

We need to present CNN with an overwhelming public response to Dobbs' relentless promotion of these conspiracy theories tinged with racism.
So, please sign the following petition today and demand that CNN address its Lou Dobbs problem in a credible manner.

http://dobbsconspiracy.com/

Thank you for your help in holding CNN accountable,

David Brock
Founder & CEO
Media Matters for America

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