Mixing it up with Lou Dobbs over '-isms'

RUBEN NAVARRETTE JR. THE UNION-TRIBUNE

Mixing it up with Lou Dobbs over '-isms'

June 21, 2006

Lou Dobbs was spoiling for a fight. I know, because he wanted to fight with me.

(snip)

Either way, Dobbs'ratings are up since he started talking incessantly about “broken borders.” His show on CNN now averages 813,000 viewers. That puts him just behind the No. 1 show in its time period: Fox News' “Special Report with Brit Hume,” which has 1.2 million viewers. I have no problem with fame and fortune. What concerns me is the path one takes to get there.

Before the discussion, I approached Dobbs, introduced myself and thanked him for having me on his show several times in the last couple of years. “Yes,” he said, “I read your column and I like it – except the ones that call me a racist and a xenophobe.” It went downhill from there. “Actually, Lou,” I said, “What I've written is that you pander to racists and xenophobes. You seem like a pretty good guy, but some of your viewers are certifiable.”

“You really think so?” he asked, “I think I have one of the most intelligent audiences on television.” “Well,” I said, “Racism and intelligence aren't qualities that are mutually exclusive.” He had this look on his face that suggested he was trying to process what I had just said, until an NAHJ official interceded and said it was time for Dobbs to get ready to go onstage.

(snip)

It helped that he stayed away from the material that might have elicited boos and snickers. He didn't explain something that he often talks about: how he's sure that, if you crack down on employers, illegal immigrants will self-deport. Or why he believes it's appropriate – on his show – to couple immigration stories with segments about language and culture. Mixing these things illustrates a contradiction: Dobbs has said repeatedly that the only thing that concerns him is “illegal” immigration. But on his show he sounded the alarm bells when the Heritage Foundation put out a report warning that offering illegal immigrants a path to legalization could mean taking in as much as 100 million additional legal immigrants.

(snip)

Find this article at:
http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20060621/news_lz1e21navarre.html

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