Dobbs Embarks On His Political Career, Claims He’s Reaching Out To Latino Groups To ‘Bridge’ Differences
Dobbs Embarks On His Political Career, Claims He’s Reaching Out To Latino Groups To ‘Bridge’ Differences
Since Lou Dobbs left CNN, he has been mulling a run for office — possibly even for president. Yesterday in an interview with WTOP radio, Dobbs said that part of his strategy to transition from being a media figure is to reach out to all the Latino organizations he alienated while at CNN:
DOBBS: And for the first time, I’m actually listening to some people about politics. I don’t think I’ve got the nature for it, but we’ve got to do something in this country, and I think that being public arena means you’ve got to part of the solution. By the way, I’m reaching out right now to Latino groups, to the Chamber of Commerce, the Business Roundtable — all of the groups with whom I’ve been in an ongoing debate, to try to bridge some of these conflicts and try to create solutions. And I think we’re well on our way to doing that.
Listen here:
ThinkProgress spoke with Lisa Navarrete, vice president at the National Council of La Raza, the nation’s largest national Latino civil rights and advocacy organization in the United States. Navarrette said that Dobbs had not yet reached out to the group at all.
Dobbs did recently do an interview with Telemundo, in which he said that he was one of the Latino community’s “greatest friends.” However, he also falsely denied ever saying that undocumented immigrants are bringing leprosy to the United States, instead attacking the interviewer for even bringing up the subject. If he wants to start to “bridge” the differences with the Latino community, maybe he should start by not only apologizing for portraying undocumented immigrants as carriers of diseases, but also as criminals and invaders intent on conquering the United States for Mexico, as well as for promoting dangerous nativist conspiracy theories.
Transcript:
Q: Well as crazy as it may sound, there is talk of Lou Dobbs for president in 2012. Is that crazy talk?
DOBBS: What’s so crazy about that?
Q: Well, that’s what I’m asking you.
DOBBS: Golly.
Q: Well, is it crazy talk, or is it real?
DOBBS: Well, I’ll tell you this much. It’s one of the discussions we’re having.
Q: Really?
DOBBS: About politics. And for the first time, I’m actually listening to some people about politics. I don’t think I’ve got the nature for it, but we’ve got to do something in this country, and I think that being public arena means you’ve got to part of the solution. By the way, I’m reaching out right now to Latino groups, to the Chamber of Commerce, the Business Roundtable — all of the groups with whom I’ve been in an ongoing debate, to try to bridge some of these conflicts and try to create solutions. And I think we’re well on our way to doing that.
A Dobbs run would immediately activate Hispanic voters who are predominately Democratic party supporters. In 2008, Hispanics went for Obama 67 to 31 percent. Next time around, they'll be a much larger chunk of the electorate -- Hispanics are one of the fastest growing populations in the country -- and, if Dobbs runs, not only will they be weighing all of the issues that are important to all voters, they'll also be facing a candidate whose careless smears of illegal immigrants and embrace of Minutemen groups have made him a symbol of xenophobia. If that doesn't boost turn-out among that community on election day, I don't know what will.
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Yeah, that’ll work, Lou.
November 24th, 2009 at 1:12 pmDOBBS: And for the first time, I’m actually listening to some people about politics. I don’t think I’ve got the nature for it,
Listen to your own words, Lou and go write your memoirs. I’m sure your buddies will bulk buy it.
November 24th, 2009 at 1:16 pmthey’ll also be facing a candidate whose careless smears of illegal immigrants and embrace of Minutemen groups have made him a symbol of xenophobia.
No, no, no, didn’t you hear? Dobbs is reaching out to bridge the conflicts with the
November 24th, 2009 at 1:16 pmwetbacksLatino community!DOBBS: And for the first time, I’m actually listening to some people about politics.
gee, Lou, perhaps, as a political commentator, you should have been listening to people about politics all along.
Ya think?
November 24th, 2009 at 1:17 pmLike so many other stories about neocon lying fools, there’s really only one reaction to this news:
ha ha
November 24th, 2009 at 1:18 pmThis comment has been voted down. Click to read.
Sure, Lou – Hispanics EVERYWHERE are just *dying* to vote for you for President!! Really! Truly! I mean it! They like you, they really, really like you!!!!
(I know it must be quite obvious, but …./snark)
November 24th, 2009 at 1:25 pmHe hates ILLEGAL immigration not Mexicans.
—
November 24th, 2009 at 1:27 pmHow does he feel about the corporate capitalists who employ them?
Well, one thing’s for sure. He’s well on his way to becoming an American politician wannabe. He has the lying part mastered!
November 24th, 2009 at 1:29 pmto the Chamber of CommerceOne of his fist big mistakes. You want a hope of a successful run? don’t get in bed with big business. we, the people, will NOT vote for you.
November 24th, 2009 at 1:30 pm@9, and the getting caught apparently.
November 24th, 2009 at 1:30 pmIf Dobbs is intent on launching his political career in 2012, he has three options:
Run for President as an Independent – Bigger cranks than him have tried. He’ll be fighting off Alan Keyes and whatever wanker the GOP nominates for the bigoted xenophobe vote
Run for Senate as an Independent – Could scare the GOP into not fielding a credible candidate. Jersey Republicans tend not to be teabaggers; Dobbs will position himself as a “fiscal conversative” and fiercely anti-immigration. He’ll still get blown out by Menendez
Run for Congress as an Independent – None too likely. He lives in the 5th district, arguably the most conservative in the state. Scott Garrett would crush him.
Basically, he’s dead in the water so long as he stays in the same district.
November 24th, 2009 at 1:32 pmDobbs said that part of his strategy to transition from being a media figure is to reach out to all the Latino organizations he alienated while at CNN:
Seems like Lou is not going anywhere for a while as he reaches out to ALL of those Latino organizations. Hey Lou want a Snickers?
November 24th, 2009 at 1:34 pmDobbs resides on a 300-acre horse farm in Sussex County, New Jersey.
Something tells me he doesn’t live near the corner liquor store or landromat/taqueria in “little Mexico”.
Because he loves Latinos sooooo much.
November 24th, 2009 at 1:44 pmBut… uh, but is he reaching out to lepers? Not only has he smeared the Hispanic/Latin American community by associating them with that disease, but he’s smeared lepers, as well. Of all the contagious diseases, leprosy is one of the least contagious, if not the least contagious; more people get leprosy from armadillos than from other people – maybe.
http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/1306/is-it-true-that-armadillos-carry-leprosy
There’s a bit of a puzzle there, but Dobbs? Lou Dobbs IS a moral and ethical leper.
November 24th, 2009 at 1:45 pmCurrent and former CNN employees describe Dobbs as a volatile, sometimes ruthless figure. “He rules by fear,” a current CNN employee, who would not be named, said. “He’s definitely a screamer,” said another. “He can be stubborn, vicious, cutting, and his words are very forceful.”
Some employees got it worse than others. “Dobbs had once demanded that a very short producer stand on a chair so he could yell at him, and when the young man refused, Dobbs crouched down to deliver the scolding,” wrote Howard Kurtz of The Washington Post in The Fortune Tellers, his 2001 book about business media. Dobbs’s former employees say that his actions were designed to build loyalty. “He was not indiscriminately mean-spirited, but it was more of a test,” said a former “Moneyline” employee. “Those that failed the test left, and those that passed the test stuck around.” ….
Regardless of the logic behind the change, the increased ratings have come at a price. CNN employees say that Dobbs has become increasingly controversial inside the network. His power is resented, and his extreme positions are mocked. His face on network monitors inevitably provokes jokes and eye-rolling from CNN staffers. “We all start banging our heads against the wall,” one of them says.
November 24th, 2009 at 1:46 pmMaybe Dobbs can start by running for Governor of Alaska. Sarah Palin can get a gig on Fox News. Then having learned each others skills….
What a team they will make in 2012!!
They can concoct a pre-presidential agreement whereby whoever is on top of the ticket guarentees a co-presidency once in office. Dobbs can be councelled by Dick Cheney to see how this is done.
November 24th, 2009 at 1:47 pmVoy a votar por Lou Dobbs, porque mi instinto de conservación es terrible.
November 24th, 2009 at 1:52 pmI hope Dobbs speaks enough spanish to translate
‘Chinga tu madre’ when he meets latinos who have seen his bigoted lardass on the TeeVee.
November 24th, 2009 at 1:53 pmOr, perhaps the more genteel,
Tener relaciones sexuales con tu madre
November 24th, 2009 at 1:55 pmMr.Duke says:
He hates ILLEGAL immigration not Mexicans.
November 24th, 2009 at 1:24 pm
___________
Right. And Hitler didn’t hate ALL Jews, just the ones who were making Germany impure.
November 24th, 2009 at 1:56 pmO/T but incredibly infuriating nonetheless…
Banks to introduce debit card fees
November 24th, 2009 at 2:02 pmhttp://money.cnn.com/2009/11/23/news/companies/banks_debit_card/index.htm
There was nothing remotely “careless” about Dobbs’ racist smears – not careless, accidental, or inadvertent. They were deliberate, purposeful, and freely chosen.
November 24th, 2009 at 2:04 pmDobbs: hateful, dishonest, angry, mean, & racist. Just another nasty, deceitful Repub.
November 24th, 2009 at 2:08 pmDoes the GOP actually have any moderates considering a run for President in 2012? All it seems like so far is one extremist after another. Take a number Lou, there are a lot of other crazies ahead of you.
November 24th, 2009 at 2:10 pmDobbs is now bridge-building with the latino community? Perhaps he could hire the contractors who built Minneapolis’ bridge – and I think the funding from the original Bridge to Nowhere is still available.
November 24th, 2009 at 2:16 pmUh, Dobbs did know that while he was talking, the red light above the TV camera meant the tape was rolling, didn’t he ?
(Of course, in his case, the red light should have meant STOP talking.)
November 24th, 2009 at 2:21 pmMr.Duke says:
He hates ILLEGAL immigration not Mexicans.
November 24th, 2009 at 1:24 pm
Curiously enough, Dobbs doesn’t talk about german, swedish or norwegian people overstaying their visa. And doesn’t associate every british with mad cow disease.
November 24th, 2009 at 2:22 pmDobbs is now bridge-building with the latino community?
So is that also a bridge to now where like in AK?
November 24th, 2009 at 2:24 pmFrom the conservative lexicon:
Mexican = wetback
November 24th, 2009 at 2:25 pmMexican with money = Spanish fella
good luck with that esai.
November 24th, 2009 at 2:28 pm30. Geoman 77
Of course, that is the way it always is.
Nobody wanted “Mackerel Snappers” till they became Irish Businessmen.
Concurrent with the Civil Rights demonstrations of the 60s, a lot of black people made money and made black respectable.
Now we’re waiting on Mexicans to make it up the money ladder.
November 24th, 2009 at 3:53 pmPalin – Dobbs 2012, the GOP dream ticket for the democratic party .. bring them on !!!
November 24th, 2009 at 4:56 pmDobbs should just retire to some gated community and tut tut about somebody’s un-mown lawn.
November 24th, 2009 at 10:29 pmAll Lou cares about now is his gleaming grin and his grammar.
November 25th, 2009 at 4:55 amBecause that’s all he’s got.
Lou Dobbs is accustomed to a format in which he controls the discourse without anyone challenging him. He doesn’t have the temperament for reasonable debate. His hot temper and refusal to take responsibility for his own words would be exposed quickly in a Presidential run.
Still, I’d kind of like to see it. “Mr. Independent,” as he likes to call himself, would hurt the Republican candidate much more than he’d hurt Obama. How about a three-way race between Dobbs, Palin, and Obama? It could be a clean electoral sweep for Obama, which is saying something since Obama’s approval rating is only hovering around 50%.
November 25th, 2009 at 10:44 amGOD HELP US, A PALIN/DOBBS TICKET IN ‘012! This I’ve got to see… hahaha maybe they’ll be sooo busy arguing amongst themselves (like the rest of the GOP) that they’ll make it an easy win for the left.. GO PALIN/DOBBS in ‘012! *snark*
November 25th, 2009 at 11:32 amWait, he is reaching out to the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce after he called them being “interested in the export of drugs and illegal aliens to the US” hear it for yourself on NPR ?? So now that he needs some votes, he expects Latinos to just forget the insults?
November 25th, 2009 at 12:45 pm;;;
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