CNN paid Lou Dobbs $8 million to quit.
By on Nov 16th, 2009 at 10:44 am
CNN paid Lou Dobbs $8 million to quit.
Although Lou Dobbs has been saying that his departure from CNN was an “amicable parting on the best of terms,” the New York Post reports that CNN wanted him gone so badly that it gave him an $8 million severance package. Dobbs “had a year and a half to go on his $12 million contract.” He’ll be appearing on Fox News tonight to talk with Bill O’Reilly, who has called the former CNN host a “stand-up guy.”
Update Dobbs will also be on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart on Wednesday.
70 Responses to “CNN paid Lou Dobbs $8 million to quit.”
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If I start spouting racist, xenophobic nonsense right now, can I get CNN to pay me $8 million to not work for them in the first place?
November 16th, 2009 at 10:46 amStand up guy?
Ya right…guess it shows a JACKASS can stand!
November 16th, 2009 at 10:48 amOMG! 8 Million dollars! WTF? How can a racist blowhard like Dobbs walk away with that much money???? Man, our priorities in this country are seriously screwed up. Why couldn’t they can his ass and give the money to Charity? Damn.
November 16th, 2009 at 10:48 amThis comment has been voted down. Click to read.
“best of terms”?? I’d say!
This just points to the grossly mixed up priorities in our country. Some of the least skilled people doing the least useful jobs get paid these obscenely high salaries while military personnel, teachers, social workers, police, and others get the scrapings.
November 16th, 2009 at 10:52 amYep. $8m will make anyone seem “amicable”.
Plenty of money for Dobbs to launch that nascent political career or maybe start an all “American” (in other words, no ethnic-y sounding names) broadcast.
November 16th, 2009 at 10:52 amHope they gave that old gasbag that pay in Monopoly money ; that’s all he’s truly worth ………….
November 16th, 2009 at 10:53 amUmm…. Somebody is voting down everyone in record speed…
November 16th, 2009 at 10:55 amNow the extremists and conspiracy theorists on the right will say Loud Obbs was censured and forced out for speaking the truth.
Some idiots at other blogs believe the Mexican drug cartel shot at Loud Obbs home. I am starting to wonder if Loud Obbs didn’t pay somebody to shoot at his house to stir up controversy before he was sent packing.
November 16th, 2009 at 10:55 amHe’ll be appearing on Fox News tonight to talk with Bill O’Reilly, who has called the former CNN host a “stand-up guy.”
Unlike O’Really, who prefers ‘bending over’ to stand up guys.
Watching tonight’s broadcast would be like watching 2 fence posts congratulate each other on ‘holding things up’.
November 16th, 2009 at 10:58 amI will give Loud Obbs credit for exposing the selling of American jobs but thats about it. He turned into a blatant racist who turned to topics which would attract the lunatic fringe of the the right to try and increase his decreasing viewership.
November 16th, 2009 at 10:58 amHe had a contract. They bought him out to get rid of him.
Money well spent.
November 16th, 2009 at 10:59 amZimzone says:
He’ll be appearing on Fox News tonight to talk with Bill O’Reilly, who has called the former CNN host a “stand-up guy.”
I think O’Lielly meant to say a “stand-up comedian”
November 16th, 2009 at 11:00 amDivided@11, I used to watch Dobbs, but in 2006, he really started going of the deep end. Instead of focusing on job losses he blamed every immigrant he could think of. He even bashed Italians and the Irish for having the AUDACITY to have their own pride days.
November 16th, 2009 at 11:01 amHA-HA-HA-HA….We have us a Lou Dobbs lover here. I wonder if it bows inappropriately to Dobbs while waxing it’s weinie?
November 16th, 2009 at 11:01 amHe’ll be appearing on Fox News tonight to talk with Bill O’Reilly, who has called the former CNN host a “stand-up guy.”
O’Reilly , of course , being such a “stand-up guy” himself , paying off someone he sexually harassed , so as to avoid an embarrassing court case …………
November 16th, 2009 at 11:02 amI’m obviously in the wrong line of work — getting kicked off CNN appears to be far more lucrative.
November 16th, 2009 at 11:03 amLou Dobbs has been saying that his departure from CNN was an “amicable parting on the best of terms”
– - It was. For Lou.
November 16th, 2009 at 11:03 ammiss@17, Only in American can you be a collasial failure and still be rewarded. Sarah Palin is a perfect example. Next up Carrie Prejean, Tom Delay….
November 16th, 2009 at 11:06 am8 million – - well he can build a great big helium filled mylar UFO with that
November 16th, 2009 at 11:06 amOnly in America can hate pay so well.
November 16th, 2009 at 11:09 amFaux news will be the homeport for all the rabid, right nutball, talking heads! Teaparty central has it’s own channel.
November 16th, 2009 at 11:11 amAhhh poor Lou, like Beck. wasnt helping CNN ratings. Next stop the Bellow Loudly channel.
November 16th, 2009 at 11:12 amI would like to think that all the e-mail to CNN from the thousands of TP’ers contributed to the demise of Dobbs. It shows what truth to power can accomplish. Dobbs leaves a broken, destitute man. All is right with the world, and another wrong thinking person has been silenced.
Power to the people!!
November 16th, 2009 at 11:12 amhirvi tappajan
Irony that you nailed it.
November 16th, 2009 at 11:14 amCNN should have gotten rid of him years ago. The fact the special ‘Black in America’ was a huge success. Then the Latino special bombed. Then you have idiots like John King and Wolfie Boy practcally kissing Repug as*es. That is why MSNBC is crushing them.
November 16th, 2009 at 11:15 amCNN viewers and integrity keeping Dobbs on years longer than they should have.
November 16th, 2009 at 11:21 amI suppose that all the rumors about Dobbs being hired by Televista are not true.
November 16th, 2009 at 11:21 am“P.D. says:
——————————————————————————–
Umm…. Somebody is voting down everyone in record speed”
Bitter trolls left over from the weekend. We got the usual troll scat for Saturday and Sunday. Hopefully mommy has them back at the kitchen table soon for their home schooling.
November 16th, 2009 at 11:22 amI can see it now…The Brillo Liely show starring Lewd Odd
November 16th, 2009 at 11:22 amI just watched Sarah Palin on Oprah. That’s an hour of my life I’ll never get back. Now I know why I haven’t watched Oprah in years either. And Palin is a delusional schizoid with an incredible lack of self awareness.
November 16th, 2009 at 11:22 amShayne@31, I salute you for not vomiting. As for the interview, did Palin say anything we don’t know already? I mean the womans life is an open book.
November 16th, 2009 at 11:24 amPaid him $8 million to leave, boy they really wanted him gone! Now Fox can fire Shepard Smith and get Dobbs in his slot.
November 16th, 2009 at 11:24 amI heard if you buy 3 copies of Sarah’s book, they throw in a free Carrie P. sex video.
Billdo immediately bought 300 copies…
November 16th, 2009 at 11:25 amDobbs’ appearance on Billo’s show is probably the last step in his audition. If I were Shep Smith right now, I’d be polishing up my resumé.
November 16th, 2009 at 11:26 amDobbs on billdo tonight,Dont be surprised if they announce that dobbs will be joining the fox lies channel.
November 16th, 2009 at 11:30 amI think we found O’Reilly a new co-host!
http://www.political-buzz.com/
November 16th, 2009 at 11:31 amThat’s a helluva lotta ‘get lost’ money.
His severance package should have included a swift kick in the larded ass.
November 16th, 2009 at 11:33 amShe said that when she was being vetted she disclosed that she’d once gotten a D in a college course and she thought that would be as deep as they’d go. Apparently she’d never paid attention to a presidential campaign before. And she said that she was annoyed with Katie Couric asking her about what she read because she felt that Katie was implying that Alaskans didn’t have access to reading materials. Apparently English is her second language. Gobbledeegook is her first.
November 16th, 2009 at 11:34 amNow, how much will MSNBC have to pay to get rid of Pat Buchanan?
November 16th, 2009 at 11:36 amCNN paid Lou Dobbs $8 million to quit.
How is this guy worth so much? Are you telling me it’s that difficult to do what he did?
At least major league baseball players who are paid millions can do something most humans can’t:
Throw or hit a 90 mph fastball.
Political pundits?
November 16th, 2009 at 11:36 amThey basically do what used to be the (unpaid) job of the over opinionated loudmouth in the neighborhood bar.
I believe there’s a chance that Dobbs won’t be offered at any job, not even at Fox.
November 16th, 2009 at 11:36 amShayne, I was really dissapointed in Opra for giving palen air time.
I don’t watch but I assumed she was better than that.
November 16th, 2009 at 11:37 amSpeaking as an occasional over opinionated loudmouth…
I want my $8m, CNN. Bloggers do it for free.
November 16th, 2009 at 11:38 amI was a big fan of Oprah when she came to Chicago 1984 on “AM Chicago”. I stopped watching her years ago too. Even before I stopped watching CNN. “People” like her because she doesn’t ask any hard questions. YAWN.
November 16th, 2009 at 11:42 amHivri
You are pathetic and ridiculous. No one has been silenced. Dobbs can write all the books he wants, talk on any street corner, he will be on Fox tonight. I know you are stupid but the definition of the word silenced is pretty clear to any reasonably bright six year old and it doesnt apply to Dobbs. Grow up
November 16th, 2009 at 11:48 amWow – 8 million dollars?! CNN really wanted Dobbs OUT!
November 16th, 2009 at 11:58 amDana Bash started out with weak reporting, but at least she stuck to the facts. Now, with time under her belt, and her marriage to that whimp-assed John King – she is showing her right-wing leanings. I guess my idea of equal partnerships in marriage are that each is entitled to their own opinions, but this doesn’t seem to be the case with the King-Bash marriage…….all John’s way or no way. They could get rid of both of them along with Wolf and I’d be quite happy. Campbell Brown used to be a fairly good commentator, but her no bull line is now all bull.
November 16th, 2009 at 12:01 pmthe definition of the word silenced is pretty clear to any reasonably bright six year old and it doesnt apply to Dobbs
Agreed. CNN’s $8 million to Dobbs is a contract buy-out.
The $8 million Limpballs pays his three ex-wives every year is hush-money to keep them from ratting him out. Unfortunately, nothing will ever silence the gas-bag himself but he is paying dearly to silence the three women who have the goods on him.
November 16th, 2009 at 12:01 pmHe’s a multimillionaire claiming to be a spokesman for working people. When was the last time this dude was NOT rich?
Our public dialogue is the domain of the rich.
November 16th, 2009 at 12:01 pm@4. spearNmagicHelmet says: think progress, your(sic) giving me a cavity. is it really prudent to be covering all the distractions, as opposed to all the real issues? November 16th, 2009 at 10:49 am
It is a real issue. Pay disparity, golden parachutes, etc for the executive and bloviating class while everyone else gets kicked in the head by the economy. It’s “Corporate Malfeasance”, “Incompetent Establishment”, and “Economic (In)justice”, all rolled up in one fat ball of whiny LouDobbs turdliness and dropped into the middle of America’s tee vee screens. And that $8 Million dollars only passed through CNN’s pockets; it came from CNN’s revenue stream, which comes from it’s advertisers, and that comes from consumers who buy the advertiser’s products, etc etc.
Sorry, I’ll stop now before I go all Van Jones…
November 16th, 2009 at 12:03 pmtom says:
Agreed. CNN’s $8 million to Dobbs is a contract buy-out.
This is correct. The money was paid to buy out the contract which may have obligated CNN to pay more money. With the buyout the contract is ended and now Dobbs and CNN have not further obligations. The buyout is done because CNN may have had no way out of the contract and this avoids any litigation about the contract.
November 16th, 2009 at 12:10 pmI (and a whole bunch of other folks) am waiting for Lou’s thank-you email. After all, had we not signed all those petitions to CNN, had we not called and told the frazzled phone answerers to drop radioactive Dobbs, he’d still have to go to work every day.
So, Lou, c’mon: say thanks, at least.
PS: I swear on my honor I’m neither Latino nor an “illegal” immigrant. Honest.
November 16th, 2009 at 12:22 pmWell, now we all know the true cost of racism.
According to CNN its 8 million.
Pathetic.
November 16th, 2009 at 12:26 pmYep. And in plain English: CNN paid Senor Louie to leave. Interesting to know that Dobbs was paid 12 million which he certainly wasn’t worth a peso for the hate on his show.
November 16th, 2009 at 12:37 pmToo bad we don’t still have the old Eisenhower-era marginal tax rates; then, I wouldn’t mind so much.
November 16th, 2009 at 12:49 pmClearly, it pays — both literally and figuratively — to be a well-known public figure. Most working stiffs who chose to exercise their right to free speech in a way which exposed their employer to criticism and/or damaged the good name of the company would probably have been fired a long time ago, quite possibly without any severance pay — let alone a cushy buyout like Dobbs got, since increasing numbers of people are employed “at will” anyway and don’t have a contract (meaning that the employer can choose to let someone go at virtually any time and for virtually any reason as long as it’s not discriminatory). If I’m not mistaken, freedom of speech which creates problems for the employer could arguably be considered conflict of interest — are they seriously trying to tell us that there was not one clause in Dobbs’s contract which they could have pointed to as evidence that Dobbs was in violation?
This much is certain…if CNN hasn’t been putting clauses like that in their employment contracts before this, they probably will be doing so from this point forward.
November 16th, 2009 at 1:38 pmWell, I could be pretty happy and amicable with $8 million in my pocket.
November 16th, 2009 at 1:48 pmGreatGranny2B
My sentiments exactly. Didn’t care for Dana before, and even less so now. Didn’t care for King before and even less so now.
November 16th, 2009 at 1:55 pmIt’s time for CNN to take a hard look at what standards they use for journalism and get back to being a real news channel, instead of trying to be Fox-Lite.
Hell, I’ll go away for a mere 2 million.
November 16th, 2009 at 2:01 pmProbably to Denmark or Sweden.
tony and lido
Wow, must be nice having barrels of cash lying around!
Jess Been
November 16th, 2009 at 2:13 pmhttp://www.online-privacy.at.tc
Dobbs will be appearing on Fox News tonight to talk with Bill O’Reilly, who has called the former CNN host a “stand-up guy.”
O’Reilly will be giving Dobbs the “Bill O’Reilly Golden Loofah Sponge Award” for extreme, hateful, right wing rhetoric.
November 16th, 2009 at 3:03 pmGotta love America. Another loser getting a multi-million dollar golden parachute.
How come if I screwed up as badly as these clowns I’d wind up in the soup line?
Our values aren’t in the toilet, they’re in the retaining hole of an outhouse.
November 16th, 2009 at 3:26 pm$8 million will barely cover Lou’s PolyGrip tab.
November 16th, 2009 at 4:40 pmRE: spearNmagichelmet @ 4:
SNMH: latest victim of the namejacker.
November 16th, 2009 at 6:20 pmThe only thing that will satisfy the likes of Dobbs, Beck, Limbaugh and their acolytes is overseeing the construction of Dachau style vacation/elimination camps, for non-whites, who have the audacity to be breathing whilst within US borders.
November 16th, 2009 at 6:39 pmbureaucrap says:
If I start spouting racist, xenophobic nonsense right now, can I get CNN to pay me $8 million to not work for them in the first place?
Yeah, lib, what part of ILLEGAL immigration don’t you understand? I guess it is okay that people can cross our borders and break our immigration laws. Why would someone wanting our laws enforced be called a “racist”. Me no understand.
November 16th, 2009 at 7:34 pmWhy pay Dobbs anything? Why not just say, “You’re fired!” People do that all the time. To ordinary folks, like you and me.
November 17th, 2009 at 7:54 amPeople have short memories around these so-called United States. People forget that EVERYBODY here is an immigrant. EVERYBODY.
November 17th, 2009 at 7:56 amThis is the REAL reason Dobbs was asked to leave. :)
http://www.theonion.com/content/news/u_s_deports_lou_dobbs
November 17th, 2009 at 10:26 am