Lou Dobbs Resigns from CNN

It is now being widely reported that Lou Dobbs is resigning from CNN effective today. During "Lou Dobbs Tonight", Dobbs announced that his Wednesday show would be his last on the network. The announcement comes amidst much controversy surrounding the CNN commentator and his regular negative and untruthful statements directed at immigrants.

In September, a coalition of community organizations united together to call on CNN to fire Lou Dobbs for spreading misinformation and fear about immigrants and Latinos. The BastaDobbs coalition formed to raise awareness about the dangerous nexus between anti-immigrant extremism and the media. Earlier this month, the campaign announced that 100,000 people had joined them in demanding that Dobbs be dismissed from the network.

In a statement responding to the announcement of Dobbs' departure from CNN, the BastaDobbs campaign had this to say:

"Our contention all along was that Lou Dobbs – who has a long record of spreading lies and conspiracy theories about immigrants and Latinos – does not belong on the ‘Most Trusted Name in News,’” said Roberto Lovato, co-founder of Presente.org, a national online advocacy organization coordinating the BastaDobbs.com campaign in conjunction with more than 40 local and regional Latino organizations from across the country. “We are thrilled that Dobbs no longer has this legitimate platform from which to incite fear and hate.” Read full statement

Last month, America's Voice, an organization supporting a workable and humane approach to comprehensive immigration reform, began airing an ad "Drop the Hate, Drop Dobbs" echoing the call for CNN to drop Dobbs from it's network. The ad ran on MSNBC and several other networks during the CNN's "Latino in America" mini series. Despite raising the necessary funds, CNN refused to air the ad.

There is no word yet on what sort of impact these campaigns had on Lou Dobbs' departure from CNN. However, according to the New York Times, Jonathan Klein, president of CNN/U.S. said that “Lou has now decided to carry the banner of advocacy journalism elsewhere.”

Posted in: America's Voice,bastadobbs.com,CNN,Lou Dobbs,Lou Dobbs Tonight