Drop Dobbs Coalition Members Respond to Dobbs’ departure from CNN:
Media Matters for America: A “happy day for all those who care about this nation of immigrants.”
From Media Matters:
Washington, DC – Media Matters for America released the following statement responding to late breaking news that controversial CNN host Lou Dobbs, best known for his relentless anti-immigrant rhetoric, will be leaving his long-time cable news home effective tonight.
“For too long, CNN provided Lou Dobbs with its stamp of approval as he pursued a dangerous, one-sided and all too often false conspiracy tinged crusade against immigrants,” said Eric Burns, president of Media Matters. “This is a happy day for all those who care about this nation of immigrants and believe in the power of media to elevate the political discourse.”
NDN: “This is a great victory.”
From NDN:
NDN, a leading think tank and advocacy organization, joined with Media Matters to create the DropDobbs.com coalition several months ago to hold CNN anchor Lou Dobbs accountable for the rampant intolerance promoted through his nightly news show. The coalition was later joined by several prominent organizations to promote this effort.
Today, less than two months after the launch of our online and grassroots campaign, Lou Dobbs has announced he is resigning from CNN because “it’s become increasingly clear that strong winds of change have begun buffeting this country, and affecting all of us…”
Andres Ramirez, Senior Vice President for NDN and coordinator for the DropDobbs coalition stated, “This is a great victory for all of us who have been working on this effort. We believe that Lou Dobb’s intolerant style of politics is inconsistent with the powerful and respected CNN brand. We are glad to see him go.”
We want to thank and congratulate all the organizations who participated in this coalition.
League of United Latin American Citizens: LULAC “hails the removal of Lou Dobbs from CNN.”
From LULAC:
Washington, DC – The League of United Latin American Citizens, the oldest and largest Hispanic civil rights organization in the country hailed that CNN anchor Lou Dobbs will leave CNN today. The announcement was made on his 7 p.m. program “Lou Dobbs Tonight.”
“After years of giving Lou Dobbs an unparalleled and powerful perch from which to spread hate, fear, and misinformation about immigrants, the executives at CNN have finally realized that they could no longer justify his nightly smear campaign against the hardest working people in America,” stated Rosa Rosales, LULAC National President. “I am amazed that it took them so long to realize that the show was beyond the bounds of common decency.”
LULAC participated in the Drop Dobbs and Basta Dobbs campaigns to pressure advertisers to abandon his divisive show. The LULAC National Assembly had also passed a resolution calling for advertisers to withdraw.
“While we strongly believe in the right to free speech, that does not mean that demagogues have the right to a prime time show in which they bash hard working people of color,” stated LULAC National Executive Director Brent Wilkes. “CNN and other media outlets have a responsibility to provide a fair and rational discourse on important issues affecting their viewers or risk a backlash from the public.”
The League of United Latin American Citizens, the largest and oldest Hispanic membership organization in the country, advances the economic conditions, educational attainment, political influence, health, housing and civil rights of Hispanic Americans through community-based programs operating at more than 700 LULAC councils nationwide.
National Council of La Raza: Dobbs’ resignation “is an important step forward in restoring greater fairness, accuracy, and balance on CNN and cable news.”
From NCLR:
Washington, DC—“Lou Dobbs’s resignation from CNN yesterday is an important step forward in restoring greater fairness, accuracy, and balance on CNN and cable news,” stated Janet Murguía, President and CEO of NCLR (National Council of La Raza), the largest national Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization in the United States. Through its Wave of Hope campaign, and more recently as a founding member of the Drop Dobbs coalition, NCLR has long raised concerns about the gross distortions, misrepresentations, and falsehoods that Dobbs’s program has perpetuated, including by presenting extremist voices as “immigration experts.”
“We hope this resignation begins to undo the climate of intolerance fostered against the Latino community, restore journalistic integrity to the CNN brand, and bring civility and truth back to the immigration debate,” Murguía added.
National Hispanic Media Coalition: NHMC “and the Latino community congratulate CNN” for Dobbs’ departure.
From NHMC:
The National Hispanic Media Coalition (NHMC) and the Latino community congratulate CNN management for directing Lou Dobbs to either return to being a credible journalist or find another home.
Lou Dobbs’ editorializing and hate speech-aimed directly at the Latino community-had become an embarrassment to CNN and placed the network’s integrity in great question.
Dobbs’ continuous misrepresentations and misinformation regarding the Latino community had become a cause of great concern to all people of good will who work day-in and day-out to make this a better nation.
As Dobbs leaves CNN the Latino community will turn its ear toward the radio network that allows and encourages him to continue his shrill hate speech and factual misrepresentations.
Southern Poverty Law Center: “CNN should have asked him to resign long ago.”
From SPLC:
Statement by SPLC President Richard Cohen on the Departure of Lou Dobbs from CNN
Richard Cohen
Earlier this year, we called upon CNN to remove Lou Dobbs from the air for trading in falsehoods and racist conspiracy theories. Tonight we are glad that Dobbs has announced his departure from his influential position at CNN.
In his announcement, Dobbs complained that the public debate over important issues is now defined by “partisanship and ideology rather than rigorous empirical thought and forthright analysis and discussion.”
The truth is, Dobbs has done as much as anyone to poison the immigration debate by repeatedly reporting false information about immigrants. The most outrageous statement was his claim that immigrants were responsible for bringing thousands of new cases of leprosy to the United States during a recent three-year period. He also lent legitimacy to conspiracy theories, such as the claim that undocumented immigrants are part of a plot to reconquer the American Southwest. Most recently, he gave credence to the utterly baseless idea that President Obama is not a native-born American citizen.
Dobbs was certainly capable of fine journalism. But, as his ratings grew, he became a prisoner of the independent image he tried to cultivate, someone seemingly incapable of admitting a mistake. CNN should have asked him to resign long ago.
The Hispanic Institute: Dobbs’ departure “is welcome news for all Americans who value fair-minded journalism.”
From the Hispanic Institute:
The announcement by CNN that Lou Dobbs will be leaving the cable news channel is welcome news for all Americans who value fair-minded journalism. As the host of a nationally telecast program of commentary, news and interviews, Dobbs has engaged in the worst kind of xenophobic, race-baiting interpretations of the issues surrounding immigration policy, legitimized by the imprimatur of CNN. It was past time for it to end, and we’re glad it has.
For years, we at The Hispanic Institute – along with other organizations that care about informed, enlightened immigration policy – have decried Dobbs’ illogical, inflammatory rhetoric, and we have expressed our strong disappointment in CNN’s management for keeping him on the air. CNN’s otherwise solid journalistic reputation was tainted by Dobbs; indeed, we were saddened in 2008, when, with no other good choices, we were forced to call for a boycott of the news channel to protest Dobbs’ continued presence at CNN.
Now the channel has a chance to regain its professional authority. Our hope is that he will be replaced by someone with a more measured and intellectually honest outlook. CNN and the viewing public will all benefit.
America’s Voice: “Dobbs’ departure from CNN is an important step towards clearing the way to an honest immigration debate in our country”
From America’s Voice:
Washington, DC – CNN’s controversial primetime anchor, Lou Dobbs, aired his final broadcast last night. CNN announced that he would be replaced by White House correspondent John King beginning early in 2010. This change came about after hundreds of thousands of people pressured CNN to put a stop to Dobbs’ biased coverage on immigration and Latinos.
The following is a statement from Frank Sharry, Executive Director of America’s Voice:
“CNN executives saw their ratings shrink, advertising dollars dry up, and the integrity of their journalism impugned due to the vitriol spewed by Dobbs. These same executives seem to now be aware that there is a growing impatience in America for solving problems responsibly and not just shouting about them. They also must be aware of the growing power of Latinos and other Americans who are tired of the Dobbs tirade.
“For too long, politicians have let propagandists like Lou Dobbs define the immigration debate in America. Members of Congress should take notice that Dobbs’ brand of demagoguery has failed to win them elections, stopped progress on real issues, and tarnished many of their reputations with millions of new constituents.
“The vast majority of Americans want Congress to deliver comprehensive immigration reform. The tide is changing on this issue and the Dobbs departure reflects that. Today, top law enforcement and religious leaders are calling for reform, mainstream economists think it is the right thing to do, and political experts are warning of the long-term dangers of ceaseless anti-immigrant campaigning.
“Dobbs’ departure from CNN is an important step towards clearing the way to an honest immigration debate in our country. It is now up to Congress to seize this moment and fix our broken immigration system by delivering real, workable and comprehensive immigration reform.”
Georgia Association of Latino Elected Officials: “GALEO is glad that Lou Dobbs is leaving CNN.”
From GALEO:
“We are glad that Lou Dobbs will no longer spread his hatred and fear against Latinos on CNN. We are proud to have worked for this to happen. We are honored to have worked alongside the many allies across the nation with DropDobbs.com and BastaDobbs.com. Clearly, the pressure being exerted on CNN was great and we are glad we prevailed. Now, we must set our sights on engaging in an honest debate on immigration reform based upon facts and workable solutions that uphold our values as a nation and move us forward together.”
